Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-04
MILE HIGH CLIMB
IS SPECTACULAR
THREE THRILLING SPILLS AND
NO ONE HURT
ED YOUNG NARROWLY ESCAPES
"A HORRIBLE DEATH
Daring Driver Misiudged His Speed in
Rounding a Bad Turn and Was
Thrown Under His Car with
Engine Running

REDLANDS, April 3.-Three acct
dents and the most spectacular road
driving ever seen In California married
the first automobile contest of the Mile
High Hill Climb association here this
afternoon.
One car left the road and turned
completely over, burying the driver,
and two others crashed into the curb
ing in the very heart of the city and In
plain view Of thousands of spectators.
That serious fatality did not mar the
days sport was most remarkable.
The cars which ~~ot with mishaps
were the e. M. F. (Studebaker). driven
by Ed Young of Redlands; the Tourist
entered and driven by A. Osbun, and
the Kissel Kar Tabasco, with Harris
Hanshue at the wheel.
The most spectacular accident was
that which befell the e. Nj. F. about
a mile and quarter west of Casa
Blanca. A large crowd had gathered
at that point to watch the flying ma
chimes, which could be seen severa.
miles away as they appeared on the
hilltops only to disappear again as
they would dip into a slight depression.
The first ten miles of the course is over
only slight grades, and Ed Young was
driving the car at full speed.
Young Shows Nerve
He displayed great daring as he
skidded around difficult turns, but ten
miles after the start came his undoing.
As the car reached the summit of
small knoll the crowd at Casa Blanca
saw 1t dash down a slight grade at d
terrific speed. Then there arose cloud
of dust denser than that made by the
rush of the car, and a shout arose as
the car was seen to disappear from the
-.
viewing the contest from the hilltop
jumped into their car. and with several
officials started down the grade to the
wrecked machine. They fully expected
to find the occupants dead or badly in
jured. To their surprise they found
Young and A. A. Barber, who was rid
ing as mechanic. on their feet. Barber
was badly shaken UP but perfectly cool.
Young had fallen under the machine
and he did not recover from the shock
for several minutes. He said he was
unhurt with the exception of a few
bruises.
Young Tells Story
According to Young's story, he had
taken the down grade at a speed or
forty-eight miles an hour. The car
suddenly began to swerve and tire
blew up. This caused the end to swing
around, and in trying to straighten 1t
up the car left the road and headed
for gully fully thirty feet below the
road. He had tried to hold the car
straight and prevent it turning turtle,
but as it leaped off the small cliff 1t
turned in the air. Barber was thrown
clear. but Young was firmly pinned
under the car with the engine still
running and the wheels whirling in the
air. Barber. fortunately, was not even
stunned. and instantly. seeing his COM
panions peril, forced his shoulder
under an edge of the machine and
lifted it so the imprisoned man could
crawl out. In less than half an hour
the bursted tire had been repaired and
the car was running on its own power.
a remarkable demonstration of what
q motor car will stand.
Other Accidents Occurred
The other accidents happened on the
main street of Redlands. The cars
started at the Casa Iona and dashed
at a mile a minute speed down the
asphalt pavement to Citrus. The
Tourist was first to go into the curve,
but later finished the course. This
delay put 1t out of the running so far
as fast time was concerned.
The Kissel Kar was the last machine
to start. Hanshue had already been
told of the remarkable time made by
the Franklin, driven by Ralph Ham,
lin to the top of the fifteen mile climb, |
and of the run Frank Siefert was maxi
ing in the Stoddard Dayton. He knew |
1t was up to him to drive faster than |
he had planned and he started to gain |
seconds from the jump. According to |
Manager Graham of the climb. Han |
shue reached the first turn two sec
onds faster than any other car But |
the two seconds gained put the car |
out of the race. In trying to make |
the turn at fifty miles an hour, the
car skidded on the loose gravel and |
crashed into the curb.
Spectacular Race
The hill climb was spectacular from |
start to finish. For fifteen miles the |
cars battled over all varieties of roads |
from the level payment to the Steep
est and narrowest of mountain roads. |
The finish was at an altitude of 5000
feet and overlooked the beautiful val
ley below. A car was given the OPP
portunity to show its speed on level
stretches and it's hill climbing ability
on the mountain grades.
1t was also a wonderful test on the
drivers ana the honors go to Frank
Seifert. who drove the winning Stod-
dard Dayton in the free-for-all, and
Ralph Hamlin. who piloted his Frank
lin Greyhound. Both men gave a re-
markable exhibition. and stamped
themselves among the nerviest opera
tors in the west.
Another man deserving of honors is
Lester Patee, who made a great drive
in the Cadillac Thirty.
Twenty-four minutes and twelve
seconds was the fastest time of the
day. The Franklin was close behind
the Stoddard with record of 1924.
The Buick touring car, well driven,
went the route in $3.50 and the Cadil-
lac In 1856. The four-cylinder Tour
list was among the fastest up the
grade
How They Ran
The first class brought out two Baby
Rcos and a Maxwell. The latter won
with five minutes the best of the lit
good time. J.