Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-02-08
FINE MOTOR COURSE
Philadelphia to Have the Fin
est Auto Speedway in the
World
IDEAL LOCATION SELECTED
Track For an American Motordrome
to Be Largest, Fastest and Safest.
Car, It is Said, Can Take 1t at Ninety
Miles an Hour In Perfect Safety.

Car, 1t is Said, Can axe II at Nihet)
Miles an Hour In Perfect Safety.
Philadelphia capital and enterprise
have planned to build Immediately the
largest and fastest automobile track III
the world. says the Philadelphia In
quirer. Before next summer arrives il
is expected that the course will be
ready and that new worlds records
galore will go down on the pages of
motoring history.
The only track that can compare
with it is the Brooklands of England
where S. f. Edge has made marvellous
time in twcnty-four hours and fol
shorter periods. SO safe will the course
be that car can take 1t at the rate OF
ninety miles an hour without the
slightest danger of an accident
Since the course will have no COM
petitors in the United States it will
become national in the interest it ere
ates, and thus Philadelphia will be the
center of speeding, and all the great
cars constructed in the United States
and abroad will be sent there to com
pete.
For enterprise and daring Philadel-
phia has long ranked ahead of any city
of the nation, and on the first sigma
from the American Automobile associ
alton. the controlling automobile body
in the United States. that racing OF
mile OF half mile horse tracks woulo
be discountenanced the American mo
tordro1ne was organized and has now
proceeded to such a stage that success
is certain. No club affiliated with the
American Automobile association with
any degree of respect for the lives OF
competitors would attempt to hold a
race meet on mile track now, and
free lance promoters would not he
permitted to make the attempt, for all
who participated would be declared
outlaws. So it remained for enterpris-
ing capitalists to undertake the grent
task. and Philadelphia will have the
honor Of inaugurating the first great
track the United States has ever
known and what will prove the fast
est in the world.
A beautiful plateau just beyond LA
nerch on the West Chester pike has
been selected from number OF sites,
and there 213 acres Of ground have
been purchased The location IL ideal
It is but little over half an hour from
the center Of Philadelphia, the specta-
tor taking the elevated to the termi-
nus ard then the West Chester Trac-
ton company cars to the track. The
latter company is already making
plans to lay a spur directly to the
course. which is but a short distance
from the company's main line. So
short Is the travelling distance and SO
low the rate of fare that thousands
and thousands Of people will take in
the great battles of motor cars that
are planned.
1.-THE course will be between two
and three miles In length and will be
100 feet wide at the narrowest part"
said President Louis Bergdoll the other
day, while the turns, which will be a
quarter Of mile long, will be 125
feet wide, with an elevation OF 30 per
cent. which will make the greatest
speed absolutely safe.
ENGINEERS are already at work on
laying out the track, and as soon as
their plans are completed contracts
will be let for the building OF the
course. 1t is planned to have the track
made of concrete and cinders, the sur
face being just rough enough to pre-
vent skidding. Such composition
gives the tires every chance to take
a firm hold, and with the splendid
grades wonderful time should be the
result"
Mr.. Bergdoll added that one of the
great features of such track was the
absence of dust, which has caused a
great many fatal accidents in automo-
bile races. "Have you noted" he said,
"that there has not been single &C.
cident ut the Brooklyn course? And
there will not be If drivers use any de-
gree of caution. An accident on our
course would be almost impossible"
Immense grand stands and field seats
are on the plans, so that great throng
may be taken care of. Besides, there
are two large public garages and ev-
cry other feature that will be welcoln-
ed by motorists.
There is no one feature Of the plans
more interesting than the formation OF
4 great automobile club, which Will
have a gorgeous building fora club
house and every convenience and pleas
ure that country club could offer,
with the added advantage of the use
of the track at any time for members.
This club, now in the process of forma-
ton, will have, besides the automobile
features, long golf course, tennis
and plenty Of room for all other held
sports. The clubhouse will contain
bedrooms, so that members can reside
there throughout the summer months.
There is to be Il swimming pool sew
eral hundred feet long among the 9th
er features. For the benefit OF these
members it is also said that there Will
he large garage, parking spaces 1of
the automobile races and a complete
machine shop where repairs will be
made at cost and small accessory
store where the members may buy at
cost
The location Of the track Will be
ideal for motorists. surrounded as it Is
by several roads. Entrances Will be
constructed ut three or fou: points.
These will be subways, so that no one.
either spectators or ears, will have ia