New-York tribune., 1910-10-02

flashed TO victory. but all this hardly
aroused more than passing interest, a.
the thoughts of every man and woman
lwere centred on the great struggle fol
the chief trophy-the Vanderbilt Cup.
Suddenly the bugle announcing tht
iarproach Of a ma chine sounded and tht
oft repeated cry of car coming" rans
cut. In a moment the crowd was oil
its feet as If realizing that the end was
at hand. Down the long straight came
black projectile, and John Aitken. in
his National car. rushed across the finish
line He had started before his two
chief rivals. and the question arose il
the other two would reach the finish in
time to rob him of the coveted prize
They did
How Grant Raced to Fame.
Grant. who had thrown his usual care
TO the wind for that last desperate lap,
soon came slamming and humping his
way down through the last straight with
/ all stops out and the exhaust splitting
fire and smoke. Over the line he flew,
and the crowd cheered even as il waited
with even greater suspense for the fast
coming Marmon.
! The seconds licked off, each one SEEM
! ing like a full minute TO the anxious
watchers. Once more the bugle sound
ed. once more the cry went UP. car
coming and once more necks were
craned and watches consulted Is Daw-
sen came hurtling down the course.
The driver knew full well that every
second was precious, and without
thought Of risk the car jumped the last
bridge and swung around the last turn
at top speed. Victory was in his grasp,
and yet victory was lost. as he was forty
odd seconds too late to overtake Grant
and his wonderful Alco.
Second honnrs however. went TO DaW-
son, as he finished a full minute in front
! of Aitken. on elapsed time. The race
was won. but the race was not over, as
was the case in other years. when the
/ leading cars finished. Those who had
! only two or three LAPS to complete were
allowed 10 go laundering on. Suddenly.
! however. the crowd, which had been
kept in bounds all too long in its way OF
/ thinking broke loose. and soon touring
! cars. runa bouts and, in fact, everything
that had four wheels and bit of Gaso-
| lene was shooting up and down the
course.
Then perforce the race was stopped
and those who were not lucky enough 10
OWN cars or own friends that did made
their way TO the tracks Of the Long
Island Railroad and waited for the
wheeling. putting engine to struggle
along with a load that il could not
handle Going to the course was bad
enough. hut corning back was night
mare the more realistic as most every
bodv COED off between jerks and stops,
The Vanderbilt Cup race is over the
Struggle for the Grand Prize is TO come
and e1-on the speed maniacs are hoping
that the cost may not be SO great
Spectator HurIs a Bottle.
T,ouis 4. Disbrow and John Altken'
who finished second and third, respec-
lively. in the big race, had hard luck
stories to tell which no doubt had ols-
| tinct hearing on the outcome, and when,
nerhaps. robbed them Of the victory they
might have won. Neither man was dis
roee6 IN detract one whit from the credlI
dine Harry Grant. but both felt that the
1pcl- of the race was against them
Holm Aitken had something more tnah
grievance. as some man near the
qrandstand who had better ann ina "
sensa of fairness hurled an empty peer
hottie at the car as IT flew by The mis-
eila struck Aitkens mechanic on sile
b.d and stunned him SO that he was
,;,,,r, q, the car for almost a full lap.
This necessitated slow driving anu
Aitken lost many precious minutes
1o,,is Disbrow slowed zip for stretch
and almost withdrew from the race De
cause he thought he had struck anu
nerbsps killed an onlooker. he was 50
Wrought up for a time that ne lost al
interest in the struggle. but suddenly
realized that he had a duty to perform
a,6 sent his car spinning along once
more at top speed.
Co far as driving was concerneo' thoi0
,-ae little TO choose among the hrst
three 10 finish All three showed remark
anle skill in handling their cars. that
,eared and plunged and jumped ABOUT
. ,i,,es as if about to fly off the course.
All three were daring without being
r.cLless: ali three were careful without
being timid
| Yo,,is Chevrolet appeared to have the
raca at his mercy when the unfortunate
o,,cident which resulted in the death OF
a.. mechanic forced him out of the
e.,,eple His driving at times was
,.onderful. and TO him belongs the credit
Cor covering the fastest lap. He rushed
o,,.r the circuit In something under lO
minutes. or at a rate of 73h miles an
hour All four wheels were off the
,,round AS he literally shot over some OF
the bridges. but this is true also of other
drivers.
Rlaph Muford drove remarkably even
race for seven laps. He covered each in
!, minutes fat in round numbers, but
bic cbaDces of winning were ruined by
! copstant tire trouble. He forced the
,ace Nm to the thirteenth lap. when he
! s,opned in front of his repair Kit and
! changed all four tires. After that II
,...s change most OF the time and the
/ time lost could not be regained. al
though he finished veil Up in the race.
( c,rer drivers y no showed tn advaa-
! tsge p-ere Ear Harroun. who ras IN
I tne lead al the end Of the ninth lap,