The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-24

The automobile fever long ago took Birmingham in it's clasp and the grip grows tighter with each passing week. There is a large number of machines here. the licenses issued lowering around the 800 mark. while the majority of the cars are of expensive manufacture
 Birmingham is live sporting town, sports of any kind attracting the people. Any kind of a race will draw a large crowd but for real outpouring of the denizens of Birmingham 1t takes an auto mobile meet to do the work Mildly speak ing. these Magic City folks are crazy about seeing the benzine buggies move along as if the drivers were fearful lest the track disappear before they can get over it.
 Lewis Strang broke the mile record here in such an exciting manner that the au- tomobile racing desire of the people was aroused to fever pitch. Prior to this Bar ney Oldfeld had cut up some fancy stunts on the famous Fairview track.
 A number of automobile meets have been held here. most of which were fairly good The best one of the lot was given under the auspices of the Policemens Re- lief association last spring. Lewis Strang appeared in 1t, but made but little show. As the policemen received $500 out of it everyone was perfectly satisfied. Later in the summer another one was held purely for the benefit of the promoters and the immense crowd which attended felt that they had been filched.
 da tO nm meet here for November ?, and informa- tion is being given out that Barney Old field and others are to appear in it. This same statement attracted a large crowd to the last meet but Oldfield and the others failed to appear.
 The Fairview track is fast and star drivers can be secured If they enter there will be an immense crowd to see them race, but Birmingham is too live a town to standafor fake meet in which the promoters will pocket several thou sand dollars.
 This coming meet should be held under the auspices of the Birmingham Motor club, which is regular member of the American Automobile association. The Business Mems league Is announced as the promoter of the meet and this gives cause for rejoicing. However the league should be sure that these big drivers are secured before they are announced
 Tn order to make the amateur part of the meet O success there should De some inducement for the entrants to receive at least part of the expense they are nut to- A race does great damage to the tires and instead of giving medals and cups costing several hundred dollars it Is suggested that the cost of the prizes be cut and the balance of the prize money apportloned among the amateurs A "plug' car, however, that Is simply en- tered for the sake of this little money and with no expectations of winning should not be allowed to enter.
 The Business Mems league can give first-class meet, bring large crowds to Birmingham to witness 1t in connection with the Presidents visit and at the same time make a nice sum of money. If this is not done automobile racing will be practically killed in Birmingham.
 Interest in the Atlanta automobile races and show Is great in Birmingham. The Atlanta Automobile club has actually spent about $3O0 900. In building the track but with true business sagacity is count ing on making this back in a short while, and at the same time having the finest of sports and advertise Atlanta. In or der to arouse interest in 1t runs have been arranged from a dozen direcronS into Atlanta While there will be no of ficial run from Birmingham to Atlanta there will be a large number of cars to 90 from here.
 Efforts will be made to have these cars leave Birmingham together and in this way make splendid showing for Bir- ningham. Officers of the Birmingham Motor club are working to this end.
 The pathfnders on the recent Atlanta Birmingham route trip report the Gads- den route as being the best, though most of inc roads are narrow. The Annisfon route Is the natural one and could sly ha .a,,t into good shane hut as Ii is