Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-14

not hold crowd and that 100 miles
will tell all the story that the public
wants told as to the speed or endur-
ance of either car.
Leavitt proposes that race for pure
glory be arranged, and to this end has
written to the local lodge of Elks of
this city letter, in which he offers
to enter his car in 50O-mile race under
their auspices, no wager of any kind
to be made, the Elks to make the ar
rangements for the race, and the en-
tire receipts to go to the Elks to help
swell a fund with which to help enters
tain visiting Elks during their con-
vention in this city in July.
Gordon claims that he had already
taken the matter up verbally with the
Elks before receiving Leavitt's chal-
lenge and that he has since been await
ing Leavitt's answer.
Gordon insists that he still wants
some of Leavitt's money, but doesn't
want any part in the gate receipts.
He insists that the Elks prefer a 100
mile race to 500 mile contest on the
ground that the race would take thir-
teen hours or more to finish. Gordon
has posted $1,000 to cover his proposal
The distance now being practically
the only thing that stands between the
Locomobile and the Stearns and both
committed to the desire to contribute
to the Elks' fund with the entire gate
receipts it would look as if the EllS
should now be able to bring the two
machines together and add tidy sum
to their banquet and junket funds to
be spent during the coming July.
The counter propositions of the two
managers will be seen in detail in their
advertisements in these columns.
The text of Leavitt's letter follows,
no formal reply having as yet been
received by him from the Elks as to
the success of their negotiations:
Leavitt's Letter
Los Angeles Lodge No. 80, B. p. o. E.,
Los Angeles, California:
"Gentlemen-My attention was called
to the fact that the local agents for the
Stearns automobile had expressed
desire for a race with the Locomobile
and offered to back their car with the
sum of $1,000 for such a race. / agreed
to race them a Locomobile against a
Stearns for $4,000 a side, distance 500
miles, amateur drivers to drive. the
race to be OH track or road, whichever
course they might select.
"The agents for the Stearns ex-
pressed their willingness to race for
$1,000, a sum that l considered too
trifling.
Il now make this offer to the Los
Angeles Lodge No. SO. | will race for
nothing a Locomobile against a
Stearns on Ascot park or any other
track for a distance of 500 miles, anna
teur drivers to drive, and the entire
gate receipts to go to the Los Angeles
lodge No. so to be added to the Elks'
entertainment fund. The Elks to Sc
cure the track for the occasion and also
the acceptance by the agents for the
Stearns for the race.
''Kindly request your lodge to ap-
point a committee to convey this chal-
lenge to the Stearns people. / also
desire to say that 1 trust the lodge
will not in the slightest construe this
to be by way of advertisement of my
own car
''All other means having failed to
this end, and / having heretofore con-
tributed to the EllSs' reunion, and hav
ing the interest of the Elks' lodge at
heart, L now do this absolutely in the
interest of the Elks' lodge reunion.
'RALPH ]. LEAVITT.'