Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-16
REFEREE GIVES
DECISION IN THE
PHOENIX RACE
DECIDES PENNSYLVANIA WINS
AND COLUMBIA DlSALL0WED
LATTER, ANXIOUS TO HAVE DE.
CIsloN, WILL APPEAL
Decision in Full by Referee Adams
Ignores Rules Signed by Con-
testants and Gives Race to
Pennsylvania


which resulted in the Pennsylvania
ing in second, is evidently attracting
attention generally. The Columbia
protested the Pennsylvania winning
and The Herald Is in receipt of the
following communication, showing the
widespread interest taken in events
and what The Herald is doing in the
automobile field in this section at
present:
San Bernardino, Cal Nov. IA.
Automobile Editor Herald, Los An
geles Cal:
| have been following closely
the automobile news of The Her
aid every day and like the man
ner in which your automobile
news is given, clearly and fear
lessy, as witness the bluff called
of the Winton agent of your city.
With others | am interested in
the races of last week at Phoenix
and regret to see the protest of
the Columbia against the Penn
sylvania, as O'Donnell who drove
the Keystone state car, is a friend
of mine, and If he won the race
he is entitled to the decision with
out any technicalities. There are
wagers up here on the matter,
and wish you would tell US where
we stand in the question.
CARBURETER.
Fortunately, Mr.. Carbureter, The
Herald has the decision of the referee
in the race at Phoenix, which came to
this city yesterday, and as far as The
Herald can do so will make plain to
you the position of the contestants in
the event over which the protest Of
the Columbia has arisen.
The contestants in the Los Angeles
Phoenix road race entered into and
signed a series of articles governing
the race, and these articles are binding
upon each, and the race was run under
the A. A. A. rules. In these articles 1t
is plainly stated that in the track races
at Phoenix there are to be no changes
in gears made on the cars entered.
The facts seenA to be that the Penn
sylvania made the track winning time
with the Columbia second in the race.
on completion of the event, the driver
OF the Columbia at once entered his
protest against the Pennsylvania, al
leging in his complaint that the Penn
sylvania had changed her wheels from
81 to SO inches, the latter being the
wheels she had used in crossing the
desert en- route to Phoenix.
There can be no doubt but what it
was the intention of the signers of the
articles that the cars entered in the
track races should appear there in the
same condition as crossing the desert,
and, although they might have been
clearly specific, they stand for what
they are worth.
Passing aside the technicalities of
the rules verbiage, the Columbia en-
tered her protest as follows on the
completion of the race clearly in ac-
cordance with the A. A. A. rules
Phoenix, Ariz., Nov. IL, 1909.
Mr.. ]. c. Adams, referee, Phoe-
nix Automobile Races, city:
Dear Sir-I, Harold Stone. the
driver of the Columbia car No. s,
hereby formally enter a protest
against car No. 3, the Pennsyl-
vania, in the fifty-mile race for
cars costing $4,000 and under, which
was held yesterday at the fair
grounds, November II, 1909.
Protest based upon the fact that
the rules stipulate that there shall
be no change of gearing. Refer
ence to rule Ne. IS will plainly
show that the whole and only pur-
pose of this rule is and was to con-
fine the cars to the same conditions
of power ratio as that under which
the desert was crossed.
Said change of gearing was made
through the medium of using
smaller wheels about 34-inch in
being crossed on the latter. This
change enabled them to attain
much higher speed on the turns of
the track.
Said change is admitted by Wal
ter Vail and the Pennsylvania's
crew.
AS required. we tender the sum
of $40 as a fee upon the entry
of the within protest.
Gipnpd (pnnU1 HAROLD SFTONE
This done, there was but to await
the decision of the referee, which Of
ficially is as follows:
Arizona Fair ommiCssion, Phoe-
nix, Ariz., Nov. 13, 1909.-Bireley &
Young 1231-33 South Main street,
Los Angeles, CAL:
Gentlemen-I this day rendered
the following opinion in the mat
ter of the protest of the Columbia
against the awarding of the prize to
the Pennsylvania for the winning
of the 50-mile race at Phoenix No
vember IL, 1909, said race being for
cars $4,000 and under:
"That the Pennsylvania car was
used in the race at the fair grounds
practically in the same condition as
said car was in when it raced from
Los Angeles to Phoenix. 1 do not
believe the placing of smaller
wheels on this car in any way as
sisted the car to win the race, and
after reading the special rules
agreed upon by all contestants in
the Los Angeles race 1 believe 1t
would be unfair to so interpret the
rules as to make the Pennsylvania
car lose a we'll earned victory be-
cause of the reduction of the size
of the wheels used. My decision is
that the protest is without good
foundation, and that the Pennsyl-
vana car is the winner of the race,
and have notified both contestants
of my decision"
Unless l am notified as provided
by the rules on or before Novem-
ber 20, 1909, that Bireley and Young
have appealed from my decision to
the contest board 1 shall pay over
the prize, to wit, $500 to the Vail
Motor Car company. Yours very
truly, J. c. ADAMS, Referee.
The decision of Referee Adams is
now before you, and he decides that
the Columbia has no protest, and in
so far as that is concerned he is the
master of the situation unless the Co
lumbia go farther.
The Herald has no prejudice what
ever, further than the desire to see
fairness and Justice exercised, and as
the protest of the Columbia will prob
ably be carried to the higher court of
the the A. A. A. contest committee it
will be well to look at rule 22 page g.,
of the contest rules of the A. A. A.,
which reads: