The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-12-02
GRAND AUTO RACES.
FRENCHMAN DRIVING A FIAT
TAKES FIRST HONOR AT SA.
VANNAH.
One Minor Accident During Entire
Race-Victof Hemery, Another
Frenchman, Driving the German
Benz Car No. 8, Finished Second, 50
Seconds Separating Them.


Savannah, Ca, Nov. 26.-The pow |
er Of six score horses crashing and |
roaring in the cylinders Of Fiat car.
sent plunging through changing fog
and sunshine over 4O2 miles Of lilac
oiled roadways by the experienced
hands Of Louis Wagner. today won,
tho most spectacular, tho longest and
the fastest international automobile
race ever held in the country. Fate
played a game Of hide and seek with
three grim and grimy hooded figures
that sat behind big steering wheels
and throttles and fought with skill
and daring for an advantage OF Sec
onds at the finish Of the more than six
hours of driving for the honor Of a
trophy cup and purse of gold.
The three drivers who clung to-
gether from the very start were shuf-
fed about like 50 many cards. For a
time there was fourth figure in the
leading column until caprice OF
fortune sent one pitching from the
road. Out Of the mass Of wreckage.
| Fritz Erie, who had been driving the
German Benz No. 10, was taken with
broken nose and a broken jaw. 1t
was not until the last minute of the
last lap that the tide of victory turned
toward Wagner. Navarro, the won-
derful Italian driver, holder Of worlds
records and winner of countless con-
tests. who had clung tenaciously to a
narrow margin OF lead for more than
100 miles, persisted long enough at
the supply points to change a week.
ening tire and lost.
The treacherous rubber tubing burst
as he was about to enter the home
stretch and the three minutes Of de-
lay sent the grand prix winner Of last
year and his Fiat No. from first TO
third position. Hemery, In a German
Benz No. 8, took second honors. 1t
was rot until the official time was an
nounced that the actual winner was
kown--that Wagner had hurled HIM
self to victory by the slender margin
OF s6 seconds. Hemery was the nist
to finish the is laps Of the race, and
} enthusiastic thousands hailed him al
winner without heed Of the six min.
utes' grace which Wagner held. Hem.
} cry being sent away at the start a.
/ 9:52 and Wagner not getting the wore
) to go until 9:5S.
VI The minutes Of waiting after Hem
( cry had driven the big Benz car owe
: the finish line seemed like hours t,
!. the a6herents Of the missing car AZ
\ like fractional seconds to the men wh'
! had already made the journey. 1t wa
n just as the fifth Of the flying minute
] was ticking itself away a blast o
: bugles and the waving Of red watch
o mems flags set up the roar of 'ca
coming" from the most wildly excite
throng OF spectators ever gathered q
a racing course. Eyes were straine
to the elbow in the stretch not hal
s a mile away. At last it came. the ca:
n ond 1t was red.
wagner! Wagner! Wagner!" erie
the crowd. Pitching down In
= straigh-away, the red car tore fo
a the fateful line. the big white mum
" ter. "a, glowing from the radiato }
n ard from the sides of the hood.
: Wagner drove a remarkable stead
l. race. He stopped several times fo
st supplies and onee seemed to be in sc
'e ricus trouble ltht in front of TIL
l. grandstand. Something was wrong be
s. meath the car and down under Ill
Is maze Of cranks and wheels the me
ID chan!cian plunged. In jiffy he VIZ
a through. Wagner meantime had bee
IN pouring gasoline into one tank wit
II his right hand and lubricating oil irt
enother with his left
II was this delay that took Wasn.
. oLt OF the lead in IL Of the 16 laps ,
the race and gave it to Nazarro.
err Wagner is a Frenchman. In 19C
81 he won the Vanderbilt cup race ir
French car.
In winning this first grand pri,
to race Of the Automobile Club Of Anne
a lea. Wagner set new record for ros
d. racing in this country. George Rol
u ertsOn in the Vanderbilt cup race
at 25S miles last month set the mark
Is longer distance Of 402 miles Wagn
III raised 1t to 65.5. He averaged % mi
Is utes to each one Of the 16 laps tn
measured 25.13 miles. His fastest |;
was made in 21.50. but the lap homo
is. of the day went to DePalma at t