New-York tribune., 1911-09-17
FOURTEEN ARE INJURED
Several of These Expected to Die
President Taft on Track q
Short Time Before the
Accident Occurred.

/
side of the speedway. Six Of the nine
people were killed outright and thres
others were so badly injured that they
died on the way TO the hospital. At the
point where the fence was broken down
the fewest spectators were standing.
The dead are:
| ARNOLD. Fred J.. Syracuse.
| I,ALLANTYNE Charles. Syracuse.
! COIN. James. Alexandra Bay. y. T.
FUNK, Faye;te. Fareyvilie. y. Y.
! PALPIN. Leo Syracuse.
/ HAMIL. Claude, Hammond. n. 7.
| Unknown man. sixty years old
Unknown man, twenty-five years old.
Unknown boy, ten years old.
The injured who have been identified
| up to the present time are Lee Oldheld.
driver OF the car that left the track;
william Sharkey. Of Syracuse; Harry
Bradley, Of Syracuse; Charles Dooley, OF
Syracuse, and Miss Anna Youker, Of
| Syracuse.
| The list OF dead may be increased. a.
It is believed at this time that several Of
those who are numbered among the In
jured are so badly hurt that they cannot
L
live.
Biggest Day In Fairs History.
The accident was the fatal termina-
ton of a day which was undoubtedly
the biggest that the state fair has ever
seen. in point of attendance as well az
in the matter OF attractions.
| The honored guest OF the fair to-day
was President Taft. 1t was only a short
time after President Taft left here on
his special train for the West that Old
fields car took it's toll of death.
Just before he left the clubhouse.
where he had spoken at a luncheon.
President Taft took short ride on the
| track in an automobile. The tracks were
wet to keep down the dust for the Presi-
dent and his party. This wetting was
such as to cause drivers who were to
compete in the 50-mile event to protest
against il.
When the race was called Ralph De
Palma and Bob" Burman, who had been
driving In previous races, refused TO so
on because OF the condition Of the track.
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too dangerous for them to take chances.
There was some delay, and during the
| time the track dried somewhat. The
race was called, and De Palma and Bur-
man were both entrants, along with Old
| field and six others.
The accident happened in the forty
| third mile. De Palma had been leading
with a lap to the good and Oldfield was
trailing him as they entered the first
! quarter of the beginning Of the forty
third mile. The big cars travelling. II Is
estimated, at seventy-hve miles an hour.
we're running side by side as they swung
| around the turn after passing the grand
stand on the first quarter. AS they took
the turn there was a report.
The car driven by Odheld leaped In
the air. Then 1t swerved to the outer
side and crashed through the fence. The
crippled machine, beyond the control Of
the driver, ploughed its way through
hundreds Of persons who had lined
themselves along the fence In the hope
of viewing the racers.
Manelsd Beyond Recognition.
The runaway car had left people piled
together, many Of them mangled almost
beyond recognition In heaps on the
ground. At once nearly a score Of the
dead and injured were picked UP.
Hurry calls were sent to this city for
ambulances, and every one In the city
responded. Vehicles Of many kinds on
the fair grounds were also impressed
into service as temporary ambulances.
The dead and injured were taken to the
emergency hospital on the fair grounds.
and at the same time the Womans
Building was turned into a hospital
Ward.
Aid was volunteered by scores OF
physicians, and there were many offers
from trained nurses who were In the
vast throng in attendance. One womah
tore off all of her undergarments that
bandages might be provided for the
wounded. Her own sister was injured.
but she stuck heroicaily to her task. and
continued to provide bandages until she
had no more material from which to i'm
provise them.
For more than twenty miles. spectators
declared. Oldfield had been driving his
car with one Of the shoes Tapping. In
the hope OF beating out De Palma, how
ever, his manager, instead Of stopping
him, had, II is said. urged him to increase
speed.
In spite of the fact that II quickly be-
came known that many had been killed
and injured, the officials In charge re-
fused to call off the race. and the last
few miles were run while hundreds
thronged the track.
The last Of the motorcycle events was
run off and second heat OF the Remy-
Brassard trophy was about to be started
when the seriousness Of the accident be-
came known. and the remaining races
were called on.
oldfieid, the driver who Is In a city
hospital, is being guarded by an ofhcsr,
and as soon as he RECEIVERS will be ar
rested, 1t Is said.
De Palma won the race after having
led ALL the way through. That he did
not figure In the smash-up is regarded
ms remarkable Almost Immediately
after crossing the finishing line one Of
his rear tires exploded.