The Des Moines Capital
May 27, 1915

VALLEY JUNCTION GETS LOCATION OF NEW AUTO SPEEDWAY

Chamber of Commerce Completes Negotiations for Site - Will Build Gravel Road to the Grounds.

FORCE OF 120 MEN IS PUT TO WORK

Lease Is Made for Ten Years and Contracts Are Signed for Work to Be Started Without Delay.

A ten-year lease for the Des Moines mile board auto speedway has been accepted and signed.

The Speedway will be located on the old Bennett farm at Valley Junction. This location was dependent upon the assurance of the Valley Junction business men that a good automobile road would be constructed from the end of the Grand avenue pavement to the site.

The contracts were forwarded to Omaha late yesterday afternoon for acceptance and a telegram was received today announcing that it had been signed.

The Valley Junction site will afford good street car and shuttle train service and at the same time furnish good auto roads with the exception of a muddy strip from the end of the Grand avenue pavement.

Will Build New Road.

Geis Botsford, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, at a conference on Wednesday received the assurance of the Valley Junction business men that they will build a gravel and cinder road from the end of the Walnut creek bridge thru Valley Junction to the speedway in time for the first meet. A contract to this effect was signed by twenty-five business men. The site will afford street car service from all parts of the city, a double track shuttle service and a good automobile road.

The site is six blocks west of from the end of the Valley Junction car line. It is so located that the speedway company will have the advantage of sewer, water and electric lights.

Employ Army of Men.

A force of 120 men will be put at work at once and when the construction work is under way, the force will be increased by 100 men. Ninety-seven cars of lumber and forty tons of nails will be used in the construction of the speedway, grandstand, garages, pits, water tanks and other accessories. The track will be known as the Des Moines Speedway.

It is expected that the first meet will be held the last week in July. The exact date will be announced on Tuesday. The speedway company already holds authorization for the meet from the American Automobile association.

HOME

NEXT