Greg O’s Garage: Wrecks of The Long Island Motor Parkway including a racer practicing for the 1925 Indy 500
There is much reported and documented about the race cars that crashed throughout the Cup races and trials, but much less is known about the hundreds of public accidents along the parkway. Here we'll try and compile the documented wrecks along with some new, never-before-seen photos submitted by Bill Cruickshank from his grandfathers' McCamish family collection.
Greg O.
The well-known wreck seen below the parkway at the Clinton Road Bridge. This was included because the Clinton Road Bridge was a known dangerous spot along the parkway. So may accidents happened here that lawsuits continued well into the 1940's. When the bridge was removed just after the parkway closed, one newspaper was quoted as saying it was an end to the 'Bloody period of death and destruction'.
Courtesy of Ron Ridolph
Courtesy of Ron Ridolph
While not on the Motor Parkway, this wreck was a historic first. This was to become the first known wreck of a motor car being hit by a train in the United States.
Willie K. had interest in a speed contest, so he dispatched Vanderbilt Race Cup driver Henri Fournier in Mors with a small group of gentlemen to search for a spot for such a contest on October 30th, 1910. Fournier and the Mors were hit by a locomotive at the R.R. crossing on Post Ave. All survived.
More here
photo courtesy of the Helck Family Collection
Another now well-known accident occurred at the 'Mayan Ruins' in Garden City. As reported by Officer Thomas Zinzi, the right rear tire of the Erskine sedan came off and the car rolled over. Survivors were taken to Flushing Hospital by a passing motorist.
Patrolman Zinzi's motorcycle can be seen in the distance.
Zinzi's report.
Not far from the 'Mayan Ruins' was another accident. This one involving a Cadillac on July 6th, 1931.
On the scene once again was Officer Zinzi on the left.
courtesy of The Garden City Archives
The caption stating of the 8 people in the car, a woman and child were in serious condition in the Nassau Hospital.
A 1923 Cadillac Type 61 Touring Car similar to the wrecked motor car.
As reported in the Nassau Daily Review-Star, on March 11th, 1938, this woody wagon rolled off the parkway a 1/2 mile east of the Roslyn lodge.
Any guesses on make and model?
Art K. very recently posted about the dangerous intersection and accidents of the Motor Parkway and Wheeler Road from the Brooklyn Times in June 1st, 1911. The intersection finally received a traffic light in December 1951. 40 years! Bureaucracy at work!
Kleiner's Korner also uncovered a few newspaper articles courtesy of the NY Daily News.
July 5, 1925
Driver goes off a bridge near Hicksville. Driver killed, 2 female passengers injured.
July 25th, 1932
Three men injured going through a guardrail near North Hempstead.
May 22,, 1935
Motorist killed after striking an approach to the Wantagh Avenue Bridge in Bethpage (Central Park).
July 27, 1933
This Daily News caption describes the car as a police car being crushed by a 10 ton truck at Jericho Turnpike and the Motor Parkway in Mineola..
What is not identified was the police department of the vehicle.
As recently described to me by Motor Parkway guru, Al Velocci, the Motor Parkway had their own police force starting in 1924. As the force matured, it grew to have a few motorcycle patrolmen, and eventually a police car. Whether this was a Motor Parkway Police car, or a newly formed Nassau County Police Department car, it is unclear.
New York Daily News, April 23, 1925
25-year old (or 26 or 27, depending on what source you believe) mechanical engineer Fred Wells in his home built race car, killed when it overturned at 80 mph one mile east of the Brentwood entrance. Sure enough, about a mile after the entrance is an 'S' curve that most likely played a role in the crash. Would've loved to see what this car looked like prior to the wreck.
The New York Times, April 23, 1925
According to the Times, Frederick Hollis Wells had competed in the Indy 500 for the previous three years and had built "Well's Hornet" to enter in the 1925 race.
Champcarstats.com shows that Wells withdrew in the 1923 Indy 500 race in a FHW powered by a Roland-Pilain engine. He did not qualify in the Well's Hornet in the 1924 Indy 500 Race.
S.A.E. Journal, June 1925
Two newly unearthed photos never before seen from the Otto McCamish collection courtesy of grandson Bill Cruickshank.
Unfortunately, these photos did not have captions and Bill was unaware of any information about them. It is also unknown if the accidents are two different accidents or the same from different angles. My guess is they a separate instances.
Seen in this photo are large buildings in the far background and possibly a manicured golf course green towards the left. Officer Zinzi's motorcycle can be seen in the lower left hand corner. Could this be near Michell Field? Aerials I have looked at from the 20's and 30's are inconclusive.
The next photo is interesting. Seen in the background is an 'Exit' sign. Being these came from Otto McCamish, my immediate thought is these are within the immediate vicinity of his Meadow Brook lodge. Any guesses on location? These have had me stumped since Bill sent them.
Comments
Additional information concerning Fred Wells and his attempts to race at Indy. From “The Indianapolis Times” of April, 1925.
“New York Times” article of May 30, 1924 describing Well’s 1924 attempt at Indy, which failed. Interesting side note of the offer of parts made by fellow driver Early Dempsey who also could not race.
And Wells’ not so stellar racing career as reported by racingreference.com.
The first unidentified wreck (McCamish coll.) is another view of the July 6, 1931 wreck seen at top, Cadillac and Ofc. Zinze.
Oh so interesting and tragic….
Vic- Yes, you’re absolutely correct. I hadn’t spotted that, thanks.
The ‘S’ turn about 1 mile east of the Brentwood entrance at Wheeler May have played a role in the Wells wreck.
Greg, Parkway Police Force….. On July 29,1924 Vanderbilt wrote the Parkway’s General Manager, A.J. Kienzle, instructing him to establish a Parkway Police Force ASAP. On Aug. 24, 1924 Thomas Zinze became the Parkway’s first Motorcycle officer. His work schedule was seven days a week with one day off every other week. ( He could not take off on weekends and holidays.) His hours were from 10 AM to 8 PM and was paid $140 per month. A short time later, Arvie Ericson, brother of the Ronkonkoma Lodgekeeper, became the second motorcycle cop on the Parkway.
Greg,... Chapter 2. In 1926 a L.R. Dugan came on board as the third officer, he didn’t last long, gone by 1927 and was replace by L.E. Smith in 1928. In 1929 W. Bush and E. Gronroos came on board, by this time the Parkway was opened to Nassau Blvd. At this point the Parkway Police Force consisted of 5 officers, 4 motorcycles and a Ford automobile police car. At the time the Parkway police force was larger than some Nassau County Village police departments. By 1932 it appears it was completely shut down.
The woody is a ‘36 Ford, distinguished by its grille and horn grilles.
Say Thomas Zinze worked 28 or 29 days per month ( with 2 or 3 days off per month ). 140 divided by 28 = 5. So $5 per 10 hr workday. Close to 100 yrs ago, but seems like he should’ve been paid better.
Remember reading somewhere on the site about Eric Ericson’s brother being on horseback with a shotgun keeping things in order on the parkway, must be Arvie.
Howard
Thanks for the memories
Although the accident was a tragedy, it is always great to see old photos of my grandfather (Tom Zinzi) at work.
Thanks again
Arthur Mauriello
P.S. Came across the deed signed by Vanderbilt for the Massapequa toll lodge
Brian, By 1928 Zinze was earning $190 per month.
Al,
I guess we can assume the July 1933 wreck involving the police car was a Nassau County police vehicle if the Motor Parkway force was dismantled by that time.
Was the reason for dissolving the Parkway police force due to the declining revenue for the Parkway and, seemingly unlikely, but did the Nassau County force patrol the parkway at any time after 1932?
Greg O. Yes, Revenues had seriously declined by 1932. In 1929, the Parkway’s best year, revenues totaled some $290,000. In 1932 income had dropped more than 2/3 rds. to $90,000. No, the Nassau Count Police did not patrol the Parkway at any time, but they were called when there were serious accidents, robberies, disturbances, etc. If there were fatalities, the Parkway was mandated to notify the Nassau County Police who would then take charge of the situation.
In 1924 Tommy the cop was earning about $7.70 per hour today, and about $10.50 per hour in 1928. I believe he was allowed to live in the lodge rent-free with maintenance required including snow removal. With only two days off a month he seldom had any free time
I agree with Al the woody is a 1936 Ford. Because I have a 5 window coupe
Im not sure of when the police force was dismantled but the officers started rotating shifts as guard duty and security at Eagles Nest around the clock after the Lindburg kidnapping and winters were spent in Florida at Fischers island. I came across letters my grandfather sent my grandmother while he was away. One year the whole family went and my mother and sister went to school in Miami compliments of Mr. Vanderbilt ( he didn’t want my grandfather to miss his family ). Nice boss
Also the photo above of the man and woman is not of my grandparents
Arthur-
The woman in the photo is Pernelle McCamish, wife of Otto McCamish. Her grandson, Bill Cruikshank sent the photo of his grandmother with your grandfather Tom Zinzi, to me from his family collection.
Arthur - Great rare details about your family on the parkway, and the police security details thereafter! Your information about the historic parkway is always appreciated.
It appears a single digit on the officer’s badge sitting on the bike. I can’t make out the number in the photo, could it be number 1, Zinzi’s badge? Would love to hear your comments.
Frank- The original photo that Bill Cruickshank sent me has a slightly better resolution and a little easier to see Zinzi’s number 1 on the badge.
Greg O, Regarding the photo with the caption on the back saying the “car over turns on Motor Parkway in Garden City”. That could be a little confusing today. Note that there is no concrete extension of the roadway which was laid down west of Merrick Ave. in that area in 1931. My take ? ....the photo was on taken just east of Merrick Ave. and we are looking north east with the fairway of the 17th hole of Red Couse abutting the Parkway ROW.
Greg O. The last photo, the one with the “exit only” sign, could that be a temporary exit off the Parkway used by west bound motorists during the 1936/1937 Vanderbilt Cup Races ?
Thanks Greg, and for your work with the old photographs! It’s great that these deeply-buried photos of the old Motor Parkway are increasingly becoming available for everyone now to view, after more than a century hidden in the vaults. Much thanks to Bill Cruickshank, descendant of the Meadow Brook lodge, for the family photo collection contributions.
Photo below:
The McCamish family at the Meadow Brook lodge 1936/1937
Left to right:, Wallace, Pernelle, Otto and Doris.
A truly cringe worthy photo collection! 😊
Al-
Those are my initial thoughts as well.
Unfortunately these pictures reflect only a small portion of the many accidents that occurred on the Motor Parkway. As autos became more than just a mode of transportation for the rich, the roads and local governments couldn’t keep up with the safety needs of the users. While much has improved since then, including the use of technology, all you need to do is travel the highways of LI (and up and down the east coast as I’ve recently been doing) to see that excessive speed and recklessness (among other causes) still are rampant with the same result of way too many accidents. My soap box for today. Let’s all slow down a bit.
The caption on the woody wagon photo states that the driver was from Huntington, NY. J.T. Cantrell and Company of Huntington was a builder of many of the woody wagons of the day, using the chassis of a variety of cars. The photo looks similar to a converted 1938 Packard, as seen here: https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/j-t-cantrell-company
Noreen- Correct information on Cantrell, a manufacturer that has been covered here.
In the posts cover photo, a Cantrell woody is positioned in front of the Oheka Castle entrance gates.
https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/long_island_automobile_manufacturers_body_builders_2_j.t._cantrell_of_hunti