This is an original article that was printed in Pacific Motoring, December 12th, 1908. It recounts an original hill climb that took place in Riverside California.
Barking like a frightened terrier and leaving a long white trail of steam in its wake, a little twenty horsepower Stanley Steamer won the honors at the Rivers Side hill climb on the new Box Springs grade Saturday last. Through the crowd was not as large as expected, before the first race was called, more than 1000 spectators had gathered along the course.
It was a contest between gas and steam on a course the favored the steam car, and the speedy little machine showed a clean pair of heels to all other entries. It was one of the prettiest races ever pulled off, and the crowd could watch each event from the moment of the start until the racer rushed over the crown of the hill at the finish.
Gathered in a knot on the brow of the hill close to the finish, hundreds watched eagerly. The tinkle of the telephone bell at the finish line was followed by the single word "Go!" and a car was off.
Bouncing over the stretch at fearful speed a steam car, the first to get away, gave a wonderful exhibition. The grade rises to an 18 percent elevation, but the Stanley balked not at the steepest rise. Like an arrow it shot straight to the mark, the line across the road at the finish.
When T. L. Beaudette, driver of the Stanley neared the finish, he was letting his car out for all it was worth. He seemed to moving at a dangerous pace and watches were held anxiously on the darling driver and his car. As he dashed through the crowd at the top of the hill the timers caught him in 1 minute, 24 1-5 seconds. The course is exactly one mile.
The hopes of the gasoline men centered in two fast cars, the Detroit "Bluebird", driven by Bert Dingley, and a Stoddard-Dayton, piloted by Frank Siefert. The rivalry between these two drivers was keen and Siefert seemed to have a little the better of the argument, as it was conceded he was more familiar with the course. Dingley had driven over the hill only a few times.
When the Stoddard got away in a cloud, the warning "here comes the Stoddard" was heeded by the throng crowding along the edge of the course, and the crowd fell back as Siefert shot by like a streak of fire. His red car glowed in the afternoon sun for a second and then was lost in the dust that enveloped car and riders.
When Siefert reached the last short sharp rise to the finish where the course lifts itself to an almost 20 per cent elevation, he looked like a winner. Even the fast Stanley was beaten for a time, and it seemed as if the stocky car had captured all the honors. Norman Church went wild with joy, and Harry Olive showed his delight by executing a war dance.
The timers were almost mobbed as they endeavored to announce the Stoddard's time. Then it came, "1m, 22 3-5s" There was joy in the Stoddard camp.
The joy was short lived, however. The bell tinkled again, and the word "Go" came over the wire and the commotion, a mile away at the starting line, showed that another car was on its way. It was the Detroit with Bert Dingley and was destined to beat all other gasoline cars.
"Deathdip", midway of the course, almost cost Bert Dingley his life in the big race of the day. Taking a desperate chance, Dingley sent his car to the turn at a fearful clip and never shut his throttle down a notch. He was in to win and he risked his life to beat an equally nervy driver.
Straight at the dangerous curve went Dingley with the eyes of thousands glued on the "Bluebird." Siefert had been forced to shut down, though it was ever so little for that turn. Dingley took it and won. At runaway speed, he came to the finish.
As the car reached the turn many held their breath. There was an awful fraction of a second and the hood of the machine reared itself like the head of a maddened beast. Then it plunged on, and Dingley won. The watches caught him in 1m 20 3-5s, the fastest time of the day for a gasoline car.
Stanley Steamer made the fastest time on the Box Springs grade – 1m 12s.
Chalmers-Detroit made the fastest time for gasoline cars: time, 1m 20 1-5s. Stoddard-Dayton was second in 1m 22 2-5s.
Motocycles, single –cylinder, stock machine: Won by H. Kohl, (2 ¼-HP R.M.C) time, 1m 39s. C. Knoll (3HP R.M.C) second; time 1m 54s.
Touring car, $1000 to $1500, 4 passenger: Won by Stanley Steamer, driven by T.F. Beaudette; time, 1m 24 1-5s. Tourist, driven by George Kussman, was second; time, 1m 48 3-5s.
Roadsters, $1000 to $2000, 2 passenger: Won by Stanley Steamer, driven by T.F. Beaudette; time, 1m 12s. Tourist, driven by George Kussman, second; time, 1m 42 2-5s. Rambler, driven by L.B. Harvey, third; time, 1m 50s.
Roadsters, $2000 to $3000, 2 passenger: Won by Chalmers-Detroit, driven by Bert Dingley; time 1m 20 1-5s. Stoddard-Dayton, driven by Frank Siefert, second; time, 1m 22 3-5s. Rambler, driven by C.A. Cowan, third; time, 1m 38s.
Roadsters, free-for-all, 2 passenger: Won by Chalmers-Detroit, driven by Bert Dingley; time, 1m 20 3-5s. Stoddard-Dayton, driven by Frank Seifert, second; time, 1m 22 2-5s. Rambler, (45HP) driven by C.A. Cowan, third; time, 1m 33s. Rambler, (34HP) driven by L.B. Harvey, fourth; time, 1m 46 2-5s.
Touring cars, $2500-$3000,
5-passenger: Won by Oldsmobile, driven by William Foberth; time, 1m 35s. The
Stanley Steamer blew out a flange at the start and did not finish.
The Stanley Steamer, in an exhibition, driven by T.F. Beaudette, made the time of 1m 18 2-5s.
Finals for the three fastest cars in any of the proceeding events: Won by Stanley Steamer, driven by T.F. Beaudette; time, 1m 18s. Stoddard-Dayton, driven by Frank Siefert, second; time, 1m 22 2-5s. Chalmers-Detroit, third, time, 1m 24 1-5s.
Source: Horseless Carriage Gazette, Vol 25, No 6, 1963