Omaha daily bee., 1917-07-01
Heard Where the Rail-
birds Gather

Billy Taylor OF the Hudson team, is the
Beau Brummell of the drivers. Billy own,
a mustache that Is the envy Of every pilot
on the track.
Society Item-Arthur Hill, manager of
the HUDSON team, entertained at luncheon
the other day. 'Tis said Arthur had lust
received an expense check from home.
Several OF the drivers who will take part
In the gasoline derby are married. Among
them are Ralph Mulford Andy Burt, Eddie
Hearne. Art Caldwell and Barney Oldfieid
Tom Alley brought his tiny Baby Peu-
geot to Omaha with him and has been at
tracing all kinds of attention driving the
little piece of machinery around the streets
The Champion sparkplug company has
hung up $3.50 added money for the Inde.
pendence day race. A. C. Cheney is the
factory representative here to dish out the
coin. Cheney, as may be imagined, is a
very popular young man.
Irma Mcshane. s-year-old daughter or
Mrs. +. ]. Mcshane. jr., has been made Of
also intends to be the Red Cross nurse for
the boys and has a complete nurses uni
form which she will wear at the races.
Ralph Mulford and Louis Chevrolet are
doped by the railbirds to fight It out for
first place in the championship unless me-
chanical mishap9 occur. In automobile rae
ing, however, the dope sheet is upset SO
many times nobody is advised to stake too
much on this tip.
Fred Wagner, official starter of the races
Is the worlds greatest card shark II mat
ters not whether the same is rummy, bridge
pinochle or authors. Anyone disputng this
assertion is respectfully referred to any of
the race drivers, mechanicians. team man
ayers. ct cetera. several Of whom didn't be-
lieve It until too late.
Ralph Mulford still looks like the kid"
Of all tho drivers despite the fact that he
has been campaigning constantly since 1904
Neither the accommodating years nor that
viii O. the wisp speed have succeeded in
putting the gray In Ralph's hair. or taking
the sparkle from his blue eyes or the laugh
from his happy countenanco,
Three cars entered in the Independence
day races contain motors built by Harry
Miller. the famous engine impresario of
Los Angeles. They are the Miller Special
which Arthur Caldwell will tool: Tom Alleys
Pan-American and Jerry Mason's ogren.
The Ogren is the same car in which the
late Bob Burman was riding when killed
at Corona.
Tom Alley. who is driving the Pan
American, new car, has issued challenge
to Barney oldfIeld. following Barney's VIC
tory over Ralph De Palma at Milwaukee
last Sunday. The oldfield-De Palma event
was similar to the 100-mile dirt track race
Alley won on October AZ 1914. at Mime
apolis. Alley by making an average OF
9l,30 miles an hour. defeated such stars as
oldfield. De Palma and Mulford and made
new record for the distance.
Andy vollmer. boss Of the Mercer pit
crew. once was riding mechanician. But
no more" says Andy. Andy used to ride
with Eddie Pullen. His last race was the
famous Elgtn classic In 1914 II was In this
race that Spencer Wishart and Jack Jen-
ter, his mechanician. were killed. When
Wishart hit tho concrete wall in front Of
the grandstand, Jenter was hurled SO hign
Into the air he fell on the telephone wires
strung along the road. Andy took one look
at the wreck and nobody ever Aince has
been able TO coax him into the seat of
racing car.