The evening times., 1911-08-26
Of THE
GRAND STAND At
AUTO RACES FELL
One Thousand to Fifteen Hun
dred People Carried Down
in Crash
THREE VICTIMS SUSTAINED
FRACTURED LIMBS As RESULT

Ambulances Were Sent From Track
Accident Happened Just as Last
Car Was Sent Away.
Elgin, Ill, Aug. 26.-Sections SO to
100 of the grandstand at the road
races today collapsed, carrying 1000
to 1900 spectators with 1t. 1t was
officially stated that none was seri-
ously injured, but large number
were slightly hurt.
The last car had Just gotten away
on the first lap when the spectators
were Mortified to see these sections
begin to sag. It made little noise
and the seat holders were carried to
the ground at speed not greater
than that OF an express elevator In q
high ONCE building. The chairman Of
the contests committee ordered the
race stopped and one by one as the
cars came around they were given
the yellow flag, signalling them to
return to the pits.
As the stand collapsed a sudden
hush fell over the field and here and
there the onlookers found out that
friends or relatives were in the acci-
dent. When the word was megaph0n-'
ed, nobody killed." there were cheers
and a round Of handclapping. Those
injured secured other seats or stood
close to the fence lining the course
and the race was resumed at 11:40
o'clock after a delay Of fifty minutes.
The accident apparently was all but
forgotten for old crys Of down in
'front.' were hurled at the over eager
ones, for they were too excited to sit
and the drivers were cheered as they
flashed past the stand. @
It took nearly ten minutes to get
the automobile ambulances to the
scene. The newspaper men. were
kept, OF the course as were the others,
but only one unconscious form was
carried into the red Cross ear, which
was taken by the anxious onlookers
to confirm the previous reports that
the injured were few In number.
This was confirmed when Starter
Wagner ordered the ambulances to be
taken OF the course.
The only serious injuries were two
women and one man all of whom sus-
tanned broken legs. The man. was
taken away In the first ambulance
and the two women in the second
one. III.
There was q recordLbreaking crowd
to witness the western road classic
Of 306 miles for the Elgin national
! trophy. Henry Grant, two times the
Vanderbilt winner, and Ralph Null
ford, the winner Of the. event last
year, figured that the car which could
average 66 miles an hour would prove
the victor, but there was consider
able betting that the victor would
have to make 67 or 68 miles to cap
ture the cup.
Yesterdays event did not damage
to the roadbed.. Mulford, who will
drive the same Lozier as he did last
year, said while waiting to start that
the track was about three miles fast
er this year than last.
Yesterdays Records.
The fastest lap, 8. miles and 2.494
feet, made in :07:52 last year by Al
Livingston In National was lowered
by Donald Herr, also National driv-
or to :07:16, which is at the rate Of
about 70 miles an hour. Hugh
Hughes in Mercer turned the trick
In :07:40. Yesterdays winners were:
Illinois cup, 203 miles-Donald
Herr, National.
Kane county cup. 169 miles-Hugh |
Hughes. Mercer.
Aurora cup, 1856 miles-Mortimser
Roberts, Abbott Detroit.
Herr's average was 65.6 miles per
hour; Hughes was 63.4 miles and
Roberts 53:5 miles.
Herr started in first place in the
Illinois cup and held It without a
culver throughout. Mercer and JEFF
kins struggled for second place, a
hundred miles when Merz secured it !
and began crawling up on Herr. At
the rate he was going another lap
would have given him the victory.
Stickney ran plucky and speedy
race but lost three laps at the pit
with engine trouble.
Hughes. winner Of Kane county
cup, started fourth among eleven
cars, but 1t took him only 33 miles to
gain the lead which he held to the
end. Barnes was in first place for II
miles. but thereafter he had to be !
content with place position. Pearce
gradually won third position from
Maisonyille and. held 1t during the
second half Of the contest.
Summaries:
Illinois trophy for cars from SOL |
to .450 cubic inches displacement.
Distance o03.36 miles. First prize,
trophy. cash, ETC., total value $3.50;
second prize. trophy. $3.50; third,
800. a
First National. driver Donald