Created from paper prints at the Library of Congress, "Early Days of Motoring" shows some of the first motion picture footage of cars. The film starts with shots of horseless carriages maneuvering in traffic with pedestrians and bicyclists. At 4:40 the first Vanderbilt Cup Race is shown. The Vanderbilt Cup was the first major trophy in American auto racing. t was founded by William Kissam Vanderbilt II in 1904 and first held on October 8 on a course set out in Nassau County on Long Island, New York. The announcement that the race was to be held caused considerable controversy in New York, bringing a flood of legal actions in an attempt to stop the race. The politicians soon jumped in, holding public hearings on the issue. Vanderbilt prevailed and the inaugural race was run over a 30.24 miles (48.7 km) course of winding dirt roads through the Nassau County area. At 8:06 the Glidden Tour is shown at Mt. Washington.
At 10:50 one of the cars in the race is seen under repair while it makes the hill climb! The Glidden Tours, also known as the National Reliability Runs, were promotional events held during the automotive Brass Era by the American Automobile Association (AAA) and organized by the group's chairman, Augustus Post. The AAA, a proponent for safer roads, acceptance of the automobile and automotive-friendly legislation, started the tour to promote public acceptance and bring awareness of their goals.[1]

The original Glidden Tours were held from 1904[2] until 1913. They were named after Charles J. Glidden, a financier and automobile enthusiast, who presented the AAA with a trophy first awarded to the winner of the 1905 tour. At the turn of the century automobile travel was difficult as the road systems around the world were generally not well suited for the horseless carriage. The film ends with shots of an early speed race that looks like it's on a beach, possibly Daytona.

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