New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-10-24
CARAVAN OF CARS
AT BIG AUTO RACE
THOUSANDS GATHER FOR
GREAT SPEED TEST.
Motorists Stay Up Al Night to See
Daring DriUers Struggle for
Vanderbilt Cup.
tBy Telegraph to The Tribune ]

Telegraph to The Tribune-I
Bethpage Long Island. Oct. 24.-All Is ready
here, while the cold, gray Long Island dawn Is
making I'D its mind to break, for the start Of the
fourth race for the Vanderbilt Cup. and before
these words are read by many the eighteen
automobiles built for sp and stripped for
racing will have begun their fearsome journey OF
more than two hundred and fifty miles around
the new Long Island Motor Parkway course for
the coveted trophy offered by William Il Van
derbilt. jr.
1t is cold and t is damp, and there is no par
ticular prospect of sunlight to cheer the spec
tators. But no one cares. If rain Is mentioned
, there is some one to say, "Oh, well, what's a
little rain? 1t will lay the dust, won't it?'' The
gran lstand is like big frame clubhouse for the
OptImists' Club and gloom is confined alto
gether to the skies.
All night long the roads that led to the course
from every part of the surrounding country
were filled with and more or less dust TOT
it has been so dry for weeks that there was
plenty of dust left to be stirred up by the
wheels of the caravan. And through the dust.
speeding along like frefies in the haze, were
the lamps of hundreds of automobiles Ihere
were big cars with great acetylene searchlights
that blinl.ed their warning message for hun
dreds of feet through the haze and the dark
ness. and there were little cars with tiny yellow
headlights that scarcely began to show until
the cars were a few feet away.
GATHERING OF THE RACERS
From Mfneola and from Garden city and
from their camps at places near the course the
racing cars ploughed their way along the roads
one by one, in the last hours before the race
Hoarse shouts from drivers, shrill cries from the
foreign 'chauffeurs screaming, stacCato barks
from the motors, rent the air, with now and
vf-o TO 6ra1 L he
silence of the night.
All this with the strange uncouth shoutings
of those about the course and the constant cry
of those who had goods Of all kinds to sell, pro
duced an aspect of wild confusion that made
the novice wonder how q dozen committees
could ever bring order out of such chaos.
Parked all about the grandstand hun
dreGs of automobiles that took up their posi-
tfons yesterday evening and during the night
Extempore hotels the cars had become, and
the time for the race drew near many a coffee
percolator was called upon to provide warming
cheer. Baskets of sandwiches and bottles of all
kinds drawn out. and thousand break
tests were eaten with as much relish as if those
who were enjoying them were at nome breaking
their fast at civilized hour at a table spread
with white linen served from a kitchen whence
relays of hot eggs and mullins could be sum-
moned at will. instead Of damp Long Island
plain. in what was the middle of the night for
most of those present.
PARADE BEGINS AT 10 O'CLOCK.
AS early 10 o'clock last night the exodus
from this city to the course began. The process
sion formed in Herald Square and the thou
sands turned their faces to the 34th street ferry
some on foot. others in streetcars still others in
the tonneaus or at the wheels of finely appointed
automobiles. Along the Great White Way
it night of revelry and every hotel was
full to overlooking.
In spite of lowering skies that threatened rain
the streets and avenues leading to the Long
Island ferry alive with the drOne hum,
rattle and snort of gllstening automobiles pour
ing in from every direction. Although the boats
We're kept running at intervals of five minutes,
34th street soon became clogged with an mex
tricable mass of big cars and little cars limou,
snes and runabOuts, all purring and hiccough-
ing while awaiting their turn. Never before
in the history of the cup were so many
lined up waiting for chance to invade
Long Island.
1t was estimated that fully three hundred cars
an hour crossed the ferry, at the rate of
about five a minute. Altogether some four
thousand machines left this city to find places
around the course.
Many who would not brook delay started for
a
Of cars poured across most of the night This
route to the course was not well known as
the one from Long Island City. but the parade
was continuous and the cars loaded with per
sons bent on seeing the race. crossed at the rate
of about eighty hour
ALL ROADS LED TO THE PARKWAY
All night long the crash and roar of straining
tinbers as the ferryboats piled their way into
the slips in Long Island City followed iy
the sudden sharp bark of motors brought back
to thrcbbng life by the quick turn of the cranks
as impatient automobilists hurried to be off On
the swift run Long Island roads to the
level stretch where the sport that lies in the
contest of iron and living engines was to
reward their all night vigil.
Scant the time TO lnger after the car had
passed slowly out under the ferryhouse to the
Belgian blocks of Long Island City A toot OF