Charles B. King was one of the umpire-drivers of the 1895 Times-Herald Race in Chicago. Fifty years later, he commemorizes his experience of that historic event in „A Golden Anniversary – Personal Side Lights of America’s First Automobile Race“. This work comprisies in all some 60 pages, of which we’ll post here several chapters separately. This one shows the complete route in Chicago and the several important events during the race.
Text and photos with courtesy of hathitrust.org, www.hathitrust.org , compiled by motorracinghistory.
A Golden Anniversary 1895-1945
Personal Side Lights of America’s First Automobile Race by CHARLES B. KING, pp. 32 – 35
America’s First Automobile Race
KEYED MAP – Sponsored by The Chicago Times-Herald, November 28, 1895
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This Map commemorates the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Chicago Times-Herald Race. It was prepared by me as an umpire and driver in the Race using the original map published by the sponsors and adding data from complete, authentic records including my official umpire’s report.
The Race was won by J. Frank Duryea in a car he designed, built and drove: his record being as follows:
Elapsed time ……..………… 10 Hours, 23 Min.
Actual running time ………. 7 Hours, 53 Min.
Average speed ………..…….. 5.05 MPH
Average running speed …. 6.66 MPH
Official distance of route .. 52.4 Miles
Second place was won by the Mueller-Benz car driven by Oscar B. Mueller.
As umpire in this car, I also became its driver for the last hour of the Race to the finish-line, due to Oscar Mueller becoming unconscious from exposure. Earlier in the afternoon, Charles G. Reid, an observer, also unconscious from exposure, had been lifted out of the car into a sleigh in Riverview Park. The record of the Mueller car was:
Elapsed time ……….……… 10 Hours, 47 Min.
Actual running time …….. 9 Hours, 32 Min.
Average speed …….…….… 4.87 MPH
Average running speed .. 5.51 MPH
Of the six starters, these were the only two cars to finish the Race.
J. Frank Duryea received a cash award of $2,000, while the Mueller car won $1,500: and later H. Mueller, Oscar’s father, who entered the second winning car, presented me with a gold medal in appreciation of my services.
Charles B. King – Sept. 1, 1945
Map of the Course.
START AND FINISH OF RACE / JACKSON PARK· WORLD’S FAIR GROUNDS, 1893
Main Course: START – WASHINGTON PARK – MICHIGAN BOULEVARD – LINCOLN
PARK – (15): GRACE ST. 1st Relaystation – ROSEMONT AVE. – LINCOLN AVE. – EVANSTON: CHICAGO AVE. – CALVARY CEMETERY – ROGERS PARK – (23): 2nd. Relaystation – ROSEHILL CEMETERY – LAWRENCE AVE. – ROSCOE – RIVERVIEW PARK – (26): Chas. & Reid Succumbs in Mueller Car – BELMONT AVE. – MILWAUKEE AVE. – HUMBOLDT PARK – GARFIELD PARK – DOUGLAS PARK – WESTERN AVE. BOULEVARD – Garfield Bvd. – (31): Mueller Succumbs – Hallsted St. – 63rd St. – MIDWAY – FINISH
JF Duryea-Course * ̶ * – * – * // CB King-Course *-*-*-*
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KEY TO MAP – America’s First Automobile Race
Sponsored by THE CHICAGO TIMES-HERALD, November 28th, 1895
1. Midway Plaisance, Jackson Park – Start and Finish Line. Six cars started and only two finished, J. Frank Duryea, the winner, and the Mueller-Benz. The winner started at 8:55 A. M. and finished at 7:18 P. M.; the Mueller-Benz started at 10:06 A. M. and finished at 8:53 P. M.
2. Corner Midway Plaisance and Cottage Grove Avenue – Mueller arrived and turned north at 10:19 A. M. By direction of the judges, the Mueller-Benz and electric vehicles* proceeded North on Cottage Grove Avenue, (from point No. 2 to No. 4) then followed the regular course up Michigan Boulevard.
* It should be noted that the Times-Herald Gold Medal went to the Morris and Salom electric car entry for general efficiency. This presentation caused consternation in the ranks of the „hydro-carbon“ group; however, the electric cars made an earnest endeavor against insurmountable odds.
3. Washington Park location where the De la Vergne-Benz withdrew due to the road conditions and the deep snow-drifts.
4. Corner Cottage Grove Avenue and 22nd Street – Haynes-Apperson’s wheels collapsed en route to starting line; Mueller passed here at 10:49 A. M.
5. Official Repository – 1557 Wabash Avenue-where entry cars were stored and tested.
6. Auditorium Hotel – large crowd of waiting spectators applauded racers; Mueller passed here at 11:13 A. M.
7. Corner Michigan Boulevard and Adams Street – the Macy-Benz „staved-in“ rear platform of Adams Street horse-car sustaining some damage to its own steering gear.
8. Rush Street Bridge – Frank Duryea forged and repaired steering arm at nearby blacksmith shop after it broke while crossing this bridge; the repair delayed him 55 minutes; Mueller passed this point at 11:24 A. M.
9. Lake Shore Drive north of Rush Street Bridge – Mueller passed the Morris & Salom Electrobat here at 11:27 A. M.
10. Lake Shore Drive – a few minutes later, the Morris & Salom withdrew from the race and returned to Official Repository.
11. Lake Shore Drive near entrance to Lincoln Park – football crowd (University of Michigan vs. University of Chicago) cheered passing contestants.
12. Lincoln Park location where Mueller passed the Sturges Electric at 11:37 A. M. Here also the Mueller-Benz passed the two-horse sleigh hired by the Duryea Motor Wagon Company carrying George H. Hewitt, President, T. W. Leete, Treasurer, and C. E. Duryea, brother of the designer, builder and driver of this Company’s entry.
13. Lincoln Park near exit – the Sturges Electric withdrew, its batteries. almost exhausted.
14. Corner Lake Shore Drive and Cornelia Street – Mueller passed here at 12:15 P. M.
15. First Relay Station-corner Grace Street and Sheridan Road – the Mueller-Benz arrived at 12:25 P. M. and resumed the race at 12:27 P. M. after receiving one pail of ice; the Macy-Benz left at 11:10 A. M.; Frank Duryea passed through at 11:32 A. M.
16. Sheridan Road north of First Relay Station – Mueller was delayed for nearly a minute by frightened horse; the Macy car had trouble which caused short delay.
17. Sheridan Road and Evanston Avenue – Mueller passed here at 12:48 P. M.
18. Sheridan Road and Main Street – Mueller passed here at 2:22 P. M.— suffered 2½ minute delay to examine engine.
19. Turning Point-Davis Street and Chicago Avenue – Frank Duryea passed the Macy-Benz at 12:50 P. M.; the Mueller-Benz passed at 2:39 P. M.
20. Chicago Avenue and Dempster Street – Mueller arrived at 2:48 P. M. and after stopping to repair clutch, resumed the race at 2:57 P. M.
21. Clark Street near Calvary Cemetery – the Macy-Benz collided with overturned cutter at Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad crossing and resumed the race after short delay; the cutter was occupied by Frederick C. Haas, who was in charge of the De la Vergne-Benz (withdrawn earlier in the race), an associate of that company, and A. E. Richter, a Times-Herald reporter.
22. Clark Street in Rogers Park section – the Macy-Benz car collided with a hack sustaining damage to one of its wheels and its steering gear.
23. Second Relay Station-Clark Street and Street and Devon Avenue – Frank Duryea arrived at 1:10 P. M.; the Macy-Benz arrived at 1:16 P. M.; and the Mueller-Benz at 3:23 P. M. Oscar Mueller resumed race at 3:28 P. M. after receiving three gallons of gasoline and three pails of ice.
24. Diversey Street between Clark Street and Lincoln Avenue – Driver J. Frank Duryea had igniter trouble and located a tin-smith shop which was closed because of the holiday; went to the owner’s home and got him out of bed to open the shop where he lighted the fire in the tinner’s charcoal stove and forged out the igniter and, after a delay of 55 minutes, according to Umpire Arthur W. White, he resumed Race at 3:10 P. M. Frank Duryea reached this point at some distance off the official route when he failed to make the proper turn at Clark Street and Lawrence Avenue and strayed from the regular course (see broken line). The Macy-Benz and the Mueller-Benz entries followed the official route here.
25. Roscoe Street and Western Avenue – Mueller passed here at 4:06 P. M.
26. Belmont Avenue along Riverview Park – Charles G. Reid, observer in the Mueller car, became unconscious due to exposure and was lifted into a passing cutter, and then driven away; Mueller continued.
27. Belmont and Milwaukee Avenues – the Mueller car passed here at 4:25 P. M.
28. Entrance to Douglas Park – police, having been repulsed by unruly snow-ballers, summoned reserves to help handle crowd.
29. Douglas Park where the Macy – Benz broke down at 6:15 P. M. and abandoned the race.
30. Douglas Park location where a Times-Herald reporter met Frank Duryea and proceeded with horse-drawn sleigh to break a trail for him through the snow to finish-line.
31. Garfield Boulevard near Halsted Street – Oscar Mueller became unconscious making it necessary for Charles King, umpire, to assume control of the car and, after moving Mueller over on the seat and holding him in place, King thus was the driver for the last hour, arriving at the finish-line at 8:53 P. M. for second place. Mueller was then lifted out of the car unconscious and driven away in a hack.
32. While continuing on Garfield Boulevard with Mueller unconscious, King decided to change the course by turning south on Halsted Street. He drove in this direction eight blocks to 63d Street, then east on 63d Street to State Street, then north to 61st Street, east six blocks to South Park Avenue, then north one block to Midway Plaisance and east to the finish-line in Jackson Park. This made the course travelled somewhat longer but proved to be the safest and surest way to a memorable finish.
2ND PRIZE MOTOCYCLE RACE – CHICAGO NOV. 28-95
– A PRESENTATION –
On the Reverse-side of this Gold Medal Is Inscribed:
„Presented to Charles B. King, Umpire, by H. Mueller M’f’g. Co., Decatur, Ill.“