, 1907-09-05
WHILE GOING AT RATE OF MILE A
MINUTE AUTOS BECOME
UNMANAGEABLE.
BOTH DENVER DRIVERS
5000 PEOPLE WITNESS CATAS-
TROPHIES THAT SEND FRIENDS
TO DEATH.

day, in the presence of a madly ex-
liam B. Felker and C. V. Dasey were in
stantly killed and the lives of Harold
Brinker, a driver, and other contest
ants and spectators were endangered.
The fatalities were caused by two dis
tinct and unavoidable accidents, both
of which were due to tires bursting. In
both instances the powerful machines
became unmanageable monsters and
hurled their drivers into eternity.
The greatest excitement prevailed.
both in the crowded grandstands and
on the %verandas of the Overland Coun-
try Club, which were thronged with
fashionably attired women and their
escorts. Women tainted and men
wept as they saw their friends in dan
ger of destruction. Only the foresight
of the track management in having
scores of policemen and deputies on
hand to preserve order prevented a
panic and still further accidents by
preventing the mob from surging on
the track until the other machines in
the ace had been tagged by Starter
G. A. Blanchard.
When Dasey Was Killed.
1t was in the fifth mile that the Ap-
person Jack Rabbit, a tifty-horse power
cor, received a puncture in its
tire at about the t~hree-quarter
pole. The car was about an
eighth of a mile from any of these
Immediately behind it, and when the
tire burst the machine whirled COM
pletely around three times with terrific
force, hurting Dasey, who was at the
wheel, out on the track. His death was
caused by a broken neck, but whether
by the force of the fall or by being run
over by oncoming machines will prob
ably never be known. The Apperson
was withdrawn and owing to the fatal
lty the Apperson reserve machine,
which was ready to start. was with
he'd.
After about the twenty-ifth mile,
close observers noticed that the right
forward tire on the Felker machine
was wearing badly. this condition be
ing evident especially around the turns.
When this condition was observed.
Manager G. A. Wahlgreen and Referee
n. H. Van SicRlen Immediately had a
conference with the judges in charge
of the meeting concerning the advis-
ability of tagging Felker, or, if advis-
bile, stopping the race entirely. Those
| I-oll IiNh vi Nv Ild'llt' III Slllliidl
cases on tracks throughout the coun-
try declared that the drivers in all
cases were held strictly responsible
for any chances they might taken with
faulty tires. 1t was pointed out that
all the contestants had tire stations
established and 1t was expected that
the drivers, all of whom were expert
enced, would shortly stop for the pur-
pose of making tire changes. The fact
that il would be unjust to the other
drivers. as well as to the public, to
stop the whole rae was also brought
out in this conference. II was agreed
to flag any contestant whose tires ap-
peared to endanger his life OF that of
others. At just about this time. while
he was racing past the officials stand.
Felker's bad tire partly gave way, and
a foot of the outside covering few a
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 Oh
the next time around.
Story of Felker's Death.
The rest of the story is best told by
Harold Brinker. who tremendously es-
capped without a scratch
Il was laying very close to the Ste
ems" says Brinker. 81 heard the tire
pop and strained every nerve to avoid
a collision in case my opponent slowed
down. Felker did shut off his engine
about midway in the clubhouse curve,
but, then, strangely enough, he threw
OH full speed ahead n shot forward
with terrific force. ! had just time to
steel myself for the worst. | saw him
swerve and all could do was to take
the fence. | went through first and
was fortunate enough to hit it 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. My car raced over the grass,
jumped the ditch and ran like a fright
ened thing up a forty-fve per cen
grade. The grade slowed me up and
jumped to safety u~nscratched.
81 saw Felker was done for and
rushed to his machine. 1t was at high
speed when l shut 1t OFF, 1t was yards
beyond where he lay and was jammed
In between trees and bushes. The
right front tire was one and the left
front wheel completely demolished
gher it had partly torn away the
trunk of a tree"
Observers state that Felker must
ave realized the condition of his tire
hen the outer covering gave way and
that he seemed to point at the wheel
as he took the turn. That he slowed
down a 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.