New-York tribune., 1909-12-05
HILL CLIMB CUT OFF
REFEREE FORCED TO
TAKE ACTION.
Half the Automobiles Entered
Unable TO Go Up Edge
soafer incline.

Win less than half ot the trials decided
o.. Edsewater Fort Lee hin climbing con-
tests had 10 be called OF yesterday by A
q whiting. OF the Automobile Club of
America. the referee. when II became an
rareuf thai there was no way OF managing
,be trsric and the swarms OF persons who
pers,sted m remaining on the course when
,hs cars were climbing the hil.
rhe action on the part OF Mr.. Whiting
Was approved not only by the contestants
IN, hy many % TIE well known automo-
bnists who were IN attendance. for not
alone dc the drivers have 20 face this dan
re- but tie last turn on The hll. just be-
fo-e the finishing mark. was in wretched
condition. which promised serious trouble
vrer rhe high powered machines got under
VA r. T.. Ferguson. secretary Of the
contest board of the American Automobile
ASSOCIATION, was starter az Fred Wagner
vas unable 10 De present
There was much criticism Of the police
s--srsements. which were insufficient in
,re frst place and L. the hands Of in
e~ncier. men a. well With seventy-five
rars entered. il Was Tar from easy for the
s-g-te- &C. set the cars lined up and ready
~ be- sent Up the steep grade on a course
,hsf Iett little room for two cars TO pass
ss-h other. even with perfect conditions.
TIE rrst machine in the contest was 10
ha-e been sent away al ] o'clock in the
afternoon. bat there was q delay OF fifteen
minute TIE course over which the cars
travelled was three thousand feet long.
There are TWO turns that made Il neces-
ss-r frr the drivers 20 take great care The
~-s- 4 these is soon after the start. and
rre second about midway. where another
-osE branches out and further on the roads
meet again Between these is a steep hollow.
s----, p led by a wooden fence OF one side
sr5 a stone fence on the other. high blu1
re-e rnsred a clear view Of the approaching
cars brt regardless Of this fact the worst
--8ucinC OF the course was al the foot OF
-bs bun The steepest incline, however,
i a. me top Of the hiu, which was badly
,o-- lu ana covered with small stones, and
made more dangerous by another sharp
tu-n on leaving IL
crowds invaded the course at the finishing
mara as well as any number OF horse
drau- vehicles Occasionally one OF tie
latter would start down the kill while an
automobile vas coming Up al fun speed
There p.ere many narrow escapes In conse-
,,4r-es. and some OF TIE drivers said their
bat- would rurn gray. There was only one
shrrt accident and tits happened 10 a mo-
t7--y -.ist or taking the last turn al to top
q the hil when he lost control ot his ma
crime an rhe bad stretch.
A rro-e. perfect day FOR the contests could
not nave been asked for. and among the
d-4vers vino were 10 have driven IN the
--,sIs bur did not get q chance before the
Trst he was one Of the chief attractions,
ever z 1e did not so UP the grade. can be
s,1-r-5 5sed from the remark made ty small
hcv VINO went running TO his mother, eN-
cisininr that i saw Robertson and he
has lorE pants on"
samuel RI Butler. who was selected this
week a. lnairIan OF the contest board OF
the American Automo5ile Association 10
succeed Frank L. HOoley, was IN attend
anre. and II was after a conference with
rim ar- Alden McMurtry, who was on the
technical committee. that Mr.. Whiting
stopped the trials
Ton Kincaid. in q National car. made the
best time of the day. going up the incline IN
s. $500 seconds Another National car
eriver o. r EEarmance. was second In the
sane Glass; No s. II the other four com
pietes contests a Ford, Cameron. Buick
and an American car were victorious.
The climb was made unusual owing 70 q
division ou the programme for commercial
vehicles This was divided into three
ciasses and the class winners were a
Buick q Walter and a Couple Gear some
o. these machines We're of ponderous size
and heavily laden. one carried several
pianos while TWO others of immense size
were from warehouses. The Couple Gear
car carried rve tons 81 pig iron, and was
eas.iy tae largest u them all
Il vas said that entrance fees would be
returned -1 the contestants who had no
chance 20 60 UP the hin before the contest
was STOPPED. The Warner timing apparatus
instrument was used and the trials were
accIrsreIr measured.
The Furl rIaries follow
rvrs-r so E-GAEOr-EEE STOCK CARS.
f.re-- Ee5a OR LESS.