The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-09-24

From mondays palry.

ernoon proved to be highly interest
ing, but the automobile race came to
sudden end when one of the cars
met with an accident. This was to
have been the last race. following the
horse racing. II was to have been a
three mile race. and entered I'm II
were Wilbur Clements in Marquette
Buick, Carl Hodapp I'm Warren De-
troit, and Glen Schmitz In Wits spe-
cial. The race was begun with a
standing start. and Schmitz got of n
triie ahead. On the three quarter
turn of the half mile track he dis
covered something wrong and under
took TO stop. and in doing so his car
reversed itself and faced the wrong
way. but he soon made his adjust
ment and entered the race again, but
was hopelessly behind.
The first mile was made In fast
time. the first lap being made In less
than forty seconds. and the big crowd
was watching the cars with breath
less interest. AS the two cars in the
lead came around the north turn in
the track on the third half mile. the
rear axle shaft OF Mr.. Clements car
Irnkn and the car turned In and
struck the inner fence and smashed
Il. and then turned facing north and
tipped over II appeared To the crowd
that Mr.. Clements must either have
been badly hurt or killed. until he
was seen standing up viewing the
car. which was n wreck and caught
fire. Then the crowd made a dash
for the overturned car. which was
cnveloped I'm dense smoke. Mr.
Clements had been about fifty feet
in the lead. and when the other
drivers saw the accident they stop
ped and the race was called of. Mr..
Clements was assisted into one of the
cars and taken To the office Of DIR. A.
=. Kemp. where II was found that he
was badly bruised about his head and
right shoulder. but not seriously in
jured. This is truly remarkable,
when II is considered that his car is
estimated TO have been going about
fifty-seven miles an hour at the time
of the accident and that the latter
happened in twinkling. II appears
that Mr. Clements jumped or was
thrown clear OF the car. which did not
pin him down, or he would have been
crushed and burned. He was ordered
home and to bed by the physi-
clan. who expects him TO be out in a
few days.
Car Complete Wreck
The car was a complete wreck. The
steering wheel was broken of. the
gasoline tank torn of and gasoline
spread on the read. the motor was
broken. the seat bent and bits of wood
scattered over the road. one wheel
was of. and other damage was done
TO the car. II was righted. but the
engine would not run. Cf course. The
burning gasoline was soon extinguish-
IA. and the framework OF the car re-
NAMED.
May Have Been Speed.
That il was excessive speed on the
small. hall mile track that caused the
perilous accident to Wilbur Clements
at the fair grounds late Saturday aft
ernoon Is the opinion of b. Frank
Pay. who was not far of and was the
first To reach Mr.. Clements after the
car turned over.
Mr.. Fay thinks the race track with
its sharp turns is too dangerous for
automobile racing and many people
agree with him.
II appears to be general belief that
the accident was caused by the tear
ing of a tire on the rear wheel on the
risht side OF the machine that caused
the accident. This wheel came off
and the axle broke. But Mr.. Pay de-
clares that when the car stood up
right he saw that at that time all OF
the wheels were there. and II was
not until the car came down on it's
side that one of the wheels was
broken Off Mr.. Pay says there are
others who saw this. lie thinks that
IL was the excessive speed and moth
ing else that caused the car TO stand
up and throw Mr.. Clements out at
that sharp turn.
Mr. Pay points ont that during the
lap just before tho accident. one OF
the racers turned with his car conf
pletely around. This was Glen
SchmitZ with "A Witt. II was a bad
place to turn. Mr. Clements had a
Buick. Carl IIodapp was about three
lengths behind him with a Warren.
II was almost a marvel that Mr.. Ho-
dapp did not run over him. Probably
he would not have been able TO dodge
him. had he been just a little nearer.
Was Not Under Car.
Mr.. Pay states that Mr.. Clements
was not under the car at all. lie was
simply thrown out on the road. He
was standing up and walking when
Mr. Pay got To him.
II appeared last evening that Mr..
Clements had escaped any serious in
jury. lie was I'm bed at his home at
Fifth and Main streets. but he talked
freely and i'm lively manner about
the affair. One could hardly think
that he had suffered any sort OF in
ternal injury. He seems To have land
cd on his right shoulder. which was
badly bruised. His head struck the
road and slid along. cutting part of
the hair off close To- the scalp. His
knees were hurt. and he received bad
bruises in many parts of his body,
but there appeared to- have been no
fracture Of any of the bones. His cs
cape was indeed miraculous.
Mr.. Clements estimates that at the
time OF the accident he was going NJ
the rate Of about fifty-nine miles an
hour. He remembers that he saw his
car going right for the inside fence.
and as he was afraid he might be
dashed into that fence he swerved
himself a little to the right. This ac-
counts for his being thrown out on
the right side. He declares that that
Is the last thing he remembers until
he cane to himself In the Office of
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