The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-04-25
FAST TIME MADE
BY WINNING CAR
Quarter of Million People
Line Course ALI Night I'm
til Start at 5 A. M.-Pro.
moters Had to Guarantee
All Damage To Road On
Which Race Was Held.
Special to The Journal.

Special TO Tire journal
New York, April 24.-The tirst Sc
rious accident after the start OF the
.Briarcliffe auto race at 5:0I O'Clock
this morning, came when at the turn
at East View car No 22, Simplex.
driven by william Watson, with
Thomas Cotter as mechanician, skid
ded on mound and turned com
plete somersault, throwing out and
badly cutting both men about the
head AID body. The car was COM
plete wreck. When the accident oc-
Cured, the crowd of spectators who
lined the course at this, one of the
most dangerous turns, crowded into
the roadway, and over coming all ef-
forts of the militia and deputy sher-
ifs, blocked the passage of car No.
Is, q Renault, driven by Bloch and
held it up for about five minutes,
Fully 25.000 people scattered along
the 3046 miles of the course, saw
the big racers whizz past on their
first round and cheers greeted one
and all, particularly the drivers OF
the American cars. In this round the
best time that has ever been made
over the course was that of Strang,
who drov the Isotta car, No. 4, and
who completed the circuit in 80 min
utes and AZ seconds, passing the fin
fishing post first of all the racers.
Second came Herbert Lyle with car
No. s, the Apperson, and third, Ce-
drino. car No. 2, Fiat.
'NSartori, in car No. 1. Bianchi,
suffered a mishap in the first round
His car spread-eagled into the crowd,
which, however, parted before it so
quickly that no one was injured. Quick
work on the part of the Sartori and
his mechnician. got the car in ~-~'nr
again in five minutes and he sped on
his way amid great outburst of
cheers.
Guarantee Roads.
The indefinite poStponement and
even possible annulment of the race
was narrowly averted only a few
hours before the time set for the race
this morning after a sensational meet
ing of the committee OF manufacture
ers directly interested in the progress
of the race. The committee. headed
by Robert Lee Morrell, cautioned by
State Engineer Shene and Sheriff
Lane of West Chester county, that
they must furnish security against
any damage to the roads over which
the cars were to run, had obtained
bond of indemnity from Lloyd's Lon
don Insurance agency. No American
company would undertake such a pc
culiar risk.
1t was only discovered late yester-
day that this bond did not include
the little hamlet of Greenburg, on the
route. The Greenburgers made a
vigorous stand and announced their
intention of setting the towns steam
roller in the roadway and keeping ii
there to prevet the contest unless
assured of the same protection Of
fered TO the other places along the
course, and the general committee
were in a quandary. They did not
get all their members in session un-
til a late hour. They did not antici-
pate such a cOntretemps. Finally
Henry Laws came forward and agreed
TO become personally responsible to
: the extent of 5000 to the village of
Greenhurg If it's roads were damaged
The members of the committee re-
fused to let Mr.. Laws bear this bur
den alone, however, and Joined in
Joint guarantee.
The committee of Greenburg citi-
zens agreed to this and the race was
assured. A postponement of an hour
from the starting time originally set
had been seriously considered and
autoists heaved a sigh of relief.
Quarter Million Onlookers.
Fully quarter of million people
when the beautiful daylight "glided
the dawn
Many of these. discovering the pro-
hibitive rates charged by the country
folks for bed, lodging and entertain
ment, had spent most OF the night in
their trim but cramped conveyances.
Like mushrooms in a field in a heavy
dew, another class of humans had
came upon the scene. FOrty-five Off
GERS and 246 men from the Ninth,
Thirteenth and Twenty-second regi-
ments were on dTty before daylight,
policing the course, the most twisting
and dangerous ever negotiated by aU-
tOmobiles in such a race.
Surgical Precautions.
An innovation at auto races was
the early appearance on the track
near the main grand stand of two i'm
provised ambulances. With consider
able foresight, recognizing the I'M
usually dangerous course. with its
many curved narrow roadways on
which the passing at any point what
ever OF two fast moving cars seemed
10 the casual observer a perilous and
nerve-racking experiment, the com
mittee had called into service a mum
Der og easy springed wagons and
doctors were on hand at frequent
points along the course to attend tC
the injured.
These ambulances Immediately had
work to do in advance of the race
Several minor accidents were report
ed in the dark hours of the morning
when the carloads of incoming spec
tators crowded the course Most OF
these consisted of persons knocked
down. One man had an ankle bro
ken almost directly in front of the
official stand.
II was three minutes after i've