The Oskaloosa herald., 1911-11-30
Vanderbilt PRIZE
WON BY MULfORO
Smashes All Speed Records at
Savannah Course.
RALPH De PALMA is SECOND
Hundred Thousand People Sec Closest
Auto Race in tiistory Of the
Event-riughes Captures
Trophy Contest.

Savannah, Ca, Nov. 2S--Smashing
all records for speed, Ralph Milford,
an American driving an American car,
"a Bozier, won the Vanderbilt Cup
race. He covered the 291 miles In
236 minutes and averaged more than
"a miles an hour for the entire race.
Ralph de Palma, driving a German
Mercedes, finished second in Amer
ics's most noted automobile classic.
He crossed the finish line two min
utes and IL seconds behind Milford.
Spencer Wishart, in another Mer-
cedes. finished third, his time being
R46:20.
Finis Is Dramatic.
The finish was intensely dramatic
and more than Is, 900 persons assem-
bled near this pcfnt went wild with
enthusiasm when the closest contest
in the history of the event ended in
MulfordHs mad drive.
When his time was announced the
ever smiling Multord was acclaimed
as the automobile speed king Of the
world
The tumult had not died down
when the last car finished. Harry
Grant, who won the Vanderbilt Cup
In 1909. and 1918, finished fourth in
a Lozier, his &nN being 250:23:5
E. II. Parker, in Fiat, was fifth,
his elapsed time being 2S+;25. After
Louis Disbrow, driving a Pope Hum.
mer, crossed the line in sixth place
the remaining drivers were signaled
that the end had come.
The contestants still running at the
end OF the race were Carl Limberg
and L. A. mitchell, both in Abbott.
Detroits. and Cyrus Patschke in a
Marmon.
Five Forced to Quit.
The other Ave starters. Hughie
Hughes, driving Mercer: Dave
Bruce Brown, Fiat; Bob Burman,
Marmon; Harry Cobe, Jackson, and
Joe Matson. Fiat. were forced to quit
the race because of damaged ma.
chimes.
There were approximately 1000
persons, along the course which Gov
ers about seventeen miles. The spec.
tators kept at a distance Of 200 feet
from the course on straight stretches
and at a greater distance where
curves or sharp turns made for the
possibility Of accident. In addition
to the special force OF policemen pro.
vided by the management of the meet
all military organizations of Savan.
nah were on volunteer patrol duty.
BipIane outdistances Auto.
The cheering thousands were given
an extra thrill while milford was
making his best time on the eleventh
lap, when Curtiss biplane, piloted
by Beckwith Havens. appeared over
the course and raced the leader. The
biplane easily outdistanccd the auto
mobile which was breaking worlds
records. The grand stands cheered
Justify as the aeTonaut won the i'm
promptu contest.
Weather conditions for the race
were Ideal. the course being almost
perfect.
Harry Grant was the first to get
away. At 30-secoDd intervals the
other cars chugged on milford was
the eighth to start but before the
fifth lap had been completed he had
wrested the lead from DE Palma and
he held 1t until the finish. DE Palma
held on, however, and it was ter.
rife struggle between the first four
cars until the lost two laps. when
milford cut loose IN his wild dash
and finished with a comfortable lead
The Savannah challenge cup race
was run of just before the start of
the Vanderbilt race. 1t was won by
HughIe Hughes in four cylinder
Mercer car, which covered 222.82
miles in hours Is minutes and 50
seconds.
Frank Witt, driving an f. W f. 80
won the race for the TietemaE
trophy, covering t7140 miles in 2
hours IS minutes and 1900 Seconds.