Evening star., 1911-05-30
DEATHSETSPACE
FOR AUTO RACERS
At INDIANAPOLIS
Driver and Mechanician Killed
Before 5OO-MiIe Run Is
Fairly Begun.
BRUCE-BROWN IN LEAD
At END OF $50 MILES
Eighty-Nve Thousand Spectators
Watch Forty Contestants.
MILITIAMEN GUARD COURSE
Machinist Dickson Killed Outright
and Driver Arthur Greiner of
Amplex Car Fatally Injured
Early in the Race.
BRUCE-BROWN IN LEAD
At END OF $50 MILES
Eighty-Nve Thousand Spectators
Watch Forty Contestants.
MILITIAMEN GUARD COURSE

SPEEDWAY, INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.
May 3O.-At the end Of the first $50 miles
of the 5OO-mile automobile race at noon
today. one mechanician had been killed
and a driver perhaps fatally injured; four
of the forty cars that started had been
withdrawn because of broken parts, and
David Bruce-Brown. driving a Fiat. wa!
leading long grind that promised to
continue until 5:15 o'clock this evening.
S. p. Dickson, mechanician for Arthur
Greiner of Chicago. driving an Amplex
car, lost his life in an upset on the back
stretch In the thirtieth mile of the stretch
Greiner suffered several broken ribs and
perhaps concussion of the brain. Sur
geons at the field hospital would not make
q statement as to the probable outcome
of his injuries.
The accident was due to the car casting
. front tire. Grener could not hold the
car to the track. and it sxidded to the
infield and whirled completely around,
tearing OF both back wheels.
Hurled Twenty Feet.
Dickson was thrown twenty feet
against fence. His body was terribly
mangled. Greiner was hurled to the
track.
Bruce e-Browns time for the $50 miles
was 1912. which is a new record, the
old mark being 2.01.09. set by Dawson
at Atlanta last year.
The cars were strung out behind the
leaders all around the two-and-one-
half-mile- course. The scorching pace
burned out the tires and most Of the
cars had stopped one or more times at
the pits for tire changes. Several Of
the old drivers apparently preferred to
Keep up steady grind two or three
laps behind the leaders. There were
few Sensational brushes for leadership
in the field.
Streets Thronged by Daybreak.
Eighty-five thousand people massed
about a two-and-a-half-mil oval on
the grounds of the Indianapolis motor
speedway today. ran the gamut OF
emotions in response to the thrilling
feats of forty speed-mad automobile
pilots. racing five hundred miles for fame
and gold.
At daybreak the downtown streets
Were alive with throng on foot and
packed and turned away hundreds OF
hungry persons. At o'clock the null
titude began moving on to the speed
way by train. street car and motor car
The free seats in the great bleachers
were filled at O'Clock, and the grand
stand crowd began to arrive on trains
The parking spaces were lined with tour
ing cars
edge swarmed with mechanics and tire
men laying out their tools where they
could be snatched up in an emergency.
All the drivers were busy about their
cars, examining every part for a possible
defect. Starter Wagner was the first
of the course officials TO appear. and he
strictly enforced the rule that no car
should be permitted on the course before
the race was called.
Militia Guard Course.
Carl G. Fisher, millionaire sportsman.
president of the Speedway Association,
superintended the posting Of the militia
and the 1000 special policemen, engaged
to guard the crowd in case Of a panic
In the stands. and to keep the people OF
the deadly path of the racing cars.
At $40 O'Clock all the cars were ready
for the start Of the race. 1t was an
nomced that they would be sent away
drivers nervously paced about the pits,
eager for the call Of the starter, the
signal for the beginning Of the Greatest
race IN the history Of the development
endurance. in which the victor would WIN
fame and fortune.
shortly before the race started the con-
test board Of the American Automobile
manufacturers contest committee, ruled
that tire changes during the race be re-
stricted to repIenishments at the pits
Several OF the drivers had prepared to
, change tires at various other points on
the course. and were forced to change
their plans.
At Starter wagner's order at O'Clock
a the cars drivers and mechanicians took
In the infield back of the repair pits
ready for the call to the track
Start at 10 O'Clock.
Sharply at 10 o'clock the cars got ava,
for the starting lap.
At the rate of about forty miles ar
hour they jockeyed for position. AS the,
came slowly around to the judges stand
Aitken NationaD led. He passed under
the wire at 1905 and the race was on
In the first lap the cars strung out
all around the course. Aitken INA.
tionaD held the lead, with De Palms
lsimplexl second and Wishart (Mer.
cedes) third.
The leaders. pressing the tailenders
of the preceding lap. made the race
right at its beginning an enormous
and desperate whirligig.
The thousands of spectators leaned
forward in their seats and yelled wild.
" as the favorites passed The grea,
bowl Of the speedway was filled with
the deafening roar of the explosion OF tn
forty motors as the hooded drivers, bend
ing low over their steering wheels. push
ed their engines to the utmost.
First to Seek Repairs.
The first car to stop at the pit 70,
repairs was Arthur Chevrolet in hi,
Buick. He had tire trouble and lost
few minutes making a change.
At the end Of twenty miles, when hS