this great race. Every kind of motor vehicle was
permitted to compete, even motorcycles, as well as automobiles. The
machines were of all makes and nationalities. The sum of the
different prizes reached fifty thousand dollars, so that the race was
sure to be desperately contested. New records were expected to be
made.

Calculating on the maximum speed hitherto attained, of perhaps eighty
miles an hour, this international contest covering two hundred miles
would last about three hours. And, to avoid all danger, the state
authorities of Wisconsin had forbidden all other traffic between
Prairie-du-chien and Milwaukee during three hours on the morning of
the thirtieth of May. Thus, if there were any accidents, those who
suffered would be themselves to blame.

There was an enormous crowd; and it was not composed only of the
people of Wisconsin. Many thousands gathered from the neighboring
states of Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, Indiana, and even from New York.
Among the sportsmen assembled were many foreigners, English, French,
Germans and Austrians, each nationality, of course, supporting the
chauffeurs of its land. Moreover, as this was the United States, the
country of the greatest gamblers of the world, bets were made of
every sort and of enormous amounts.

The start was to be made at eight o'clock in the morning; and to
avoid crowding and the accidents which must result from it, the
automobiles were to follow each other at two minute intervals, along
the roads whose borders were black with spectators.

The first ten racers, numbered by lot, were dispatched between eight
o'clock and twenty minutes past. Unless there was some disastrous
accident, some of these machines would surely arrive at the goal by
eleven o'clock. The others followed in order.

An hour and a half had passed. There remained but a single contestant
at Prairie-du-chien. Word was sent back and forth by telephone every
five minutes as to the order of the racers. Midway between Madison
and Milwaukee, the lead was held by a machine of Renault brothers,
four cylindered, of twenty horsepower, and with Michelin tires. It
was closely followed by a Harvard-Watson car and by a Dion-Bouton.
Some accidents had already occurred, other machines were hopelessly
behind. Not more than a dozen would contest the finish. Several
chauffeurs had been injured, but not seriously. And even had they
been killed, the death of men is but a detail, not considered of
great impor