New-York tribune., 1908-08-16
THOMAS VlCTORS BACK
GREAT CAR NOW HERE.
r,1es of the Nesc York to Paris
Auto Race Told.

cay -. York 70 Paris race. They were George
k.sr who drove the car after the New York
S. -, Francisco stage of the journey had been
-,s,ad. George Miller. his mechancian. and
60. go Nc Adam a correspondent. Hans Hendrix
80, 80 the soldier OF fortune. who acted as inter
r. and as block and tackle man. left the
- @, the end OF the race TO so 10 his family
= -o-,sk Russia
,.,,-sves and friends among them the wife and
= ~ rhe driver and mechanician started early
Ia - -oorning fror, in front of Harry S. Houpt
q g .alesroom in upper Broadway. In five
- cars 10 welcome the homecoming victors.
7,e, Italian car, driven by Walter Sykes, of the
- concern in this city, car of this make being
.".s,ed in the New York TO Paris race and stln
e-A.,,s its way 10 Paris. led the procession
- n the pier When the party left the
- . ,ournev in the cars made down West
,-.e. 70 the Custom House, where, after a con-
sas-she delay. papers Were hnally signed SO that
-. ear that made the famous could be taken
s-o-, La Lorraine by l o'clock tomorrow after
,oon when IL is planned TO fern parade among
-e-s Of Thomas cars AMI escort the machine up
fovn
.se- leaving the Custom House the cars moved
., N the Stock Exchange, where a short stop
vs. made Then the procession headed for the
automobile Club Of America, where luncheon was
.x-ved All along the route the yictors were
,hee-ed as soon as they were recognized
MeAdarn told several incidents in regard to the
;oYruev The most exciting time encountered. he
,s,d was in the little village Of Yatsu. in Japan
I'VE were rounding a corner In the little town.
said McAdam, when we suddenly came upon a
-s,,stous procession. The street was narrow. and
IN. crowd jammed the thoroughfare- Suddenly We
saw . jostling and pushing commotion, and in a
-,o-,ent more found ourselves the centre OF
-seed throng. The crowd on its way to a
.brsne to attend a yearly ceremony. Many Of the
roh were intoxicated with sake, and resented what
they called an intrusion of foreign devils Priests
s,d women came 10 protection. forming
ran around rs and keeping back the fst-making
;hrcng Finally got through all right and with
out injury much TO the surprise OF US ALL
According 10 McAdam there We're several times
during the journey when the automobile came dan
rerously close 10 precipices. After crossing the
Ir-sl Mountains the had four days lead of the
German machine. he said, but kept tearing
slong through mud and other heavy going. Two
teeth soon went of, TO be followed quickly by five
more For few days all hands were quartered al
g little house in the town OF Zwitsi, where, &C
cording TO McAdam conditions were so foul that
he slept at night under the cowshed
There was amusing incident in one Russian
town" he said, when decided that had had
enough OF eggs. There had been eggs. eggs eggs
.or dsys in succession. Our interpreter was gone
for while and we wanted beef There no
form OF conversation available that seemed capable
If getting Us what we wanted Finally we hit upon
The idea OF Tnooing" in good COW fashion, and put
ting our hands 20 our heads in such manner 10
indicate horns on the head. Finally the idea of
COW percoIated into the heads of hosts, and the
beef appeared.
Al the Automobile Club OF America Robert Lee
Morreu chairman of the contest committee of
The club. welcomed the party, the women present
also sitting down 10 luncheon Then followed short
speeches Mr.. MorreI acting as toastmaster. and
making a fine impression He praised the fine
showing Of the Thomas in winning the race
and the sportsnlanship Of e r. Thomas in being
The only American 10 enter an American car in
The and also the recent Grand Prix, in France
Mr. Thomas said that he could not see four for
eign flags in the race without American flag
among them, and finally decided 10 enter one of
his cars. although at first he thought such trip
impossible and not worthy of consideration Later,
when announcement was made Of the prize of
se0 offered BY Jefferson De Mont Thompson 10
the driver Of an American car that would first
bring the American flag into Paris in the race, and
that Mr Thompson would like 70 receive the flag,
Mr. Thomas rnurmured that $4,000 or $4,000 could
not buy f.
schuster when called upon. made it clearly un-
derstood that ne was qualified a speaker.
He praised the work Of Montague Roberts. who
drove the car from New York to Cheyenne; Linn
Matthe1son. who took II from that place TO Ogden,
and Harold Brinker. who piloted it from Ogden
20 San Francisco. He anxious to drive the
Buffalo. his home city and where the
Thomas factory situated. Miller. in his few
marks. said that he anxious to have it known
that the strictly a stock model
Harry s Houpt said that all the glory of having
had the car entered in the contest by Mr.. Thomas
due 10 John Z Bowles, of his concern, he
OUT OF town at the time, while Mr.. Bowles in
turn gave a good deal Of the credit to Montague
Roberts. The best attended lectures at the club,
orrel A. Parker, of the entertaining committee of
the Automobile Club of America, said. those
about the New York to Paris race, which. he
added showed what an interest being shown
In the contest.
It was said that the car was in such good condi-
hour at Brighton Beach track on September
II. and that a few hours overhauling the ma
chine would have il ready for such test Such
repairs Will be made al the clubs garage in order
that accurate track may be kept of repla
Il Is planned 10 have the Mayor receive the car at
City Hall tomorrow. whiles on Thursday night an
Illustrated lecture VIII Re given at the club. On
Saturday il is planned to take the car TO oyster
Bay FOR President Roosevelt's inspection il such
permission IS granted by him.
The record % the cars In interesting. 1t shows
the Thomas covered 1896 miles in America in AZ
days $3.50 miles in Asia and Europe in 20 days,
total Of 121l6 miles In 1l2 days The Protos COW
cred 2s0 miles in America in IS days and s-oo
miles in Asia in 60 days, making a total OF 1oSS'
miles in 80 days.
Among others who welcomed the returning
Thomas crew were Jefferson De Mont Thompson,
chairman OF the racing board of the American Au-
tornohile Association A G. Batchelder Of the rae
ing board OF the American Automobile Association;
Harry T. Clinton Of the Licensed Association OF
Automobile Manufacturers; A. R. Pardington vice
president OF the Long Island Parkway; L. M Brad
ley. A NJ c. II A: Paul Funke, Russell A. Field
and z r. Houander