The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-17
AMAZING FEATS
OF MOTOR CARS
Remarkable Stunts Performed
by Daring Drivers
SOME TRAGIC EVENTS
Many Daring Feafs Are Attempted by
Foreign Motorists for the De-
lectatiOn of the Craving
Public
SOME TRAGIC EVENTS

From the London Tit Bits
| For breath-taking daring there is no
man living who can give points to the
modern motorist, who seems to take as
much pleasure in risking his neck as the
average man exercises care in saving his
None but mailman Tor morolisD for
instance would have attempted that re-
cent escapade Of James Carol at Tacoma,
Wash, in riding down wooden stair
case of 700 steps without brakes. The
car used weighed ton and a half and
before it had got quarter of the way
down SO terrific was the speed that the
| tires were ripped off as If they had been
made of paper
Before the journey was half accom-
plished the giant machine was crashing
down at speed of so miles an hour
leaping the steps score at time; and
when at last the car was brought to
standstill it was found that all the mech
anism was broken, and only a miracle
had prevented 1t from flying to pieces
during the journey.
This feat recalls to mind that of the
intrepid motorist, Mr.. Coles who some
time ago gave a thrilling performance at
the London Alhambra. A platform con-
structed some feet from the stage, and
supported by strong baulks of timber
was approached by a steep chute on one
side and steps on the other. Driving the
car up the shute. Mr.. Coles brought it to
a dead stop in space not an inch longer
than the actual length of the car, and
then sent 1t down two flights of stairs,
afterward pulling the car up in its own
length. There was no ridge or edge of
any kind to the side of the stairs, and
mistake of quarter of an inch would
probably 4 have resulted in fatal
smashup.
The tragic death of the young lady who
was wont to loop the loop in a motor
car, just as Diavolo did with his bicycle.
Is doubtless still fresh in the minds of
| readers. Even her turn, however, has
| been eclipsed as far as sensatonalism Is
| concerned, by that of a we'll known trick
cyclist, who rode a motor car which
turned somersault in the air. Starting
down a sloping platform, which worked
on a powerful spring he was literally
shot in the air when he reached the
end, whired round In somersault, and,
with a terrific thud, dropped on to an
other platform.
After talking of stage motoring feats,
one might mention that which has been
| quite the fashion in France recently.
long platform is erected, sufficient to en-
able the car to attain full speed. At the
end of the platform is break of ten
yards, and then another platform on
slightly lower level. Along the higher
course the motorist dashes until he Ia
flying at a speed of 70 to 80 miles an hour;
then, with terrific leap, he clears the
chasnl, alights with L crash on the lower
course, and gradually slows down to a
stop-when he returns to risk his neck,
again and again.
Three or four months ago Mr.. Fawsett
an English motorist, drove his car from
Chamonix Valley to the Mer de Glace a
height of 5760 feet This recalls some
equally remarkable feats of motor noun
taineering.
Some years ago Captain Deasy drove
a 16-horse-power car over the st. Bernard
Pass. which has an altitude of 6997 feet,
as we'll as up the cog-wheel mountain
railway of the Rockers de Naye, which is
1907 feet high, and entails a gradient of
one in four and half. In 1900 NJ. Jules
Picard crossed the Pyrenees with his car.
Weighing a ton and three quarters, skirt
ing precipices at a height of $500 feet.
Part of the journey was performed along
a narrow pathway on the mountain side,
where a swerve of few inches would
death 400 feet below.
Mr. Harvey du eros, Jr., has climbed
to the summit of Snowdon, and Mr..
Charles Jarrett has driven a car to the
top of Arthurs seat, Edinburgh, the
gradient in parts almost reaching one
in four, some of the passages being
breath-taking in their suggestion of dan
ger.
1t is not long since NJ. Duray the IA
nous French record-breaker, drove his
25-horse- power Gobron-Brille car up the
steps leading from the polo grounds at
the Crystal Palace, and descended again
without mishap, a. feat of remarkable
skill and daring. And a little later Mr..
earle. managing director of the Mors
Motor company, caused considerable sem
sation by driving his 14-horse-power car
up and down the water chute at the
Crystal Palace. When we consider that
the chute has a gradient of one In four
and is 30 feet long, and that Mr.. Carries
car weighed 200 pounds, we get some
idea of the amazing nature of the per-
Torrance.
After this one learns without surprise
that car was actually driven up a spe
cally constructed chute to the top of
two-story workshop in the north of Eng
land, then up the slate roof of the build
ing, and down again backward, without
the least mishap.