Tuesday, February 19, 2008

1908 International Auto Race

Fulton Journal
March 3, 1908

INTERNATIONAL AUTO RACE.

American Flyer in Lead Passed Fulton
Saturday Noon--French and Italian
Cars Went Through Sunday
Afternoon

The first machine in the great New York to Paris auto race was seen in Fulton Saturday at twelve o'clock noon when the big American car, the Thomas flyer, in charge of Montague Roberts, passed through town. The big racing car was met east of town by the handsome Lamb auto from the Clinton garage which led the way into Iowa.
The Thomas car left Morrison at 11:15 and made the run to Fulton a distance of twelve miles in forty-five minutes. The flyer is a monstrous machine with a huge sixty-horse power engine, and thus far has demonstrated that it is capable of battling against the roads that it will encounter on its long journey.
Those who comprise the crew of the car are Montague Roberts, the driver; George Schueter, engineer; John J. Williams, a representative of the New York Times; Richard Hatch, a representative of the Thomas company.
Upon their arrival in Clinton the occupants of the car were give a reception at the Lafayette Inn and at 1:40 p.m. left for the west, remaining over night at Clarence, covering a distance that day of over 110 miles.
Sunday afternoon at 8:05 the French car, DeDion, with Emanuel Lescares as driver passed through Fulton led by a Clinton auto. Forty-five minutes later the Zust, the Italian car, driven by Sirtori went through town without a pilot. Each of these cars made only a stop of two or three minutes in Clinton when they departed for the west.