The Washington times., 1909-05-15
GET AWAY ON RUN
IN SPLENDID SHAPE
By THOMAS S. RICE.

Genuine and intense e..thusiasm
marked the start Of the reliability run
OF the Washington Automobile Club
this morning.
Grand weather, perfect management,
and the fact that only three Of the
twenty-five entrants failed 10 start on
scheduled time put drivers. observers,
and passengers on edge for a great days
sport and all were eager to hit the pike.
There was not a single hitch or flaw
in the proceedings as far as could be
learned. Instead OF the complaining
and fussing which is generally a fea-
ture OF such an affair, the only object
OF the entrants was to get away as
soon as possible and derive full need
or benefit from the cool Of the hours OF
dawn.
Absent Members.
The cars that did not materialize on
time were No. I, the Maxwell, which
failed to get here from the factory on
time; NO. 3, the Thomas-Detroit, which
arrived half an hour late and then
started on its own account, and No. 5,
the Chase, which had an accident and
could not get the necessary parts for
repairing
The others. eighteen in all. were
Johnny-on-the-spot, drivers and OBJ
servers making il a point to follow TO
the letter the instructions that they be
al the starting point, FOurtaeth street
and Park road, at least half an hour
before their cars were - 20. The
Times hao drilled this principle into
the autoists so thoroughly ia The TWO
contests which II managed, aUd which
brought the game 10 life in this City,
tnat they had not fOryo-ren the warn
inEs.
Tie promptness this morning vastly
facilitated matters, not only in send
ing the cars away on the dot, but i'm
avoiding grounds for disputes or pro
tests.
President West Departs.
President w. D. West of the wash
ington Automobile Club departed at I
d. M, with II. q. Chandlee in the lat
ter's private car, 20 act as pilot and
replace any signs that might have been
torn down on the route of 164S miles
through Rockville, TrederickSburZ
HagerstOwn, WayneSbOro, Pa: West
minister. Nd. and so back to Washing
ton.
The cars were turned loose at three
minute intervals. Despite the fact that
No. ], the Maxwell which failed 10 ap-
pear, was carded 10 leave at a. m,
Inere was a gOOdly crowd on hand for
such an early hour. among the specta-
tors being many automobile owners.
who took advantage OF the opportunity |
70 get a comprehensive view Of the six
teen different makes OF road ears OF
proved ability. II was a sort OF i'm
promptu show for practical owners and
drivers, ana was well worth rising be-
First Car Gets OFF.
The first away was the ChaImers-De-
trOit. driven by A. Stanley ZeH. with
Joe True as observer. which left AT sos /
a. M After that they were released at
the tnree-miuute intervals without the !
sign or "a hltch. except when Nos 3 ard
3 We're among the missing, when Nos. 4 /
and had To wait six minutes before
they were allowed 10 haave ahead
The value of the training the contest
ants received in The Times runs was |
demonstrated by tho expeditions nan
ner I'm which everybody moved ND into /
his proper place without the need of 4
eNhOrtatOn or command In fact tho I
event moWPd off so smoothly Il almost /
lacked interest. The only diversion was !
when the newspaper photographers 4
drove back the too curious outside puh- |
.ic, which insisted upon crowdinE around ]
the machines.
+. l.. Leimbach, who successfully /
pilOtcd the Stearns car TO many victories
on the roads, was not able to appear /
to drive the Oldsmobile, No. TO-. and his I
place was taken by o. ". Hoffman. one I
Of the OidsmObile ctam Of expert drivers I
who make a speciality Of reliability con- /
tests.