Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-24
GETTING THE AUTO
FEVER At SAVANNAH
Race of Choo-Choo Cars
Thanksgiving Day Has
Stirred Up the South.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch TO The star
SAVANNAH, November n4.-The me-
tropolis of the south is beginning TO shake
today with the automobile race fever.
Tomorrow the patient will be worse and
Thanksgiving day it will be hopeless
case. Already the Inhabitants are ex-
hibiting all the symptoms of the disease
so we'll known in the north.
From the mayor down to the smallest
pickaninny the whole city is standing
sponsor for the two-day race meet, ana
Success is the watchword.
Every building from the city hall down
to the smallest peanut stand Is ablaze
with the yellow ard green flag surmount-
ed with an automobile wheel, the emblem
Of the Savannah Auto Club. The citizens
are wearing today a button bearing the
legend. Il live here; ask me-" And ma
jority Of them don't wait for one to ask
them even at that. They ask you. The
city is free to the visitors, and there are
hundreds of them he:e already and thou
sands on the way.
All the old familiar faces seen at every
big auto race in the north can be seen
here today, ready for the light-car race
Wednesday and the grand prize event
Thursday. A glance at the register shows
the signature Of leading supporters Of the
sport and the men WHO have officiated
at every big contest since the inception
Of the sport in this country.
Beautiful Surroundings.
It's a strange but none the less pleas
ing scene to which the auto racing en-
thusiasts have been transpianted. From
the north where the grass is scared and
brown and the trees leafiess to the south
where the turf is emerald green and the
foliage of like hue adds a charm to the
racing game that Long Island even in its
palmiest days never gave The water
oaks, the palm and magnolia trees. to-
gether with a dozen varieties of shrub
berry, lend a touch Of color to the public
squares of Savannah and the surrounding
country roads that constantly appeals to
the visitor from the north.
For those who spent the morning about
the hotels or at the headquarters of the
automobile club there was but one SUBJ
ject of conversation. 1t was the big
race and the probable outcome Of the
same. AS Is usual where there is much
discussion there is difference of opinion
1t follows as a natural rule that there
should be betting and there is.
In order that there may be no lack of
facilities in this direction a busy book
maker has installed temporary quarters
at the De Soto and if one can't find OPP
of friend. he has still the resource of
the bookie's sheets. Since he is well
known in the auto racing game, he is
doing a thriving business.
Change in Favorites.
With each days practice the odds have
fuctuated and the favorite of Saturday
is not the favorite of today. The quota
ton sheets issued at 10 o'clock this morn
ing showed Navarro, in a Flat, and
Hemery in a Benz, the shortest quota
o,,I to
for first place and show, respectively:
Wagner, in q Fiat, at third choice, at 4,
to 5 and 3 to ). with DePalma, in a
Fiat. next at 5. and I. Haupt and Sey-
mour, in Chadwick and Simplex cars, re-
spectively, are the choice among the
American machines, being quoted at 10.
1 and 9 From these figures the odds
range all the way up to 80, 10 and 5, and
include every car in the field of twenty.
For the small-car race tomorrow the
favorite, as shown by the bookmakerS
sheet, Is Hilliard, in a Lancia. at 2, l
and to 2 for first, second and third. re-
spectively. Robertson. in a Gregoire. is
second choice, at 4, to 5 and to ).
Vest erday's practice. which was the
best since the opening of the course for
official work. was supposed to be the last
previous TO the race, but last night sew
eral of the drivers protested to J. Lee
had all the workouts desired. and re-
questing that this afternoon be also al
lotted for practice. After consultation 1t
was decided to accede to their wishes.
and there will b, another free show OF
high speeding between the hours of l and
3 o'clock to whet the appetite of the
spectators for the real race to come.
Boom for American Cars.
The American cars got good. great
boom yesterday when Willie Haupt was
clocketed for lap in his Chadwick car.
No. ). in u minutes g. second, or at the
rate of nearly ia miles per hour. The
time was SO fast that many OF the for
eign drivers commended that it could not
be correct. for they have, as a rule, stated
repeatedly that the winning car on
Thursday will not do better than from
sixty-five to sixty-eight miles an hour.
However this may be. Haupt is generally
credited with the fastest lap of the week
to date by the average auto race follower,
and is being picked by the long shot play
ers as a possible good thing upon which
to put up httie CHRISTMAS present
money.
The two accidents which have marked
the race preliminaries to date resulting
in one death and two serious cases of
injuries. are worrying the Savannah Off
Gals considerably. They are not as
hardened or accustomed to the danger
which besets the auto racing game. and
feel q responsibility for the affairs which
is unusual either in the north or abroad
There was much relief therefore, when
it was announced this morning that John
Juhasz. driver of the 8. p. .. car. and
Joe GrinnOn, who was injured in the
Buick smash-up. were progressing favora-
p n,,ll I4 rSfl =.