The San Francisco call., 1909-10-24
64.5l MILES AN HOUR
KEPT UP FOUR HOURS
$4,000 Persons See Fleming Car Win the
Speediest Automobile Road Contest
Ever Run

was broken and he was thought last
evening TO be dying.
There were Is cars that went off in
cloud Of steam amid the boisterous
explosions of their engines. the first
starting promptly at 10 o'clock yester-
day morning and the others following
at one minute intervals Three cars
completed the entire course, the three
which came inside the money. On the
tenth lap the order was Fleming. Mich
ener. Hanshue and Bonney. On the
eleventh Bonney went up from fourth
to second place, overhauling Michener
and Hanshue. But then the accident
happened which put his car out of the
game and he did not finish the course
FINISH AT sTRAIGHTAwAY
The other cars dropped out during
the race at various times and from
various causes.
The grandstand and start and fin
ish of the race were located on the
foothin boulevard, near the w. B.
Frick school, not far from Melrose.
There was a mile Of strafghtaway
there as relief from the twists of
the foothili road. SO down the home
stretch came the skimming machines,
first as pale streak on the far side
hill road. then as a cloud of dust and
blue smoke at the quick turn above
the stand. At first the car would look
like a fire breathing toad squatting on
the road, but increasing in size every
minute.
There was a dip. near the school
house and in the low place the ear
would be lost to view for second.
Then it would come bouncing out into
sight again and. close to the ground.
would whirr past the stand, over the
hard road that shed not even film of
dust and on and out of sight in the
direction of Melrose. Most of the cars
passed singly. but at intervals there
would be nip and tuck race for the
honors- At one time five cars were
sweeping along on the stretch.
The course of the race was thor
oughly patroled by the soldiers of the
Fifth infantry, national guard of Cali
fornia. Colonel b. A. Smith commando
ing The companies were: A CAPTAIN
l.. c Francis. and F, Captain. {. H
Sullivan, of Oakland; &C, Captain G. E.
rape, beIheiegs u captain RuSkin Nc
ConDell, Alameda; II, Captain j. ].
Borree, Hayward: J.. Captain f. A.
Marriott, PaIc Alto. Major c. A Dukes.
hospital corps. Fifth infantry, had
charge of the hospitals along the line
of the race
MAXWELL HAS ILL LUCK
Arthur B. Watson, starter, brought
the cars TO the line at 10 o'clock.
King, driving Maxwell No. 1. a
small red car without any bottom
to it. was the first to crank up and
move into position. Linz was the me-
chanician- Before the second lap had
been negotiated the f1ywheel of the car
went bad and Linz was slightly in
jured. That ended the Maxwells
chances. No. 2 car. H Halls Sunset,
a low gray car. was next It went
away in a cloud of steam and only
passed once again. as it lost its tire
rim at the turn near Melrose street,
where McKittrick was hurt No. to
get away. Morris in his Autocar. did
not last many laps more.
No. 4. Flemings swift distance eater
with Trayers as mechanician, started on
his rapid fight at three minutes after
10 o'clock. the blue clad riders bend &
ing low to dodge wind resistance as
the light car jumped under the spur
of the gasoline. The cars destined for
greater or lesser fame during the race
followed in succession. The number
13 did not interfere with the intrepid