100 Years Ago This Week: May 24-June 6

From The Indianapolis Star, Friday, May 30, 1919: The stage is set for history’s greatest speed carnival. Tomorrow an expected 100,000 spectators will see the fastest field ever as thirty-three speed demons push their mounts around the 2½ mile brick oval at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the international auto classic 500-mile Liberty Sweepstakes. Foremost gasoline gladiators of the new and old world will compete for a share of the $50,000 (2018: $735,741) purse. Seven of the drivers turned the track in elimination trials at a speed greater than 100 miles per hour with Rene Thomas of France setting a track record of 104.7 mph in his famous Ballot car. There will be little activity at the Speedway today. Drivers and mechanics are permitted to adjust their mounts and the drivers will receive their instructions this afternoon at 4 o’clock.

From The Indianapolis News, Thursday, June 5, 1919: The Indiana Woman’s Franchise League today called for quick ratification of the suffrage amendment passed yesterday by the United States Senate. Indianapolis attorney Emma Eaton White, president of the Legislative Council of Indiana Women, called upon Indiana General Assembly members to request Gov. Goodrich call a special one-day session of the state legislature to ratify the amendment. Mrs. White said, “Action of this kind might start a wave over the country, other legislatures following the example of Indiana. Indiana is not a state that follows, but one that leads, and I do not want her to be among the last to ratify.” Sara Lauter, president of the Indianapolis Franchise League, has called a special meeting of the League’s board to plan an appropriate celebration on the Senate’s adoption of the suffrage amendment.