The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-08-26
TWO KILLED
IN AUTO RACE
5AURQUE, KNOX DRIVER, AND
HoLcoMs, MEcHANIciAN,
CRUSHED UNDER CAR.
CAUSE NOT ASCERTAINED
oldfield and Chevrolet Break and 10
Miles Records.-Several Dra-
matte Episodes Mar Open
ina of the Auto Races.

ndianapolis.-Two lives were lost
and two records broken during the
Inauguration of the Indianapolis mo-
or speedway. William A. Bourque,
iriver of the Knox car in the $50 mile
ace, and Harry Holcomb, his me-
,hanician, were killed in the frinZied
,ernival of speed.
Barney Oldfeld, driving a high pow
cred Benz, covered a mile in 43.1 sec
,nds, breaking De Palma's mark of 81
seconds, and Louis Chevrolet, in a
Buick, negotiated ten miles in the
marvellous time Of S55 4-10, cutting
0ldfields time of 9:12. Both of these
ire new American track marks.
Robert Burnman, in a Buick, won
he $50 mile race, the feature of the
lay, and the contest that cost Bour-
Iue and Holcomb their lives. The
winners time was 4:33:57 4-10-slow
because of the many accidents that
MARRIED the race. The Stoddard-Day-
ION (Clements) was second in 4:46:01
$40 and the National (Merz) finish
I'd third in 4:52:39 40. Another Ma
ional with Kincaid at the wheel was
he only other car of ten starters to
fnish the long grind.
The death of the two men caused
he American Automobile Association
20 issue an ultimatum to the owners
IF the big track that certain changes
must be made or the sanction for the
event will be withdrawn. The Ameri-
IAN Automobile association demands
hat the track be freed from the many
and dangerous ruts, which are said to
De unavoidable in a new track, and
hat every inch of 1t be thoroughly
billed and tarred.
Only short portion in front of
he grand stand was oiled and the
lust on the other parts is blamed for
he collapse of two drivers in the
ong race-Louis Chevrolet and Fred
Ellis-who were blinded by the dense
white mist that covered the major
portion of the track.
Two records were broken and the
irst day of the immense track proved
air to be an unqualified success, when
4 pail was cast over the crowd of
100000 speed-mad spectators by the
sudden death of Bourque and Hol-
;omb.
The Knox car was in second place,
with Burman, in his Buick, leading
and had covered nearly $50 miles
when the crash came. While coming
Town the home stretch, the car sud-
ienly swerved and tore into the fence
at the left Of the track, turning COM
pletely over and pinning its two &C.
cupants beneath it. Both men were
alive when taken from under the i'll
lated machine, but Bourque died in
The ambulance on the way to the
emergency hospital. Holcomb lived
4 few minutes longer, but was dead
soon after he arrived at he hospital
Stories as to the cause of the ac-
cident vary and no one will ever
know what really caused the car of
Heath to swerve from the track. Ac-
cording to the story told by Private
Frank Brandoor, Company H, Second
regiment, Indiana National Guard,
who was nearest to the scene of the
accident and had a narrow escape
from injury, something caused both
men to suddenly turn and look be-
hind. AS they did so, the steering
wheel slipped from Bourque's hands,
and he threw his arms helplessly in
Il = air. Then came the crash.
One of the rear wheels was found
a few hundred feet from the scene of
the accident and this has led to the
advancement of the theory that the
axle nuts on it had not been pronerly
frightened when the machine had TAX
en- on a new tire shortly before. The
men probably felt the wheel slipping
off and after they looked behind they
realized their helplessness to prevent
an accident.