The Washington times., 1909-04-18
DUST CLOUDS MAR
' SPEEDWAY CONCERT
Hundreds of Smoking Auto
mobiles Help to Obscure
the View.
PRESIDENT OPENS
THE POTOMAC DRIVE
Washington Society Attends the
First Afternoon Function
in Full Force.

Smoking automobiles and unnecessary
clouds of dust will be done away with
h&ore the next concert is given in the
lnhe tin-roofed bandstand on Potomac
Drive, which II Is hoped will become
the parade ground for washington So
ciety; one OF the famous drives of the
worlds capitals
These two things marred the opening
concert yesterday. In fact. they made
a gray day for many out OF one which
should have been white and Joyful In
spite OF the fact that the Speedway
was sprinkled as late as 4:3O in the aft
ernoon. according to Col Spencer f.
Cosby. there was low-lying gray pail
very much like dust that settled down
over the pedestrian. the horseback
rider, and the automobllist alike and
made everything and every one feel
sticky and uncomfortable.
Scent of Automobiles.
In addition to the cloud of dust. or
whatever II was. there was that smoke
haze from hundreds of illy-operated au-
tomobiles. The choking scent Of half
burned gasoiene and the gray-blue ap-
pearance of this same smoke weaving
In and out OF the crowds, interfering
with the vision of all. contributed to
the discomfort Of an otherwise Joyous
occasion. Many of the wouId-be spec
tators. listeners, and paraders. blocked
on by the long string Of vehicles in
front OF them. had to stop a quarter
or a mile from the stand. and must
needs attempt to pierce a haze that
resemoied that Of Indian summer TO
even see the little platform about
wAch the crowd was gathered
AfIOnpl -
NSle ne had not noticed the dust he
had seen the gasolene smoke No new
Regulations nave as yet been made to
prevent these annoyances. ne said II IS
understood. however. that stems will he
taken before the next concert, probably
on Wednesday-to prevent one and to
put a stop TO the other.
The dust cloud can be obviated b,.
oiling the Speedway: such precaution
being necessary only a few times prob
aoiy' In one summer, and the half
burned g3sOlene can be banisbed from
the concers days on the Speedway ty
police regulations or by traficmen or
dering back from the drive any ma
chine which is not consuming fuel in
ment of this regulation and the sprink-
lng or the roadway the concerts and
the parade could be given. it is believed
under almost ideal circumstances.
Mrs. Taft Pleased.
Despite these drawbacks the outdoor
function" was brilliant beyond any
thing Of the kind ever attempted In
Washington in the personnel Of its pa
irons. With the President and Mrs
Taft in big White House automobile: /:
with diplomats from big and little ma
tions In autos. in carriages and on,
horseback: with army men in Khaki
and rankers in blue; with society folk
riding, sutoing. and walking; with rep
resentatives from every walk of Wash
ington life parading to see and to be
seen, the opening Of the drive, Of which
Mrs Taft was responsible was an event
OF note IT was an event which pleased
Dotn MIS- Iatt, who originated the idea
and the President, who was happy that
the First Lady had been pleased
it was not good day for a concert
very Few OF the throng Of 300 or more
people listened TO the efforts Of the
Philippine Constabulary Band. There
was but little wind, the air was Iistless
the sky overcast, and the strains of the
music carried only TO the nearest.
A Cosmopolitan Crowd.
II was a cosmopolitan crowd viii, h
came. a well dressed. well-fed crowd. in
which society predominated. The lines
Of carriages and machines were too
close together. but the colors Of the
womens gowns. from the delicate vio-
let 10 bright red: the constant flashing
Of the shining autos in the meager sum
shine. the green OF the parkways bud
ding grass under foot. the old river roll
ing by, swollen with the rains and vel
low and tawry, and quiet; the gray
Monument rising up like a monster fin
ger a mile away, and the golden dome
Of the Library in the distance made
the opening day, after all, a picture