New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-28
y.ryy Driver Saves Life
If His Mechanic by
Quick Action.
-,vFS CHANCE OF
INJURY TO HIMSELF
III. Chance of Machine Being
u.oaired for AstOr Cup
Race on Saturday.
p, HANK Caldwell.

r xhieh has attended the prelim
I.. ~ the Aston Cup auto race on
So g. Grant. the famous driver and
H -. winner Of the Vanderbilt Cup.
Sown the home stretcn IN his
gr.il A. the rate Of hundred miles
- Jas. as ne entered the lower
h. rasoleae feed pipe broke, and
instant the car, the driver and
-, Stafford, his mechanic, were
rr,loped IN flames.
!, order 70 take the turn a. full
,...5 Grant had climbed near the top
~, high banked curve, and 70 shut
- his motor or put on his brakes
go have thrown the car over and
81 himself ana his mechanic In the
gsa!rF blaze. -,
-. whether he would risk his own
:. and that Of the helpless man who
=. h.s;de him and roll down 10 the
.,,,or Of the track eighty feet away
!. +, the c6r roll ahead under Its
.s-en,um as the FIRE burned him 20
Z. waist Nne
himself and brought the car slowly
,-und until i shot 90 the bottom OF
:, bark. He had saved his machine,
=. a. his car came 10 q stop Grant
.,.v his blistered hands 70 his face
~ drew back IS far as he could from
4, flames. which then covered his legs
I'd threatened his whole body.
Threw Sand on Blaze.
Several workmea, who were spread
NJ und near the spot where the fam
n car stopped, rushed up with shovelS
4 uni the best thing that could have
IA, used in the emergency, and. threw
upon the Burning man.
A, soon as the flames around his
s,sy were extinguished the workmen
NED the PROSTATE man out Of his car.
Y, les Of his suit, which were COW
r,I viii oil and burned easily, were
xr2.siely gone and every inch Of fesh
s,y the waist line was horribly
,.rst
Eide Ricksnbaeher. also Of the Max
vel team entered for the Aston Cup,
sum the track al the time and drove
= Il, assistance OF his team mate.
Gn,ivss wrapped in motor robe and
hshheher placed him in his car
VilsG crowd Of men continued 70 fight
asalmes that were consuming Grants
ssthine
The small hospital. which was re-
s;iy erected az the track for Just
E,t emergencies, was closed, and II
u impossible 20 give the suffering
Ear any medical attention on the
grounds, 50 Rickenbscher jumped be-
iid the whee. OF his own car and
'aried for the Coney Island Hospital.
Grants condition was then such that
ztny feared he would not live. Ricken-
astsf thought this and he drove as
.ui q, his machine could - He made
.ihss lively for the motorists who
ssrs on the roads leading 20 the hos
| ia and several policemen chased him.
~ he left them far behind. DR..
ysfoS took charge ~ the patient a.
as hospital and dressed his burns.
Late last night the doctor said that
vi. Grant was dangerously burned
thought he could pull him through
'iaoal being compelled 10 resort to
ah grating. He thinks. however. that
nnluTed man will be unable to leave
i' hospital for several weeks.
Third Accident for Grant.
Id.s is the third accident which
AIRY Grant has had during his long
a.ng career where MS gssolene tank
rs ne cause OF the trouble. At Co.
"a lag, fall, while he was driving at
I'iy'tve miles an hour. he broke q
f'sL bis car turned over and the
a'oisns tank was smashed. The car
asght IRE. but Grant was able TO jump
time 70 save himself.
relieving this, while he was compel
= M Vanderbilt Cup race in Cali
VIA hs stopped a. his pit for gsso-
1s tnc one Of his men BY accident
-. The tank with water After three
iogi vigorous coughs the car went
q; q business.
Ande from these three accidents
y,aa' has had remarkably good luck
~ through his driving experience. He
! 1s INTO prominence first through his
~ handling OF the old Alec and won
w., vanderbilt Cup races OF 1909 and
80" ne IS about thirty-six years Of
Fnt married.
not likely that any attempt Will
atas 70 repair the burned Maxwell
Hs race on the Sheepshead Bay
's.sovsy next Saturday.
accident occurred about o'clock.
4 .svsn cars had qualified for the
/ N UP race, and while Grant was
i ,,nhe up his Maxwell for 2 time
/ 80 About thousand spectators
49,. een watching the elimination
49, nd were preparing 20 leave in
i a, as when the sight OF Grants
~, W IRE brought them 20 their feet
We shock.
warning Cries in Vain.
s,.s'y one IN the grandstand saw the
C,'.ua shooting under his car before
r. i his mechanic knew what had
T,'.so. Several persons shouted
"a at on fire." just as he shot
u s tarn. but ss a racing car hits
l y. tWsN turn there is deaiening
nte me buzz Of monster saw
~ &c Grant could not hear those
i.ie crying a warning.
r,l.pu OF less experience and nerve
/ cay soulo have done the wrong
ttS me critical second and Owed
~, Down the bank with fatal re-
~ : hose who saw the manner In
a,r want handled his machine said
,ay 80 never witnessed q greater dis
nerve nerve and good judgment
s,,s, summation Of Grant and his car
Nh 'sly one Maxwell that which
hs.s oriven by Eddie Rickenbacher
ssss,,aa .tor Cup race. Both cars were
! 4 n purchased by Carl Fisher and
i s,.sson' owners Of the Indianapo-
"a ..scSsy. They were incorporated
f,,,,.l1.tfee as the property Of the
B" ~. y, Racing Team Company.
Avn, ne time that the Maxwell
&I.s'e The crowd at the Speedway
ss.',aa Entertained By several bursts
inar ~, s. y the drivers who were quail
RsIss" m me race on Saturday.
s,r.I h De Palma was out. and made
" Mas, ast laps, bat his Mercedes was
Y 10, ',a,ng to suit him and ne decid
assrs,H make the official trial. II is
ssssys ' ~, MS trouble was Of only a tenn
AZ. nature. and he will doubtless
ssl,,.,..o qualify tomorrow or on