Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-02
YANKEES THIRTY DAYS AHEAD
Figures and Facts Show Germans
Could Not Possibly Win.
MORE LIGHT ON AUTO RACE
lieutenant KOeppen OF the Germsn
Car Pays = stout Tribute to
the Hospitality of the
Americans.

It is now definitely decided that although
the German car Protos was the first into
Paris the American Thomas car was really
the winner In the New York-Paris auto
mobile race. This was due to the splendid
showing that car made in the race across
the United States when the German car
was set back thirty days because Of the
lead the Americans had when the
shipped by rail from Pocatello TO Seattle,
and also because Of the useless trip the
Americans made into Alaska In an at
tempt to so that way by machine. When
the cars were loaded on the boat at Seattle
the American car was twenty-three days
ahead and seven days additional were given
for the 100 miles the Protos was behind.
The struggles Of the cars In crossing the
Rockies and the high plateau to the west Of
the summit introduced many difficulties,
but in their total they hardly equaled the
Indiana experience. II was after they had
passed into the great American desert, west
OF the great Salt lake, that their real
troubles began. All three OF the foreign
cars broke their frames between Kelton and
Monticello in the big salt desert, leaving the
Thomas TO get into San Francisco a full
eleven days before Its nearest competitor.
The lead in the United States meant more
than mere time to the cars. The first
machine to arrive in San Francisco sailed
for Seattle and thence to Alaska. with
the long time required to cross the United
States and the late season Of arrival in
Alaska the chances Of the first car to
cross the frozen north were infinitely better
than it's followers, so that the Thomas
gained a material advantage when It took
steamer for Valdez two weeks ahead of its
nearest competitor. But the season had ad-
vanced too far. and the Thomas was forced
to return. losing its long lead in fact,
though II received due allowance for the
time expended by unanimous consent Of
the French committee.
Thomas In the Rear.
The French and Italian cars arrived at
Seattle as the news of the Thomas re-
turn reached that city. The cars were i'm
mediately loaded on a Yokohama steamer
and shipped to Japan. while the Thomas,
enroute back to the United States. and the
Protos. still on the road in Idaho, were left
behind. Lieutenant Koeppen would have
been unable to catch the Thomas, even al
lowing no time to the American for the
Alaskan trip, had he continued on the road.
He was LOO miles behind, ~twenty-three
days after the Thomas had arrived at San
Francisco, so in order to start with the
others across Siberia he shipped his car by
railroad to Seattle.
In speaking of his experience in America,
Lieutenant Koeppen said:
incidentally / a visited America for
the first time. 1 found it the pleasantest
country We Travelled In and wish the roads
were as nice as the people. All through
the west we were treated royalty"
AS a real sporting event the New York to
Paris race leads anything which has been
pulled off for some time. From the time
the cars left New York, February p, until
the finish, the interest was undiminished
although at times the news was quite mea.
ger. The course originally planned was
5000 miles, whereas the course eventually
covered was 1900 miles. More than 12o0
miles were covered by the machines In
creditable time ir spite OF untold hardships
The Thomas made the 1900 miles on the
roads from New York to Paris in about
1OS days. The Protos In 100 days ran 100
miles less. Both records rank far ahead
of anything ever before accomplished b,
automobiles and are likely to stand FOL
some years. b
Although the French who conceived tn,
idea of the race. entered four cars in tn,
contest, they a practically all been los
In the shuttle. one quitting at Omaha anc
the Di Dion falling out after CROSSING
America.