Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-20
AUTOS TO RACE
FOR CLUB CUP
r. R.I.LEAvITT ISSUES POSITIVE
STATEMENT
TIME CONSUMED IN CROSSING
FERRY TO BE NEUTRAL
ARRANGEMENTS Made by Marleopa
Club to Have Gasoline Sta
tions Along the
Route
ny l.. GEORGE THOMSON

BY L. GEORGE THOMPSON
On account OF the interview Win
r. ]. Leavitt relative to the Los An
geles-Phoenix race, which appeared ex-
clusively In The Herald last sunday
the local representative OF the MAJ sat,,,
copa Automobile club has asked .a MN
to make a signed statement-in IN regaru
10 the matter SO that a definite un-
Outstanding might be arrived at.
The statement OF Mr.. Leavitt ID rs ys-
sentially the same as appeared IN 1he
Herald, and is as follows:
"Mr. John S. Mitchell, REPRESENTS
Maricopa Automobile club OF PhoeniA ~
Dear Sir: Referring to severai IN
terviews given the Los Angeles papers
Nv Mr. Fenner OF the White garage,
in which he has stated that ne anu
had agreed to race our cars from Los
Angeles to Phoenix for $1,000 slde on
n different date and under ulneI
set of rules than those sanctloneq Wy
said automobile club, VIII say hase
never even considered such PROPOSE
tion. ooo
when I agreed to bet him $1,000 that
NV I,ocomobile would beat his White
/ certainly understood that potn cars
were to be entered according TO the
rules as accepted by the Martcopa Au-
tomobile club, and wish to state pos
ltively that I would not under any
circumstances enter my car IN race
from Los Angeles TO Phoenix that
would in any way compete with the
above mentioned event, as 1 would
consider such a course to be very un-
portsmanlike. to say the least.
"R. J. LEAVITT."
Leavitt Willing to Race
In addition to this statement Mr..
eavitt assured John S. Mitchell, the
,lub's representative, that he would
glad to enter a car in the race IL
he could get back from Seattle In time.
lie was on his way to the train this
afternoon when he was seen by Mr.
Mitchell, and the two had only few
minutes time at the station to discuss
the matter, but as 1t stands at present
there seems to be a strong probability
that the Locomobile will be one of the
entries.
Mr.. Leavitt desires to race the
White steamer for the side bet of
$1,000 and will do so IL he can return
in time for the race and If the White
will race at time so as to allow of
the cars conforming to the rules OF
the Maricopa Automobile club.
Capt. II. D. Ryus of the White
garage was called up over the tele-
phone this afternoon and asked IL he
would make a statement relative to
the interview OF Mr.. Leavitt's as print
ed In The Herald.
He said: 1--WE will be glad to race
the Locomobile for $1,000 and are count
ing on doing SO. We are quite willing
to start on the day that the club rules
specify and will race under them, but
the Locomobile is the only entry that
we are interested in.
There is no particular reason why
= tn
but we would like to take on the Lo-
comobile.
1T would not for a moment consider
starting another race in competition
with the one framed up by the club
If It would hurt the clubs race in any
way, but what we want is race with
the Locomobile or other cars of that
class or price, and the more the mer-
rier. To get such race we would be
perfectly willing to race under the
rules that would be satisfactory to Mr..
Leavitt."
With the Locomobile willing to race
and the White anxious and the Kissel-
kar already entered, the probability
of a good contest over as hard
course as can be found seems very
strong.
The Maricopa club will have the
course policed where 1t passes through
Arizona and gasoline stations estab-
lished with adequate supply for the
demands of all of the cars.
The various towns through which the
cars pass in the territory will be wide
open for the passage of the cars, and
they can make seventy miles an hour
IL the drivers are so inclined and the
motors are able.
The ferry at the Colorado river has
been a serious problem and 1t was
feared that the ferry might sell out
H.. .@tt Il 1nln
the others. On account of the treach-
erous current It would be possible to
land car below the regular landing,
where 1t takes a day to do a mile
through the heavy sand.
Time on Ferry Will Be Neutral
AS it stands now the club will have
representatives at the river to take
the time Of the cars as they arrive and
the time consumed in being ferried
across will be neutral and not counted
in the running time.
Tt will also be agreed that If one
contestant has reached the ferry he
Will wait for the next car if it is with
In sight or hailing distance. The ac-
tual time consumed in passing between
the two banks of the river will be de-
Quoted from the elapsed time of the
cars between this city and Phoenix.
The entries will be kept open until
noon on November / and the race may
be delayed until November If that
would be necessary to accommodate
the Locomobile entry.
Bert Latham and c. II. Bigelow left
yesterday morning for a preliminary
trip and expected to stop last night
In Mecca. The next days run was
planned to take the car to Ehrensberg
and on the third day the party expects
to reach Phoenix.
They will not attempt to make fast
time. but will look for short cuts
across the desert and investigate the
possible water and fuel supply.
They are making the trip In Mr..
Bigelow's REQ roadster, which has
been sent over desert and mountain
roads for about 10000 miles already.