Deadly Motor Race

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 278, 28 November 1904, Page 4

Deadly Motor Race

DRIVER HURLED OUT AT TOP SPEED, MANY CARS OVERTURNED, 1 KILLUD ; -1 INJURED. NEW YORK, Oct. 9. The automobile, race for tlieVan•deiibilt Cup, the first international contest for motor-cars held in the United Staeea, took place yesterday over a triangular course of about thirty miles, encircling Garden City, Long Island. The race was won by Mi*. George Heath, tan American, driving a 90-h.p. Poaihard, and representing! the Automobile Club of France,

The victor went round the course ten times as rqqiuired by the rules, and Covered 280 miles in 51ir, .Issec., an avenagu speed of 56 miles an hour. The oflicial starting time was 0.1 % and the finish took place at 1,8, M, Albert Clement, driving an 80-h.p. Clement car, was second ; he lost by lmin. 28sec.

At the conclusion of the race M. Clement entered a protest for a time (allowance, but the racing board, with Mi-,. Vamdeiibilt as refevee, disallowed the protest this morning.

One fatal accident marred the contest. Mr. George Ai-ents, a millionaire motorist, driving a 60h-.p. Merceded, had made two trips round the course, when he was upset through a tine shoe slipping. The car, running at nearly 70 miles.an hour, was overturned, and Mr, Arents was hurled several feet. He fell headlong into the road, and was picked up unconscious, with* the base of his scull fractured. His injuries were at first pronounced to be fatal, but this morning there were some hopes of recovery^

His chauffeur, Karl Meusscl, was entangled in the gear and thrown ■heavily to the gounnd, with his skull fractured and sevdral ribs broken, and he died soon after reaching the hospital. Eighteen contestants 1 , representing America, France, Italy, and Germany, started in the race, but only Messrs, Heath onid Cement succeeded in covering the full distance, and only siix others were running, when the race was declared off. REMARKABLE ESCAPES

All the other caw dropped off through accidents. Some were overturned, others plunged into ditches or ran into trees, but none ot the occupants were injured. One of the surprises of this race was the defeat of M. Gabriel, a French driver, whose speedy work made him a general favourite. In the seventh lap one of the cranks in the engine of his Dietrich car broke, compelling •Mm to retire. Mr. Edward Hawlcy, who drove a 60-h.p. Mercedes, was also oMH'ged to retire through breaking! two springs. Mr. Heath himseli' met with an accident which nearly lost him the race. A punctured tyre in the 7th tap decided him to withdraw in despair, but a policeman persuaded him to suWsitute a new tyre anid continue. The fastest time in the race was roafle by M, Teste, a Frenchman, who covered one hap of thirty miles at the rate of nearly seventy miles an hour, and a' Bo resumed after an accident. Contrary to the •general expectation,] not a single mishap was due to the conditions of the roads.

Ninety thousand gallons' of oil was sprinkled on the roads, and did much to ensure the safety and comfort of the racerß. Tremenduous speed was often developed during the contest, some of the cars occasionally reaching eighty miles all tour. Several hairbreadth escapes when turning the sharp corners and taking flying leaps over the level railway crossings, Dead geese and chickens 1 were strewn along the road, which were cut and slashed as though by giant knives where the big machines skidded and veered. The race was called oft after Mr. Clement passed the finish owing to the course being blocked by motorcars rushing to the grand-stand to witness the end.

Owing to the early starting time thousands of spectators passed the night in towns and villages in the vicinity of the course, small hotels Charging extravagant prices for meague accomodation. Many |>eople slept on the floor or paid high prices for aofas and armchairs in which to sleep.

Despite the threats made by Irate farmei s, no attempt was made to block the roads or spoil the race, but several motorists complained of tyret. being punctured through nails and broken glass, which, it Is believed, were maliciously scattered on the course. NEW YORK, Oct. 8. M. Gabriel missed by two feet an engine which was leaving Queen's, tihe engine driver backing off the course just in time. Owing to the superstitions attaching nun(l*jr thirteen, that numeral was purposely omitted in the allotting of the numjbiers to the competing cars.—Reuter.