Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-21
WHAT WON BALDY
RACE FOR RUESS
COLD CALCULATIONS MAKING
A PERFECT SCORE
"Wild Man" UnseIfishIy Gives All
Credit to Nick Machrs, His
Mechanician and Faith
In His Car

In His Car
All day long Monday the great ware
rooms of the Ruess Automobile COM
pany on South Main street were
crowded with people looking at the
great machine that the day previous
had carved from the record of last
year fully thirty-two minutes in the
Baldy race. The little forty-horse-
power car, covered with dirt and dust
from the gruelling grind she had sue
cessfully gone through, stood there in
as perfect condition as the moment
she left the factory, and as fit to go
again as she was a minute before she
started on that terrific ride, carrying
wild Bill' Ruess and his mechanician,
Nick Machris. Men, interested in the
practical side of the automobile, were
there, elbow to elbow. Men who know
what the Baldy course really is and
that beyond all question it is the classic
course of the world. Men were there
who buy automobiles for the purpose
of operating them for business, social
and pleasure purposes, not for racing
around mile circle like a circus pony
for three or four hundred miles, but
men who want a car to carry them
and their families safely over roads
right within their midst, over which
they may wish to travel at any time,
and know that their machine will stand
UP for them under the exact condi-
tions that the little Pope Hartford
went against with such marvellous
nicely and without a failure of the
most remote kind last Sunday MORN
ing.
Lesson of the 5aIdy Race
There is a lesson to be learned from
that famous race of last Sunday morn
ing. 1t was not a run for the fun of
the thing. There was no nonsense
about 1t. No gate receipts invited the
cupidity of the speculator. And no
matter what may ever happen to Bill
Ruess, the run he made on Sunday, the
extraordinary good judgment of the
man, the perfect skill and memory
exercised will stand as one of the most
wonderful displays of human thought
ever shown in this section, or prob
ably that of any other section of the
country, since automobiles became a
factor in the world of pleasure and Of
commerce.
As has been stated in these columns,
the Mount Baldy course is properly en-
titled to be called the real classic
course of the world. No proposition
that an automobile can ev, called
upon to encounter but what 1t has to
meet on that course. Few cars in
/
ascent of Badly. They must have the
stuff" In them to do 1t at all. They
must be sure and certain Of what they
are able to perform in their every part
and without fail. A year ago Captain
Ryus set a pace with a White Steam
car, driving the White to the finish in
three hours and thirty-two minutes
This was considered the limit of what
even a steam car might do, for, be it
known, that altitude affects the gas car
for reasons not necessary to explain
in this article. When the Pope
Hartford entered, even automobile
dealers smiled up their sleeves and
remarked, "And Wild Bill to drive
too"
What wild Bill" Did
"Wild Bill" be it known, is the
president of the William r. Ruess
Automobile company, and this concern
Is the agent for the Pope-Hartford
cars. With long and lingering eyes
Ruess looked at the Fenner cup and
the longer he looked the more de-
temined he became to carry 1T away
from the steam car that owned 1t for
three years, and place 1t among the
silverware of the Pope Hartford pos
sessions in the Los Angeles silver
chest of Ruess & Co People still
smiled as Bill prepared for the Baldy
run. Those with more blood for sport
laid wagers, and good and heavy ana
plenty, that the steam car would again
hol6 the cup and If not, there might be
chance for the Apperson, with Han
Ehue at the wheel, but for the Pope
and with "yVild Bill" doing the steer
ing. heavens what a chance for the
Pope! Odds were freely given that
wild Bill" and his car would never
last the distance. Many presaged that
Bill would never come home ahVe.
They had him killed, the funeral SER
mon preached and his remains inferred
but all the time these busy people
were arranging Ruess' obsequies Bill
was getting his machine into shape
for the run to Mount Baldy.
The customary grin on Bills face
broadened rather wider when the mat
ter was mentioned to him with the
sarcastic smile that greeted him be-
hind the remark Bill, with MS over
ans on. with SCOT and dirt beginning
his face. went on preparing his car
for the struggle he was to enter.
And Bill Adds to HlIarity
Then Bill took another crazy"
spell, This time he obtained the serV-
ices of Nick Machris, young me-
chanic. and a thorough one at that'
and then the wiseacres with Iaugnter
bursting their sides, remarked, Weli'
it was enough TO nave BIZ III .iiS -,
but the two Of them, that settles II!
Machris. to whom Ruess unselnsnly
and with his big hearted generosity
gives all the credit for what the ca, ear
was able to perform, worked with Blu
and showed him this and that untll,
their work done, they awaited the iit, Iline
signal for the start, with wild BIZ
at the wheel, Machris as his mechanl-
cian-and Machris had the pleasure OF
seeing his work fully suostahtiateu
by the faithful performance OF the
Pope Hartford in the now eVentIui
run.
How Bill Won the Race
Never for a moment did the knock
ers" let up on Bill, The time OF cap
Ryus with the steam car was nauhteo
before him and every one else as the
limit of car endurance and speed TOT
Baldy. Talk was made that last year
the roads were very bad-but TINS year
they were simply boulevards OF sinooth
asphaltun! If any one believes SO the
roads are still there. Baldy has not
been moved, and they are free as the
air to take just little spin over the
route and see for themselves. Nopodys
word has to be taken for II. Practice