New-York tribune., 1908-04-24
THOUSANDS CAMP ON THE
COURSE ALL NIGHT.
Tide of Motorists FloUed for Hours
to Scene of Struggle for the
Briarclif Cup.


nounced u certainty that the twenty-five cars
entered for the dangerous would take part
and that there were few changes among the
drivers. The length Of the race was reduced.
however, from ten laps. which would have made
it 324 miles. eight laps. 25a2 miles
Up to a late hour last night there was new
problem on the horizon to make il uncertain
whether not the would really be held
It was cleared away, however, and the last OBJ
stacIe removed. The bond obtained from
Lloyds of London by error failed to men
tion the town of Greenburg one of the places
to be ndemnifed for any damage from the race
Supervisor Charles Millard out strongly
for the rights Of his constituents and calculated
he'd stop the unless Lloyds Cabled and
informed Greenburg on the map and want
ed its rights. Finally the town officials ac-
cepted instead a personal bond of s50000 from
4. L. Riker E. R Hoender. ". w Law, jr.
Robert Lee Morrell and Harry Lozier
The technical committee reported last night
that the two Renaults and the Benz did not
fulfil the conditions of the race. The commit
tee not convinced from what they had seen
that these within the provtso which
is "at least ten similar chassis to any entry
must be guaranteed by the makers having
been constructed" However. the committee
agreed allow the three 10 start when
the entrants signed affidavits that the condl-
tons had really been met.
The rumors that the race might be called off
did to worry the tide of pilgrims that
began TO set toward the course yesterday morn
ing. The early corners were folk In big limOu-
sines-cars that as large Harlem fiat
and had about as many modern conveniences.
They made. of course for the Briarclin Lodge,
hard by the start and finish line at Briarclff
Manor. where the grandstand is located. The
lodge ;tself-a big summer hotel-was. of course,
the point whittier these leisurey plutocrats went
and made themselves comfortable. Every room
had been taken In advance. and the garage.
we'll az every spare space in the other outtuild-
ings was jammed with cars.
But the real procession began along in the
afternoon. Every garage in town had expected
a demand for Briarclif parties. and to that end
had received from the racing committee blue
print maps OF the roads and the best way TO
reach points along the But very soon
it became apparent that there were not enough
automobiles in town to carry the would-be pas
, sengers.
BY o'clock the highways leading north from
The Bronx looked as II the recent automobile
parade had gone astray and headed for the
tall timber instead of for gasoene alley. From
the time the Stock Exchange closed until the
nlilkmen began their rounds the parade seemed
Boston Post Road were dotted with pairs of
staring headlights that seemed as close together
as the buttons down the front of a new patrol
mans coat. The throbbing and coughing of the
cars and the laughter and shouts Of the later
race bound parties gave good reason for the
wakefuness Of the residents along the roads
who had stayed up. anyhow, way after 9 o'clock
to the show.
The road houses along the way were doing
the business of their lives. The larger places
that are regularly patronized by motor tour
lists were as crowded Jim Churchills place
on New Years Eve. The overflow drifted into
the wayside taverns. where the men and
women the diamonds and clothes of Broadway
were transplanted for time. Many OF those
who started did not know of the limits of
commodation about the course. and the innkeep
ers who were questioned did not minimize the
diffcultv of foragng the country. This led
the parties who started unprepared to buy up
what they could get in the way Of sandwiches
and food and it wasn't many hours before the
available sandwich depots within ten miles OF
the course cleaned out. The thousands
who stopped after midnight were passed along
to the tender mercies of the farmers about the
course
The svarming of the machines to the course
was paralleed only by that at the Vanderbilt
c,n rsces That this first Briarcliff race should
rav. brought out such an attendance due
nerhaps to the attention drawn to the dangerous
course by the many accidents. But the weather
last night was the very brand that draws folks
ont of doors The roads were In good condition.
and this meant that the course was all right
also-a fact which was true. But to majority
in the crowd it is safe to say the great issue
was the ease and comfort of getting 10 the
scene of the struggle.
With the arriva! Of the vanguard of the lines
NJ cars that might. to all appearances. have
.-.+obed unbroken back to Columbus Circle. the
a,,,+rv folk were right on the Job. OF course,
r,rt or the racegoers had obtained grandstand
coats and rooms In advance. besides making ar
rangenoents for meals at the few hotels and
Mace to park their cars. But the greater num-
her were Ishmaelites- They had counted on
shining through a gate into come field, lining
I'D their car and waiting for the race.
But the gladstone freedom Of the countryside
and the wide spaces beneath the sky were
divided into square foot spaces for the time.
The husbandmen of the Pocantico Hills know
something of hard cash. and didn't mind II IT
came their way. Every field that abutted on
the course was labelled by a homemade sign as
Parking Space to Let AS for the rates-m
some cases. anyhow. it is certain that If some
,ar,,,srs-no names mentioned-don't paint their
harms this year it won't be because they cant
AFFORD it. OF course the automobile parties
eottlad And the later they arrived the more
.bey settled for the rental quotations showed
decidedly bullisl movement.
Along the course there were impromptu all
riqht ricnic parties. Camp fires were built, ana
ao,,rd them gathered the motorists Those who
had brought provisions wet and dry shared
with the less thoughtful But all hands patron
tod the cannv farm lads. who sold ont their