Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-11
CARLSON SAYS
NEVER DID 1T
CLEVER DRIVER OF PRIVATE
CAR DISCLAIMS CHALLENGE
Enters and Drives Hls Own Machine
for Love of the Sport, but Never
Thought Of Challenging
Frank Free

1t required but the insertion OF the
probe of publicity into the sweeping
challenge" appearing in a morning
paper of last Sunday, to develop one
fact, that The Herald is generally
pretty hearty correct in the automo-
bile worlds affairs in general, the
racing game in particular.
The sweeping challenge" alluded to,
purported to have come from William
Carlson, who was dlsrespectfully al
luded to as "Willie," and termed the
young boy as the paragraphs pro-
ceeded. 1t proceeded to single out
Frank Free as the one special object
for a contest. and most generously
permitted that famous driver to Sc
lect his own car and his own track for
a race.
Promptly on Snnday-the day Of
publication of the defl-Free came to
the office Of The Herald and deposited
with the automobile editor of this
paper his check for $3.50, as a guaran-
tee of good faith for the acceptance of
the sweeping challenge" and this
department had the check certified,
and deposited with the cashier of The
Herald awaiting the coming of the
challenger to cover the same with
good genuine coin-not the usual stage,
or conversational class of money,
but the sort that buys meal tickets,
neckties. gasoline, etc.
The challenge did not bear the mark
of being genuine at the very outstart,
but bore every indication Of poorly
developed endeavor to obtain some
cheap advertising publicity upon the
part of an agent for a brand of auto
mobile not guilty very often Of rae
ing anywhere.
1t developed later In the week also,
that the name of the challenger was
used without the slightest authority
to do so, for William H. Carlson who
by the way made such a splendid dis
play of speed on the track at Ascot
as to attract widespread attention, en-
tered The Herald office on Tuesday
and that game young man said, 81
never made such a proposition as that
of desiring to race Frank Free on
any track for any purse whatever.
NV name was used absolutely without
any authority from me. / entered the
race at Ascot park of my own voli-
tion because / like the game and like
to drive my car. and W\en my car
broke down on that day, we fixed her
up to merely make a race out of 1t
after the hardest kind of solicitation,
that the race would not be a race at
all, unless we showed on the track,
and after making repairs took to the
track, and when our attempt was
called to a protest against Frank
Free that he had attempted to foul
us. we promptly declined to enter such
protest because we did not think Free
did attempt to foul. but that he had
all the rights he took in passing us
on the track. I consider Frank Free
is one of the fairest drivers on a race
track that ever drove a car, and we
think that he is entitled to all the
credit that came to him in his win
ming the race"
If the cheap attempt to call atten-
tien to the name of the automobile used
In the challenge succeeded elsewhere 1t
assurredly failed of its purpose in so
far as The Herald is concerned
And now a word about Mr.. Carlson
and his mechanician. Mr. Carlson Is
a young man, cool, clear, level head
ed, and owns his own car. He has
Travelled many miles in 1t and which 1t
Is fair to say, has a specially fine and
fast engine in it of 1907 make, was
bought by him before there was an
agency for the car in Los Angeles at
ALL and Carlson knows his machine as
we'll as the finest expert there ever
was on automobiles. He is a true
own privately owned automobile en-
ters 1t for the actual love of the sport.
He and his clever young mechanician,
James r. Rogan, have the true sports
man blood running in their veins and
enjoy the game, like to ride fast and
go into these races wholly for their
own pleasure and If successful in any
of them in capturing cash prize. are
of course all the more pleased. Carl
son is thorough master Of the car,
is a careful and accomplished driver
while Rogan also is as proficient in the
skill of the parts of the car as is
Carlson.
It so happens that it is a most no
ticeable fact that the maker of it
never has permitted a car of his,
owned by him in the hands of his
agents or branch houses to enter a
car on race track. And there is a
good reason for it. He knows he has
not got a car that will or can race,
1t was never constructed for that
kind of usage. for in his own publicity
matter it Is described as "a purring
pussy cat" times without number.