Evening star., 1909-07-12
THIRTY CARS OFF
ON CuDDEN TOUR
They Follow Pathfinder Car on
Journey of 2,636 Miles
to Kansas City.

DETROIT, July 12.-With his pilot car
filled with confetti to mark cross roads
and misleading points in the days
journey. Dai H. 2ewis, pathfinder for the
sixth annual reliability run of the Amer
lean Automobile Association-the Glidden
tour-rolled away from the Hotel Pont-
and began the longest and hardest run
which the association has ever under
taken.
Swathed in canvas and rubber cover
ing. thirty automobiles were then parked
in an inclosure in Cadillac square. wait
ing the starters signal to follow the
pathfinder on the 2,636-mile journey
which is to take them through Chicago.
Minneapolis and Denver to Kansas City.
They had passed from the control of
their owners until the tour is over. and
were in charge of the contest commit
tee and the observers who represent it
In each machine.
Big Crowd Saw the Start.
Cadillac square, where the cars have
stood since they checked in to Chair
man F. B. Hover Friday and Saturday.
was crowded with spectators and auto
country. They made the air ring with
cheers when Pathfinder Lewis drove
away from the starting line in front of
the Hotel Pontchartrain.
In the hotel everything was hustle and
hustle among the officials in charge of
the tour, the drivers and observers and
passengers who are to make the long
drive in the machines. The twenty nom
contesting cars which will carry news
paper men and officials on the trip stood
| about the square waiting for their own
ers and passengers to see the start Of
the competitors at 10 o'clock.
Extra Parts Carried "Sealed."
Inside the hotel Chairman Hover gave
the final Instructions to the corps of OBJ
servers, and handed to each one the
sealed bag of extra parts which Is car
ried in every car, under the supervision
Of the observer who will see that the
machine is penalized il 1t becomes neces-
sary to break the seal and use any of the
contents.
Side by side In the park across the
square stood great high-powered touring
cars and little runabouts, whose small
ness was accentuated by their big neigh
bors. Under the rigid rules governing the
contest not one OF them could be touched
by its driver or owner until one-half hour
before the start Of the tour at 10 o'clock.
When the signal was given the observers
went to their respective cars, and under
their watchful eyes the drivers and me-
chanics took off the covers of the ma
chimes and made them ready for the
starting signal. Luggage was placed in
the tonneaus, and the passengers took
their seats.
Glidden in the Pacemaker.
Twenty minutes before the first car was
sent off, Chairman F. B. Hover and
Charles j. Glidden, donor of the trophy
from which the tour has taken Its popular
name. entered the pacemaking auto
mobile, which none of the contestants
can pass, and followed Pathfinder Lewis
out Michigan avenue toward Kalamazoo,
the first stop.
Starter Ferguson then took his place at
the starting line armed with his green
flag. and the drivers seated themselves
ready for the start. A Premier car had
the distinction of being the tirst contest
ant sent of on the long journey. Then
at intervals of one minute the names
and numbers of the other twenty nine
drivers were called by the starter. Each
driver was handed his time card as he
went over the line, and great cloud of
dust along Michigan avenue signitied that
the run had begun.