New-York tribune., 1908-10-25

every reason 70 feel completely satisfied"
ing. with roaring beat that comes from
stripped engine with T1ufffer gone and minute
later Fitzpatrick drove up in the Hotchkiss
that driven by Elliott Shepard two years
ago when II killed a man a. Krug's Corner.
From ith exhausts belched the weird blue fame
that lends so much OF the weird attraction that
lies IN the starting of a race at dawn, and
when they il many OF those in the stand.
veterans OF previous races. heaved a sigh OF
relief and said. All It's a real race, after all"
Six o'clock came, and with 1t the hour Of the
start But It passed, and swiftly came the
nouncement that the cars would MT be sent off
their long Journey for half en hour. 1t
still dark and raining by fits and starts, and
the course reported 10 be crowded at
the turns that It was thought better to give the
guards another chance TO clear It and mini
mize the risk
But at last the time Of waiting passed, and
there great roar as Jim" FIorida's car,
Locomobile No. !, was pushed TO the line.
Watch IN hand. Wagner counted of the seconds,
and as he slapped the driver the back the
irregular bark OF the leashed motor gave way
TO the rhythmic purr OF racing engine and the
gray car shot away in a cloud Of smoke.
The race on last and in swift success
sion more cars were sent on their way. Denni-
son In the Knox made pretty start, Lytle, too,
in the Isotta, got the big red car away with q
jump, throwing in the high speed clutch few
yards from the start First TO miss was the
definitely and the only car that had trouble at
the start was the RenauIt with Strang az the
wheel Strang was about to start when the
trouble developed. and he and the whole RenauIt
force worked over the machine until several
OF the cars had whizzed by on the beginning OF
their second lap Although he seemed to have
little chance TO make I'D the handicap. strang
was loudly cheered when he got away
Then the excitement was continuous Scarcely
a minute passed without & flying by and
sometimes the swift rush was varied by a hasty
stop for Easolene tires or water George
Robertson had a leaky radiator. and had to stop
az the end OF the fifth lap for more water 10
the general dismsy. But the stop was brief
and the next lap the 1avOrite delighted his
bakers by passing the Acme car in front Of the
stand II the big yellow racer had been stand
ing still
Already the crowd was bothering the drivers
and Robertson had made furious protest when
be stopped Motor cycle guards had tried TO
clean the course up but with Indifferent success
In the first two laps stricker's Mercedes, the
Isotta, Haupt's Chadwick and the big Thomas
that was driven by salzrnen were pressing Rob
ertson hard. Tire trouble bothered the Locorno-
bile IN the fourth lap. and II dropped TO fourth
place. The change OF tires was made on the
course away from the grandstand, but Chad
wick had 70 stop at the stand for new tires.
The thrilling race between the four leaders.
with Robertson gaining little the 1sotta,
which had taken the lead at last from the Chad
wick held the crowd tense until as II was end
ing its fourth lap RyaITs Matheson came in
with his gasolene tank abaze The fire was
aEflv F,-rr1 he n he yUzs
vital and II was put out OF the race, despite
desperate efforts 10 make repairs.
So II went TO the thrilling finish By that
time two accidents had elinina ted the pucky
defective wheel had put salzman's
Thomas hopelessIy in the rear. after seven fine
laps, and tire trouble had pushed strickers
Mercedes back
In the ninth lap Lytle gained on Robertson,
but q daredevil burst Of speed sent the latter
away in the lead by four minutes when the last
Of the eleven laps was begun Every other car
IN the race was forgotten. BreathlessIy every
one waited for reports from the contenders for
first place for the slightest accident, II re-
allied, might change the issue And the acct
dent seemed to have come when the LocomobiIe
was reported of the track. But the good news
Of Robertsons quick recovery soon followed the
bad tidings. and at 1915 o'clock the race was
won.
Then followed q wild scene. What little re-
straint the crowd had shown was cast 10 the
winds and after one OF two cars that were
right on RobertsOn's trail, though laps behind
had passed, the crowd hwarmed UP toward the
grandstand Mr.. Thompson ordered q hose
from one OF the supply camps turned on and
the ordere was obeyed with good will
But the relief was only temporary, and Mr
Vanderbilt seeing that the crowd could not be
checked and that even some touring cars had
invaded the course. waited only to find out that
no cars had entered the parkway before stop
ping the race The action was drastic, for three |
cars were speeding around in their eleventh lap |
but Il was necessary.
Florida failed TO see the warning flag at the !
the toll lodge, and drove his machine into the |
,rowd He smashed q tourning car and ran |
DOWN David SchUb. Of No. 421 Bedford avenue,
Brooklyn. The boys leg was broken below the |
knee, and he taken to the Nassau Hospital |
ONLY two other accidents were reported and |
hey In no way were caused by the race Two /
men were struck by q tourntng car after II was /
All over and Lee Saun, OF No. 1144 Hancock |
street Brooklyn, fell from d tree He was taken /
@ the Nassau Hospital suffering from concus- |
sion OF the brain
AFTER the rush and the crush the end Of |
he race. came wild sprint 70 the trains the |
-onR Island Railroad had ready back of the |
The Wild sprint ended right there |
or the progress back to New York and beds
md breakfast and other things most desirable
,fter q night spent IN the damp chill of the
course was not hasty. Far from II. It was
.edate dignihed and, II must be confessed slow