Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 72, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1909 — THOSE WONDERFUL AUTOMOBILE RACES. [ARTICLE]

THOSE WONDERFUL AUTOMOBILE RACES.

It Is Estimated that from 500 to 1,500 Automobiles Will Pass Through Rensselaer. , , The greatest crowd drawing event that has ever been held 1° this P ar * of the earth will be the big automobile races at Crown Point on June 18th and 19th. An agent was in Rensselaer Tuesday offering automobile spaces for sale for viewing the races. He represented several farmers over, near Orchard Grove, and wanted $lO for the privilege of standing an automobile for the two days Inside the fence on the farmer’s land. He did not sell any privileges of that kind here, but it is thought that every) available foot of space along the race course will be taken before the big event takes place. Something like twenty special trains will be run out of New York to accommodate the crowds that wish to attend the races from that city and it is believed there will be 200,000 people come to Chicago from one place and another ta attend the races. Special trains will leave Chicago every 10 minutes for Crown Point. Just what the Monon railroad will do to get its share of the business is not known here but extra trains will probably be run from Indianapolis. Much of the business from the south will come overland in automobiles and practically all the cars will pass through Rensselaer. It Is estimated that from 500 to 1,500 will pass through here the afternoon before the races, which will be Thursday afternoon, June 17th, and it is probable that some 500 people wIH seek lodging accommodations here on the night of the 17th. Many of them will have anticipated the scarcity of preparations to feed them and will have brought food with them, but it is quite probable that Rensselaer hotels, restaurants and lunch counters will be fairly eaten out of house and home. Persons with spare bedrooms can have an opportunity of renting them out at 50 cents for each occupant, two and three in a bed, if the crowd of autoists is as large as many think it will be. Seats in the grand stand are selling at $4 per day and are being rapidly taken. The prospect of many accidents, both at the race track and along the voute to and from the races are good and Rensselaer garage keepers and repair men, and possibly the doctors and nurses, are quite certain to share in the profit caused by the mad rush to see the world’s greatest automobile races. Chas. M. Blue expects to Yun his hamburger stand at or near Lowell and will go up in a few days to make arrangements, and it is probable that other enterprising people here will try to get In for a share of the easy, money that will probably be flowing freely over Lake county. The races will be worth seeing, but whether they will be worth the great cost will be a matter for each individual to determine, and it is probable that most Rensselaer people will see enough automobiles right here to satisfy them. , }