The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-02-10
DR.. Zimmerman Makes a
Hurry Up Trip in Test
Car with Duffy Duffield
Wishes He Hadn't.
ONLY HIGH SPOTS
TOUCHED ON SPRINT
Once Car Skidded, Mayor
Grabbed Wheel and a Tree
Was Saved from Destruc-
ton, His Honor Says.

Having hurry calI' to the Jonas
Gaar farm. about four miles southeast
of the city. and unable to use his
own automobile or rent another. DR.
w. w. Zimmerman hailed Duffy
Dufield. tester for local automo-
bile factory, whom he fined about Ave
days ago for exceeding the speed lin
it, and asked him whether he would
take him to the Gaar farm. The test
er smiled acquiescence and the may.
or now believes he did so in '.get
even' spirit, which DIR. Zimmerman
comedies he did The first mile was
made in nothing fiat" DIR. Zimmer-
man says. and in addition to being
badly frightened it was necessary on
his return for the hose to be turned
on his rubber wearing apparel to re-
move the six inch layer of mud.
IF l had given that smile OF DUFF
field any thought when asked him to
take me to the Gaar place, / believe
l would have revoked my request
said the mayor on Friday "But
didn't l was in hurry to get there
and that was all l thought about the
matter just then. Now. am not sor-
ry ! made the trip. for it was the fast
est ride ! have ever had and, boys, I
have gone some myself in my time
Careful in the City.
Duffield according to the mayor was
very careful In his operation or the
test car while within the territory un-
der the mayors jurisdiction, for fines
of dollar and costs for exceeding the
speed limits are not welcomed when
they come too frequently. However.
after the car was on the country road
the driver leaned over and asked Dr.
Zimmerman whether he enjoyed rid
ing fast. The mayor then told about
some of his racing experiences and
indicated he wouldn't mind IL Duf-
field did let the car out to its limit.
Over hills and through valleys OH
the soft roads they shot, the car look
ing like speck OF dust When about
three miles southeast Of the city a
stretch of unusually soft and muddy
road was encountered Dufiield paid
no attention to the mayors warning
that the car might skid. but only OPP
e0ed the clutch a little more DR.
Zimmerman held on like grim death
and admits he could not have been
more firmly fastened to the car II he
had been bound to the seat with ropes
and chains.
Exciting Experience.
In the middle OF the stretch Of soft
road. they struck large pool of water,
which the car hit with splash, the
water and mud completely covering
and binding both Of them. Whether
the car skidded or whether Duffield
in his blindness turned the steering
wheel just a little, DIR. Zimmerman is
unable to say, but what happened was
that the car shot off the side Of the
road toward large tree which the
wheel hubs barely scraped. A small
section OF fence was demolished. Duf-
field never said word, the mayor de-
clares, but just kept right on going.
Before the return journey was COM
menced, DIR. Zimmerman. who while
visiting his patient had been able to
think over what a narrow escape both
had, decided to have an understand
ing about the speed. He told the
driver that while he enjoyed the trip
very much and was willing to ride as
fast as anyone on roads which were
good and under conditions which were
not fooinardy, he was not daredevil
enough to take another such sprint as
on their outgoing trip. When the
driver promised that he would drive
back at a speed which would at least
permit seeing. IL not counting. the
fence posts. Mayor Zimmerman climb
cd back in