Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-18
OVER $4,000 UP
ON AUTO RACE
BALDY CONTEST IS PROBING
BIG BETTING PROPOSITION
Large Crowd of Local Motorists VIII
See the Racers Sunday Morning.
Helm Returns from the
Goodrich Factory

The White and Kissel racers were
givea one If the final tryouts for speed
yesterday afternoon. Bert Latham and
c. p. King went out over part OF the
rad, but will make no long trips be-
fore the run from Los Angeles to the
top of Baldy Sunday mornine. capt.
H. D. Ryus, who will drive the White,
took the car out to take final look at
the course and learn just where the
road repairs have been made.
The race Is proving much bigger
betting proposition than 1t first gave
indications of being. Fully $4,000 has
been wagered, and including the many
small bets under $50 the amount will
probably reach over the $4,000 mark.
There is every indication that the race
will be witnessed by larger crowd
than ever saw the event before.
| Local motorists aref planning to sta
ton themselves along the course and
| there will be spectators at every point
| of vantage. Newhall grade has always
been popular place. Motorists can
| leave the city early In the morning, an
hour before the race, and be on hand IN
plenty of time to see the cars make
the run up the steep hill and the rapid
flight down the other side.
Several cars will leave Sat. day af-
ternoon with members of the press and
others will go up on the Owl to Palm
dale. and from there to the mine by
ar .omobile. Several Whites will drive
to the mine Saturday. L. T. Shelter
will leave at o'clock Saturday morn
ing. Another party will leave at mid
night and go to Lang to see the cars
start their way through the Soledad
canyon.
C. e. Smith of the local Fisk branch,
has returned from the factory. He
rpeaf loOlxino over the new
stock familiarizing himself with the
new conditions in the tire industry.
C. o. DeMar spent several days in
San Francisco on business.
Edward T-elm, manager of the local
agency for Goodrich Tires, has returned
from the factory. He went to Akron
to attend the annual conference OF
Goodrich agents and has the usual re-
port of busy days and pleasant even
ings to make. Mr.. Helm says the re-
duction In the price OF tires has been
occasioned by the reduction OF the
price of raw material used In the manu-
facture.
The first of the shipment of Olds-
mobile taxicabs ordered by r. M.
Owen arrived yesterday. The cabs are
handsome in design and seat five peo-
elaborately finished. The cab will be
put in service at once.
No fewer than twenty-five of the OFF,
GERS of the B. r. Goodrich Rubber COM
pany. of Akron, O.. use automobiles,
and the company has established
garage in which the cars are stored
daily. The membership of the Good
rich garage forms a very fair-sized
automobile club, and one which Is en-
thusiastic beyond the bounds of most
clubs. The garage is filled daily by the
cars Of the officers and managers and
at the close of each working day there
is steady procession of cars from the
factory to homes located all over the
city.
A position taken by the F.. B. Stearns
company of Cleveland viii cause sur
prise, for this company has announced
that within sixty days it will give the
purchaser the option of either shaft
drive or a chain drive. "As I look at
1t the chain drive Is the most prefera-
ble," said Sales Manager Charles B,
Shanks recently, "for the chain drive
is preferable, owing to its being more
steady on the road and preferable from
this and from many other reasons. The
r. B. Stearns company believe that the
chain drive Is preferable to the shaft
drive for great many reasons and the
company has good reasons for believ-
ing So"
Americas great endurance contest
from New York to San Francisco and
return, starting from New York July
of next year, is very attractive to
Ralph r. owen, the assistant general
manager of the Olds Motor works. II
shall put car in, that contest" said
Mr.. Owen, land may drive 1t myself.
That event promises real test of cars
under the rules which have been laid
down. The Olds has probably led In
explorations in this country. having
been the first car over so many routes
and from coast to coast and return
seems good stunt. The real touring
qualities of q car will be demonstrated
then II ever, and in all probability
shall use the car I drive regularly now
with 42-inch wheels, for that is the car
best fitted for heavy work through the
sand. and is easiest Of control In hard
going" :,