Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-10-04
GLORY OR DEATH!
Fiends Put Their Lives In
Balance For Speed Prize.

Automobile FIends Put Iheir Lives III
Balance For Speed Prize.
Long Island Motor Parkway, n. Y.
October -Four killed and twenty Sc
riously injured, three of them proba-
bly fatally, was the price in human
life paid today for the sixth running of
the Vanderbilt cup race, won in elec-
trifying fashion by Harry Grant. driv-
ing a 120 horsepower Alco.
Grant. who distinguished himself
last year by finishing first in the fifth
Vanderbilt, won today's event from
Joe Dawson, driving a Marmon, by the
narrow margin of 25 seconds. John
Aitken, in the National, was only a
minute and six seconds behind DaW-
son.
The race was the most hotly con-
tested of any of the Vanderbilt cup
races. and with the two small car
events run as unit with 1t, the
Wheatley Hill sweepstakes and the
Massapequa trophy brought out rec
ord number Of starters.
The time of the three first cars
finishing in the main event surpassed
the best time ever made in an Amer
lean road race. Grant, by covering
27S.OS miles of the course in hours,
u minutes and 5S seconds, equivalent
to an average of 65 Is miles an hour.
established a new American record.
But as brilliant as was the perform
ance of the three winners and as
thrilling as the race itself, the horror
caused by the wholesale manning and
killing which attended it cast such
a deep shadow over spectators, partlcl-
pants and the management that the
crowd dispersed under pail of sorrow.
Yet, notwithstanding the list of cas-
ualties it was announced tonight that
the Grand Prize race over the same
course will positively he held on Sat-
urday. October IS. Fifteen cars have
already been entered for the event.
Preparations are to begin at once to
have the track in readiness.
A. r. Pardington. vice president and
general manager of the motor park
way. spoke of the race only as sue
cess. He regretted. of course, the
deaths and accidents, but was inclin-
ed to attribute them mainly to the
carelessness of spectators. Express
sions Of sorrow and regret were heard
on all sides and many spectators We're
inclined to blame what they styled in
adequate policing of the course, but
Official condemnation was lacking.
Privilege to hold the race is granted
by the board Of supervisors of Nassau
county. in whose power the right TO
revoke rests. While it was reported
that steps would be taken to prohibit
a repetition of today's accidents, no
announcement was made officially OF
the boards attitude.
The accidents that caused two Of the
A. he -
al i'm the extreme. The first occurred
when the Columbia car, driven by
Harold Stone, suddenly burst tire at
the approach of the cement bridge
crossing the Westbury road, and, be-
coming unmanageable, plunged over
the parapet. The great machine went
over twice in midair and landed on
its side. crushing out the life of Mat
thew Bacon, Stones mechanician. who
was caught under it. Stone himself
sustained fractures to both legs and
internal injuries. from which it is
doubtful if he will recover.
The killing of Louis Chevrolets
mechanician, Chas. Miller, came as the
climax of mad attempt Of Chevrolet
to regain a lead lost through frequent
tire troubles. The daring Frencn
driver. who. earlier in the race had
miles an hour. hurdled a bad run in
the back stretch with full power on,
and landing on three wheels only,
found his car Zig-Zagging from side to
side. unresponsive to it's steering gear,
As a shrek of horror sounded from
the hundreds assembled at the spot,
the car plunged into fence and swept
it. away like so much paper, then plow-
ed deep into a passenger laden touring
car moored on the side of the road.
The impact was terrific and the oc-
cupants of the touring car were tossed
high in the air. All escaped death,
however but Miller was caught in the
wreckage and instantly killed. Chew
rolct owes his life to the staunchness
of his steering wheel. upon which he
kent a firm hold to the end. He was
pulled ont of the debris with nothing
more serious than a broken arm.
The third death of the day did not
occur on the course, but in an acci-
dent en- route to the race. Ferdinand
D'Zubia, an automobile man, was the
victim. His wife had both legs broken
in the smashup.
The fourth death was that of Ed
ward Lynch. who died at hospital to-
night as a result of injuries received
when he was run down after the race
this morning.
The Massapequa trophy, run over 10
laps of the course or 126.40 miles, was
won by car No. ;, Cole. driven by
William Endicott. Time. 2.1S:43 1-5.
The Wheatlcy Hills sweepstakes, run
over Is laps or 1880 miles of the
course. was won by No. 46. FNal., driven
by ]. f. Galnaw, in 5.15:6 As seconds.
No. II. Fal. driven by w. II. Pearce,
was second.