Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1911-09-22


Programme Great Confusion
Among the Many Thousands Pres
ent When Truth is learned-The
Moving Down of Spectators by
Oldfied's Car to be Investigated
Strikes People Lined UP 10 Feet
Deep.
Syracuse, N. Y.-Ten persons are
dead and fourteen others are suffering
from serious injuries as the result OF
one of the worst accidents in the his
tory of automobile racing in this coun-
try. The accident occurred at the
State Fair grounds here at $50 o'clock
p. M, when a Knox racer. driven by
Lee Oldfield, jumped from the circu-
lar track and, plunging through rail
fence, crashed into the crowd. Six
persons were killed outright, two 9th
ers died on the way to the hospital,
and another died soon after his arriv
al at the hospital.
The Dead.
Ballantyne, Charles, 2S, clerk for
the Trust and Deposit Company Of
Onondaga.
Arnold, Frederick H., so, engrayer,
died in ambulance.
Arnold Harold 9. son of F. II. Ar
mold, instantly killed.
Hamill Claud, 20, Briar Hill, n. Y,
school teacher at Hammond, n. Y.
Payne, John w, AZ, Cortlandt, n. Y.
Smith, Seph, 62, Syracuse; employ
ed by city,
Bradley. Harry, 35, Franklin, Della
ware county, New York; died at St
Joseph's Hospital
Halpin, Cornelius w, %, Lakeland;
died at ST Joseph's hospital.
Coin, Nicholas, %, Syracuse.
Unidentified man, 20, name thought
to be Fay, a machinist.
The accident happened during the
forty-third mile of the fifty-mile race,
which was the feature OF the day.
there were nine contestants, and be-
sides Oldfield there were two other
drivers, Ralph de Palma and Bob Bur
man, two of the most noted racing au-
tomobilists in this country. The track
was not in the best of condition, a
fact that had been noted by the driv-
ers.
President Taft, who was a guest at
the fair, had left only a few minutes
before the accident occurred. His car
had been driven over part of the track
on it's way to the main entrance, and
20
the entire track sprinkled with water
in order to clear the dust for the
Presidents departure.
The previous event, the race for the
Brazard Cup had been held up for
some time, because both De Palma
and Burman refused to race on the
track on account of its condition. The
matter had been argued for some time
with the officials, and this had held up
the programme.
This had delayed the start of the
fifty-mile event, and as it had been
widely advertised as the feature of the
day, the crowd increased by several
thousand during the delay.
The race was neck and neck, with
De Palma, in frequent bursts of speed,
keeping ever ahead of Oldield.
For more than twenty miles, spec.
tators declared, Oldtield had been driv-
ing his car with one of the shoes flap
ping. In the hope of beating out De
Palma, however, his manager, instead
of stopping him, had, it is said, urged
him to increase speed.
Several citizens made an effort to
stop the race, but Fred. ]. Wagner,
the starter who is well known in rae
ing circles, refused.
The broken shoe could be plainly
seen by the spectators. Oldfield up to
the fortieth mile had been taking the
first quarter turn carefully, shutting
down the power in front of the grand
stand.
Apparently intent upon gaining on
De Palma, he evidently decided to
make speed at the expense of caution,
for after the fortieth mile he stopped
shutting off speed when taking the
first quarter.
The officials and others by the track
noticed that Oldfeld was no longer
slowing down at the quarter, and
| there was much speculation as to his
| reason.