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JENATZY KNOCKS DOWN A BOY
Jenatzy’s car stuck a boy named Sheridan in the Market Square, Kildare. The boy has been taken to the infirmary.
OFFICIAL RESULT.
(Special Telegram.)
The judges have declared Jenatzy the winner. He covered the
course of 370 miles in 6 hours, 36 minutes, 9 seconds, an average
of over 60 miles per hour.
The relative positions of second and third will be decided
to-day (Friday).
FURTHER DETAILS.
INTELLIGENCE FROM THE CONTROLS.
The two “loops” traversed by the cars represented about 370 miles. The Carlow-Athy loop, which was circuited three times, was 45 miles odd; the Kildare-Monasterevan-Maryborough loop 58 miles. The gross times spent in each loop were exhibited on a blackboard, and certainly a more ill-managed arrangement it would be difficult to conceive. Figures were altered and re-altered to the confusion of those whose task it was to compile the returns for the Press. We give the figures in the rounds which possess most interest.
Name. |
First Round |
Fourth Round or half distance |
Sixth Round |
Seventh Round. |
H. M. S. |
H. M. S. |
H. M. S. |
H. M. S. |
|
Edge |
1 23 23 |
1 54 59 |
- |
- |
De Knyff |
1 33 47 |
1 38 16 |
1 33 39 |
1 38 41 |
Owen |
1 33 57 |
Out |
- |
- |
Jenatzy |
1 26 58 |
1 31 52 |
1 31 32 |
1 37 19 |
Jarrott |
1 25 14 |
Accident. |
- |
- |
Gabriel |
2 5 10 |
1 34 20 |
1 43 58 |
1 35 5 |
Moers |
3 11 10 |
Out |
- |
- |
De Caters |
1 27 17 |
1 37 39 |
1 38 16 |
- |
Stocks |
Accident. |
|||
Farman |
1 24 31 |
1 35 55 |
1 38 17 |
1 31 31 |
Winton |
3 23 24 |
Out |
- |
- |
Keene |
1 23 3 |
Out |
- |
- |
The most disappointing performance of the Race was that of Gabriel, from whom the public expected wonders. No doubt his speed at the outset was electrifying. His torpedo-like car went down Kilrush hill at a speed exceeding 85 miles per hour. It flew along touching the ground only at intervals. Passing the Grand Stand a second time, his pace had fallen to ‘flat mediocrity.’ His cyclinders[sic] were out of order – his mad race was practically run. Hence-forth he ranked inconspicuously. But the fault was not the man’s, but the machine’s. The exhibition of nerve was indeed thrilling.
The Germans, who in popular opinion – influenced by the burning of their “crack cars” – stood no chance, supplied at even the early stage of the second circuit an “eye-opener” as to the powers of Jenatzy and the- comparatively- despised Mercedes. There was a striking irony in the fact that the motor darlings of France and England were left sadly behind by the German cars, which some folk were disposed to regard as makeshifts!
With the exception of Kildare and the Curragh, to which enormous crowds went by train and car, the attendance at the various points was small. Indeed, the Motor Race on the whole in this particular respect sadly disappointed the high expectations encouraged and formed.
A noteworthy incident at Ballyshannon was the unselfish act of the Baron de Caters, who stopped and told the anxious public that Jarrott’s car was disabled but Jarrott himself happily unharmed. For such an act of noble self-abnegation, this competitor seriously prejudiced his chances. The courtesy and humanity prompting it will be long remembered when most of the other incidents of the race are forgotten.
Nothing very exciting occurred at any of the controls, save at Carlow, Kildare and Stradbally. At Old Kilcullen corner everything was orderly and businesslike, and the Press report a regard for their facilities which was singularly lacking at Ballyshannon. The attendance here was rather poor. At half an hour before the start of the race there were more police on the road between Ballyshannon and Kilcullen than there were spectators. As to what may have happened during the day it is difficult to say, but there were no crowds in the morning. The numbers who took up their positions on the V-shaped piece of heath between the two roads were neither reinforced or diminished during the day. Others could not get there – not, indeed, that there seemed any disposition of the kind. The only incident of note was that Gabriel over-shot the control mark, and evidently found some difficulty in reversing, while all of the Mercedes cars seemed to start with wonderful rapidity.
CASTLEDERMOTT.
Castledermot[sic], being the first control station, naturally
was an interesting point. From an early hour on Wednesday the
town was astir with visitors on motor cars, bicycles, and every
other kind of vehicle, and in the night-time the town brass
band paraded the streets. The control area stretched from the
Carlow Gate, just at the beginning of the village, to Doyle’s
Hotel, at the Bridge over the Lerr. No stands had been erected
or enclosures set apart for accommodation of spectators, but
the fields along the course for a couple of miles were lined
with spectators. Some amusement was caused through an over-energetic
constable ordering the Head Marshal of the Control to get off
his bicycle. Shortly before 7.20 a cloud of dust rising on the
hill 400 yards up the course signalled the arrival of what everyone
expected was the pilot car, but on drawing up it was found that
the car was a Napier, and marked No. 1, driven by Edge. Time,
5min. 20secs. The official departure time for this car was 7.25.
At 7.28.40 Chevalier de Knyff arrived on his Panhard, his time
being 1min. 40secs. worse than Edge’s.
The first car to arrive on the second round was the French
Panhard, driven by Chevalier de Knyff, which came into the
control at a terrific speed, and on surmounting the big hill
the car bounded several times in the air. The time of arrival
was 10.28, which worked out at an average of 48 miles an hour.
The next arrival was Jenatzy, at 10.41, which was a minute better
than de Knyff’s
time for the same distance. Eight minutes later arrived Edge,
who had 2 punctures, and was now five minutes behind Jenatzy.
The management of the control could not have been placed in
better hands, all the stewards and officials showing a thorough
knowledge of their duty. The course around the district was
admirably kept by a contingent of 50 men of the R.I.C. from Clifden,
Galway, under the control of Mr. Glasgow, D.I., Clifden.
ACCIDENTS AT BALLYMOON CORNER.
The first car cleared the corner. Then came de Knyff. He made
no attempt to turn, but dashed through the wire fence, which
flattened, and he passed over it, pulling up in 10 yards, two
Carlow gentlemen having a very narrow escape. The next to arrive
was Stocks. The wire fence had been put up again, and he, like
de Knyff, made no attempt for the turn, but crashed through
the wire. The left post giving way entangled in his fore-wheel,
smashing it, the result being the car swerved to the left, and
dashed into the bank. Stocks was turned head over heels on to
the bank, and got up immediately without saying a word. He was
then driven by Mr. Bruen into Carlow, and the car was lifted
out of the way. On the third round, Farman, by a marvellous
bit of steering, saved an accident by running up the laneway,
the wire having been removed. He pulled up within 10 yards and
reversed his engines, and was on the road again in under one
minute.
Mr. Henry Bruen enclosed a portion of a field at the turn, and erected a stand, from which there was an excellent view. The majority of the country people were present.
CARLOW.
The Carlow control had for its Marshal Major Bowen. There was
a small assemblage in the vicinity. The Right Hon. Henry Bruen
had a commodious stand just outside the limits of his fine demesne,
where he extended his hospitality to a numerous company.
ATHY.- EAST CONTROL.
Although the Athy East control did not attract a great array
of visitors, it was a point of considerable interest during
the day, and amongst motorists a good of attention as paid to
it. The stranger who came there expecting to see a crowd would
have been disappointed. The second of the American cars, driven
by Mooers, took, roughly, three minutes more than Gabriel to
complete the distance, while Baron de Caters, Farman, Winton
and Foxhall Keene came in in fairly good time. Unfortunately
for Mooers something went wrong with his gearing just after
quitting the control, and for half an hour at least his car
lay helpless on the roadside. The record round opened with the
arrival of de Knyff at 11h. 3m. 36s. The crowd expected to see
Edge, and as he gradually became half an hour overdue, grave
anxiety was felt. A rumour that he had been killed was set in
circulation, but soon afterwards Edge, to the relief of all,
dashed in, and explained that he had been unlucky with his tyres.
ATHY.- THE WEST CONTROL.
The interest manifested in the Race at Athy was not less intense
than that which was apparent at other points along the route.
A large number of visitors reached the town on Tuesday night,
and for some of these house accommodation was not available,
and they were obliged to spend the night in tents in the neighbourhood
or walk about the streets comforting each other as best they
could. Beds, with supper and breakfast, were charged for in
some of the hotels at the rate of thirty shillings each. It
is doubtful, too, whether those who were fortunate in getting
beds even at this figure enjoyed much quiet sleep, for the streets
were in possession of small crowds, whose movements, far from
being noiseless, must have had a disturbing and irritating effect
in the case of many who required and anxiously sought repose.
This disagreeable feature of the night was intensified by the
occasional throbbing sounds of automobile cars as they ran to
and fro until a late hour without, as far as one could judge,
any definite purpose. On Thursday morning the numbers of the
visitors considerably increased. Special trains were run on
the Great Southern line from Dublin, Waterford, and other stations
at intervals from 3 o’clock a.m., and these were crowded
with passengers, who preferred travelling at unusually early
hours to camping out with all its discomforts during the night.
The police, of whom there were nearly two hundred and fifty,
drawn from various counties, were located principally in a large
building, where they were provided with straw for beds at the
Maryboro’ end of the town. Over one hundred of their number
were employed in the town between the arrival and departure
stations keeping the course clear of traffic. The rest had charge
of portions of the roads stretching away from either end of
the town into the country. In the west station the principal
timekeeper was Mr. A. G. Rennie, and the duties of chief marshal
devolved on Mr. Bernard Redwood. Close to the tents of these
gentlemen were packed against the hedgerow numerous hampers
of petroleum spirit and naphtha, which were handed to the cars
as they arrived to renew their partially exhausted motive power.
The morning was dull and threatening, but later on it cleared
up, the sun shone brightly at intervals, and the threatening
omens disappeared.
AT THE MOAT OF ARDSCULL.
A very large gathering assembled at the Moat of Ardscull, and
on the adjacent stands. From the former remarkable eminence
a clear view of the road to Athy – 3½ miles – was
obtainable, and the place had also the advantage of commanding
a view of a fairly sharp corner. Very many of the touring
motor cars made the Moat their objective, and the gathering
at this place was very typical of the motor car and cyclist
community.
About midday there was a thunderstorm, and some rain fell. This, however, had only the effect of slaking the dust, and the weather was soon dry and sunny again. Interest in the later stages of the race flagged somewhat, but nevertheless a very large number of people remained until the whole race was concluded. A high wind was blowing at the close.