The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-14
a Page Devoted to the Automobile Irneustrv
SPEEDWAY WILL
Be BUILT SOON
Seattle to Have Auto Course
Costing $3.50, 0OO-First
Meet in June.

tics speedway is to cost Approximately
$4,000 and will DO ready for the
first meet July Is and II, when the
prize list will total $4,000, the richest
offered in any racing event. with the
exception Of the 50o-milc international
sweepstakes at indianapolis.
Plans have been drawn and contracts
awarded for the construction of q two
mile course on tract of $50 acres
near Rcnton Junction. in tho Black
River valley. eleven miles from This
city
The Seattle Motor Speedway Corpora
ton, capitalized at 100000 all Of
which is in common stock, and incor-
porated under tho laws of the state of
WASHINGTON. is sponsor for the project
That is intended !" n"t Seattle onsthe
racing map in large letters. The di-
recting genius in the organization is
Harry w. Dohcrty. we'll known in mo-
tor trade circles throughout the United
states. having served in the retail and
wholesale sales departments of num-
Der OF prominent factories during the
last twelve years. Dohcrty successful
~ planned ana conducted the road
races mt Tacoma In July. 1912.
Everything is in readiness for the
beginning OF construction work. The
contarct for grading the course and
building the track, stands. buildings.
overhead drivcways and fences has
been awarded. The course will be
graded at once and will be permitted
10 settle through the agency of tho
winter rains. In tho spring it Will be
rolled.
Embedded in the solid earth will be
heavy cross tmbers. on top of these
tho speedway surface. consisting of
planks four inches deep and eight
inches wide. will he laid The planlling
will be placed lcngthwise Of the course.
The straightaways will bc three
fourths of Il mile long and sixty feet
wide. The field on either side will he
graded UP to the tracl to eliminate tho
danger of running OFT the course. This
same idea will be carried out on the
inside OF the turns.
Engineers who prepared the plans
are jealousy guarding all data relative
to the angles of the curves. 1t is
known, however. that the bends Will be
gradual. extending over an area OF a
quarter OF n mile and Will be highly
banked. The turns will be seventy
Ave feet wide ana will flare UP TO
point twenty-five feet higher than the
elevation of the inside Of the turn.
The gradient near the top Viii approx
innate - per cent. IL is understood.
Heavy cross timbcrs built upon sub
stantial piling Will form the foundation
of tho ends. ON top OF this VIII be laid
the noor of the speedway. timbers two
inches wide and six inches deep. As
placed lcughtwisc OF the course. Along
the outer edge OF the curves will bc
placed = rigid bulllhcad of logs To pre-
vent any car running of the track.
Bulkhcads also viii be placed along
the homvStretch TO safeguard the spec
tators in the Srandstnnds.
Across the track Will he suspended
hundreds OF huge electric lights. which
viii be used TO illuminate the course
FOR twenty four-hour races and other
contests which extend into the night,
for il is the purpose OF the corporation
TO make tho speedway the centre OF
all motor speed attractions on the
Pacific Coast.
Tho wooden course is declared to hold
distinct advantages in that II is less
cXncting on tires than brick or con
crete and is free from the vibration
that is mauifcs, on paved tracks. Il
condition which is declared TO result
in crNStalization Of aXles and steering
kuucklcs. pugo, Sound knows no cN
tremc heat OF cold so there is no burn
ing sun TO aid in tho shortening OF the
life Of tires on the racing cars. Wealth
or statistics show that during the last
fourteen wears there has been no rain
on Luly II or Il. on which dates the
initial racing meet Is 10 be held
Accommodations for seating $4,000 per
sons viii bc provided in the boxes and
cramdstunds There will be no stairs
in the stands, incline walks serving
in their stead. Across from The grand
stands will be the official pagoda which
will house the judges, timckecpcrS,
checkers, press representatives, tclc-
graph operators and telephone switch
board connecting with five points on
tho course, with various parts Of the
grounds and the city. Besides the
stands and on the inside Of the curves
will be served parking space for up
wadrs of 1900 cars, while back In the
inueld and on the back stretch free ac-
comm odations for as high as 5000 cars
,,ill he available Underneath the
north ana south turns Will be built in
dividual garages for thirty racing cars
\ machine shop is TO he established
nearby
IN anticipation Of crowds ranging
from, -. 600 to 100. O00 persons. the cor
noration has made provision FOR three
NftV-fou motor car entrances IN adj
dition to the paths for spectators who
come by steam and electric railways.
Two overhead bridges across the course
viii facilitate the movement OF We
hicl-s and spectators from the gates TO
the inncld and in emptYine thc GROUNDS
after races.
The Seattle speedway is ideally sit
uatcd rs regards transportation Ia
cilitics. II II reached by four trans
continental railways, the northern IA
citic Great Nothcrn, Chicago. Mil
ynu,lcc ana st. raul and oregon and
Washington Railroad and Navigation
,Iiurrimanl line, and an electric inter-
urban system They could handle a
crowd Of 100000 with the greatest ease.
For motorists, the field is convenient
~ located, for II Is reached from Seat
tlc by in eleven mile drive over the
sulcndid Pacific Highway. which cN-
tends from British Columbia L" the
Mexican border line, and the sunset
Highway. which reaches from Seattle
across the Cascade Mountains I" East
crn WASHINGTON Idaho and Montana.
For support the speedway has a
population of Approximately 2,OcO,OoO
persons Within a radius OF $50 miles
| on which TO draw
| IittIr Hope for II. 4. IL. Creditors.
| Detroit, Mich. December IA meet