Comments on: Day 5 - February 16, 1908 Shuffle Off To Buffalo! http://greatracegarage.com/wpmu/2008/2007/04/22/day-5-%e2%80%93-february-16-1908-shuffle-off-to-buffalo/ Just another Greatracegarage.com weblog Mon, 12 May 2008 05:20:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.0 by: Jeff Mahl http://greatracegarage.com/wpmu/2008/2007/04/22/day-5-%e2%80%93-february-16-1908-shuffle-off-to-buffalo/#comment-279 Sat, 12 May 2007 16:01:22 +0000 http://greatracegarage.com/wpmu/2008/2007/04/22/day-5-%e2%80%93-february-16-1908-shuffle-off-to-buffalo/#comment-279 A recent question asked how much time the 1908 participants had in preparing for the New York to Paris event? The success of the 1907 Peking to Paris which ended August 10,1908 inspired the NY to Paris Race. At first the proposal for a global race was not taken very seriously, even in Europe. Lt. Hans Koeppen became interested after reading a Le Matin story on the proposed NYC to Paris route, but had no money. It was not until January 2,1908 that things started to come together for the German Team. They did not even start building the Protos automobile until mid January finishing in record time on January 26, 1908 then sailing for NYC on the 29th. In the US, no one stepped forward to enter as late as the end of January 1908. Most auto manufacturers thought it was far too great a risk, especially if they failed. Mr. Thomas summed up the general American attitude: "What do these Frenchmen and Italians know of the obstacles of crossing the United States in winter? They may start, but my guess is that they will never reach Chicago!” However, with a President like Teddy Roosevelt in the White House, that was about to change. Discussions at the E.R. Thomas Motor Company did suddenly become very serious the end of the first week in February. Great Gramp (George N. Schuster - the Thomas Company Chief Mechanic) was called in Providence, RI on Feb. 11. The factory directed him to take the night train to NYC and begin the NY to Paris Race the next morning Feb. 12,1908. Most of the teams had very little time to prepare, and some had only a matter of hours. It is amazing that they ever survived the epic ordeal, much less succeeded.... A recent question asked how much time the 1908 participants had in preparing for the New York to Paris event?

The success of the 1907 Peking to Paris which ended August 10,1908 inspired the NY to Paris Race. At first the proposal for a global race was not taken very seriously, even in Europe. Lt. Hans Koeppen became interested after reading a Le Matin story on the proposed NYC to Paris route, but had no money. It was not until January 2,1908 that things started to come together for the German Team. They did not even start building the Protos automobile until mid January finishing in record time on January 26, 1908 then sailing for NYC on the 29th.

In the US, no one stepped forward to enter as late as the end of January 1908. Most auto manufacturers thought it was far too great a risk, especially if they failed. Mr. Thomas summed up the general American attitude:

“What do these Frenchmen and Italians know of the obstacles of crossing the United States in winter? They may start, but my guess is that they will never reach Chicago!”

However, with a President like Teddy Roosevelt in the White House, that was about to change. Discussions at the E.R. Thomas Motor Company did suddenly become very serious the end of the first week in February. Great Gramp (George N. Schuster - the Thomas Company Chief Mechanic) was called in Providence, RI on Feb. 11. The factory directed him to take the night train to NYC and begin the NY to Paris Race the next morning Feb. 12,1908. Most of the teams had very little time to prepare, and some had only a matter of hours.

It is amazing that they ever survived the epic ordeal, much less succeeded….

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