Rocky Ford enterprise., 1907-09-06
WHILE GOING At RATE or MILE \
MINUTE AUTOS 0EcoMg
UNMANAogAolg.
BOTH DENVER DRIVERS
5000 PEOPLE WITNESS cArAs,
Tropics THAT SEND FRIENDS
TO DEATH.


cited thronk of 1900 spectators, vii
liam b. Feikes and C. v. Dassy we're in,
s,an'iy killed and the lives OF Harold
Brinker. a driver. and other contest.
Ants and spectators were endangered
The fatalities were caused by two dis
iiret and unavoidable accidents. both
OF which were due to tires bursting. In
both Instances the powerful machines
became unr,anaSeabis monsters and
hurled their drivers into eternity.
The Creates; excitement prevailed.
both In the crowded Erands,ands and
% the sefardas OF the Overland coun-
Try Ciub. which were thronsrd with
fashion4bly aitired women and their
escorts Women tainted and msa
~ep; As they saw their friends Ia dan
ser Of destruction oniy the foresight
Of the track management in havinE
scores OF policemen and deputies on
hand to preserve order prevented
panic and stiii further aceideuts By
preventing the mob from surEins on
tho track until the other machines IN
the race had been tagged by Starter
O. A. blanchard.
When ossey Was Killed.
II was In the afth mile that the Ap-
cor. received purciurc In It's
tire q; about the ,hree-auarte.
pole. The car was about al
eighth OF 4 mile from any of these
Immediately behind It. and when the
tire burs; the machine wh!rled com
ple'cly around three times with terrific
force. hurting pasey. who was AZ the
wheel. ou; on the track. His death was
caused by broken neck. but whether
by the force OF the fall or by being run
over by oaconinS machines will prob
ably never be known. The Appcrxoa
was Withdrawn and owing to the fatal
lty III. Apperson reserve machine.
which was ready TO start. was with.
he'd
After about the twenty.afth mile.
close Observers noticed that the right
forward tire on the Felker machine
was wearing badly. this condition be-
ne evident especially around the turns.
When this condition was obse-ssi.
Manager @. A. wahlSreen and Referee
y. II. Van Sicklen Immediately had a
conference with the Judges IN charge
81 the meeting concerning the adyis-
ability of tagging Felker. or. II advis-
-ble. stopping the race entirely. Those
formed of the practice In similar
cases on tracks throughout the coun-
try declared that the drivers IN all
cases were held strictly responsible
Tor ans chances they might taken with
faulty tires. II was pointed out that
all the contestants had tire stations
established and II was expected that
the drivers. all of whom were expert
enced. would shortly stop 70. the pur-
pose of making tire changes The fact
that It would be unjust TO the other
drivers. as well as to the public. TO
stop the whole race was also brought
out In this conference. 1t was agreed
TO flag any contestant whose tires APP
peared to endanger his life or that of
others At Just about this time. while
he was racing past the officials stand.
Felker's bad tire partly gave way. and
foot of the outside covering flew
score of feet in the air. Despite this he
took the curve at the clubhouse with
out slowing down. The officials then
decided to flag him at all hazards on
the next time around.
story Of Feiker's Death.
The rest of the story is best told by
Harold Brinker, who miraeulously es-
capped without a scratch.
Il was laying very close to the Ste
ens," says Brinker. Il heard the tire
pop and strained every nerve to avoid
| collision in case my opponent slowed
down. Felker did shut of his engine
about midway in the clubhouse curve.
but, then. strangely enough. he threw
| On full speed ahead and shot forward
with terrific force. l had Just time to
steel myself for the worst l saw him
swerve and all could do was to take
the fence. l went through first and
was fortunate enough to hit 1t between
two posts. He followed me and must
have struck the jagged fence near one
of the posts. didn't have any time
| to think. l saw Felker hurled high in
the air. Ny car raced over the grass.
| jumped the ditch and ran like fright
ened thing up a forty-five per cent
grade. The grade slowed me up and
jumped to safety unscratched.
Il saw Felker was done for and
rushed to his machine 1t was at high
speed when shut 1t off. 1t was yards
| beyond where he lay and was iammed
in between trees and bushes. The
right front tire was gone and the left
front wheel completely demolished
| xhere 1t had partly torn away the
| trunk Of tree
Observers state that Felker must
| ave realized the condition Of his tire
when the outer covering gave way and
that he seemed to point at the wheel
as he took the turn. That he slowed
down bit is also certain. The reason
he again started up was probably in
fear that some of those coming behind
might collide with his machine.
| Both Necks Broken.
| An investigation at the morgue of
| Coroner Rollins Of the injuries which
caused the death of Dasey and Felker
showed that the base of the skull had
| been crushed in both instances and
that the necks were broken.
Every rib over Felker's chest and
abdomen was fractured and crushed,
| and all the ribs on DaseY'a left aide