Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-05-31
HER8III ".-. I.
MOTOR o.. ....
DOES THE 500 MILES IN O HOURS,
II MIN, 8 SECONDS.
NEARLY $4,000 SEE Tests
One Mcchanician Loses Lifc-Scycral
Injurcd-Rccord Made for $50
Mic Distance.
By Associated Press.


3O,-One life was sacrificed and sew
eral persons were injured today in the
first 500 mile race on a speedway won
by Ray Harroun, driving a Marmon
car I'm 6 hours, Al minutes, and S Sec
onds. Closely pressing Harroun for
victory We're Ralph Mulford with a
Lo2ier, who finished second, and
David Bruce Brown in Fiat, a good
third.
Seventy-siyen thousand persons gath
cred at the track to witness the start
at ten o'clock, cheered in the last laps,
and watched the field hum around the
course.
In the most serious accident Of the
day, f. p, Dickson Of Chicago, mech
ancian for Arthur Greiner, driving
an Amblec, lost his life in an upset
in the back stretch. The race had
only been on a few minutes and the
Amblec was on it's thirtieth mile when
the rim of a front wheel flew off. The
car twisted across the track, hurting
Dickson and Greiner from the seat,
Dickson was thrown against a fence
He was killed instantly. Gremcr was
unconscious when picked up, and it
was feared he had concussion of the
brain. but when he arrived at the hos
pital it was found that his only injur-
les were a fractured arm.
Succeeding accidents thrilled the
crowd which was nerVed to the high
est tension, as they watched the cars
flash by and momentarily expecting a
carnival of deaths. The ears at times
swept around the course in groups at
terrific speed.
The crowd was too large to be con-
trolled by the militia, and several
hundred policemen were posted about
the grounds. The spectators swarm
ed across the lnfield when Dickson
was killed and pressed about his body.
The soldiers fought to clear a space
for surgeons to work.
The winner was at the 150th mile
when Bruce Brown set a new record
regardless of classfications. His time
was one hour SO minutes and sec
onds. The record was hours, min
ute. and 10 seconds.
When Harroun took the lead al
the 190th mile, the race took form
and the crowds interest was divided
between the contestants and the catas-
trophies that were momentarily eX-
pocted The tires began to give out
burned out by the fierce grind over
the brick pavement of the speedway
Joe Kabersburg's car got away from
him and slid across the track directly
I'm front OF the stand. Woods the
mechanic, leaped out and fell, the
car passing over him. He lay In a
path OF death as other cars were
rushing upon HIM. All swerved safely
however as he arose and staggered
to the fence.
In the latter part Of the race accl-
dents ceased and the crowds became
composed.
The first three men to finish were
the winners. Ray Harroun's prize
was $4,000; Ralph Mulford's prize
$1,000 and Bruce Browns $4,000. In
addition to this sum in gold, the ten
leading drivers share in the distrlbu-
tion of $4,000 given by accessory
manufacturers,
At the flash of the aerial starting
bomb and the racers were off, en-
gines splitting the air with explosions
and each driver manipulating the
steering wheel for an advantageou.
place. Prizes aggregating nearly
$4,000 and the crown of speed klng
awaited the winner of the event anC
l,tF hNH q
the forty drivers took their lives anG
those of their mechanicians in then
hands as they whirled around the
course.
The greatest racers in the country
men who have gained fame as dar'
ing, brilliant drivers, were in the
crowd. There was Burman, "Kinf
Robert" in his big 200 horse power
Benz; crouched In his seat was Harry
Grant in his Alec, with which he
twice won the Vanderbilt cup; there
was Lewis Strang, the Case Pilot, anc
Ralph De Palma, in his simplex with
which he won 80 out of 40 races
Chevrolt and Hearne were in the line
out of the original 46 entries only
six were ruled out for falling to MAKE
the required 70 miles an hour in th'
test which was held last Friday The
dropping out Of another car and The
late try Of Louis Chcvrolt brought tn,
starters up to forty and brought The
total value Of the racing cars entered
In the event up to $225,0OO.
At the start Of the race 1t wa
estimated that the probable time O
the cars would be near 20 miles al
hour. This meant that the forty carr
would crowd close upon one another
throughout the race. Accidents an'
even deaths were expected because
the drivers, each believing IN his owl
faultless luck, would drive Ike de
mons.
When the first cars were orr at u
o'clock, the skies were cloudy hu
even rain would not have prevented
the finish OF the race.
Little fear was felt however he
cause of the result of the start nh'
first lap yesterday The drivers llne'
up and got away when tho aorla
bomb sounded The rehearsal wa
exactly like the start Ravc for IN
fact that thousands of cheering spec