The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-20
American Automobile Racing
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By Frederic J. Haskin.

as scientifically constructed as the
 fastest railroad in America. Every
 public highway will cross 1t either
 above or below grade. thus complete
 ly eliminating grade crossing acci-
 dents. There will be no bar to speed.
 and nothing but the fear of death and
 the limitations of the machines will
 exercise a restraining influence.
 It was thought that the wire fences
 and the private militia would be an
 effective check to the crowd at the
 recent Vanderbilt race. but during, the
 excitement at the finish the wire
 fences. private militia and every other
 check was whisked aside as feathers
 are carried away by March wind
 Even the fire hose in front of the
 grand stand did not have persuasive
 force to keep the crowd back. and
 the race had to be called of after the
 first car had crossed the line. When
 the race was over every transporta-
 tion facility back to New York was
 swamped. and thousands carnped out
 that night as they had camped the
 night before the race.
 The vast attendance at automobile
 races Is another evidence that men
 love thrills. Danger is sauce which
 whets their appetites. The poetry of
 fast motion appeals to them, and the
 
 the biggest crowd of spectators. Ii
 Is probably the constant danger that threatens the participants in great
 automobile race that attracts tho crowd. Going at a speed which shows a clean pair of heels to the wind.
 which puts the fastest express train
 in the ''also ran" class. which pro-
 jects men through space at greater
 and more dangerous rate than any oth- f. ~a nx the contestants, but it Is a thrilling sight for spectators.
 Cuba will witness the modern auto mobile race this winter. Plans are being made by the Cuban Automobile l Association for a great road race in | February. Governor Magoon is lend ing aid to the project, and the indi- cations are that there will be some | great entries. The race will come at the climax of the Florida and West
 India season, and it will be largely at-
 tendod by Americans. The course will be a twenty weight mile circuit instead | of q straightaway course as hereto | fore, which will add zest to the race.
 Jamaica will probably become a fav- l orlte racing ground in the future if England will consent. This island | has some of the finest macadam roads
 in the world. and thousands of Amer I lean auIOIIlODlllSlo nave AOduu u a | veritable paradise for tourists.
 Horsa racing has long been eth e | sport of kings" Automobile racing 1 cannot successfully aspire to that hon.
 or so long as King Edward has the | say-so on the subject. He has frown- | ed upon the sport. consequently it has l found less development In England l than anywhere else. The British gen. orally are tired of endurance races. and
 it is said that the recent one held at | Douglass will be the last in England l President Roosevelt was the latest mo- 1 table recruit to the automobile ranks l but his action will not be followed by | King Edward. who unhesitatingly VOWS 1 his allegiance to the horse.
 Heretofore practically all automobile | races were held on race tracks built
 for horses but with the evolution of | the racing automobile into a high | powered machine with possibilities of i more than a hundred miles an hour | the ordinary race track became too l small a theatre for it's operation and l too dangerous even for the dare devils who engage in the game. Recently | the Automobile Association of America l the highest court in America automo- l bile world, took strong ground against l races being held on ordinary tracks and 1t is probable that this action will | be entirely effective. One of the most interesting commentaries on the ten
 dency of the times was shown in pie ture which went the rounds of the au-