Festivals · Competitions · Races
Motor festivals and races of the Auto Garage Términus in Barcelona (1903–1906)
Between 1903 and 1906 the brothers Domingo and Enrique Balet, founders of the Auto Garage Términus, took part in some of the events that marked the early years of the motor car in Catalonia: gatherings, competitions, excursions and races. The press of the time reported on their participation and that of their cars, and this page brings together, in chronological order, what was published about five of those occasions.
Each section contains the original reports and, where available, the pictures of the time. Use the contents list to go straight to the event you are interested in.
Terrassa Festa Major (July 1903)
According to the weekly Los Deportes of 12 July 1903, the Balet brothers took part in a motoring gathering in Terrassa.
"In the fairs and festivities just held in the town of Terrassa, sport played no small part, for besides a football match, last Sunday there was a motor-car competition promoted by Mr Niquet, attended by a good number of cars from this city, since from the Auto-garage Barcelonés only the Balet brothers came, with a magnificent 12-horsepower Benz Parsifal, this year's model, very elegant and sturdy, D. Antonio Miguel and Mr Truco with a Dion, Mr Comas Sola with another of the same make, and finally Mr Pena with a handsome Darracq, in which the illustrious writer Pérez Galdós also rode.
Besides the promoter, Mr Niquet, there also attended: from the Nuevo Garage, its owner Mr Fradera, with an 8-horsepower Darracq, this year's model, and from the Autogarage Central Mr Bosch, with an 8-horsepower Wors.
Every car that took part in the competition was presented with a magnificent flag, a very beautiful work of art, bearing the inscription: Fiesta mayor de Tarrasa año 1903.- Concurso de - Automóviles..."
Motor-car competition at the Festes de la Mercè (Barcelona, 1904)
La Vanguardia of 1 October 1904 carried a report on the motor-car competition held in Barcelona the day before for the Festes de la Mercè.
The article gives the winners in order, so first prize should have gone to Mr Ramon Casas's Sleigh, but we have found a photograph with a note written at the bottom saying that the first-place winner was the Balets' rabbit:
"In the motor-car competition attention was drawn by the three cars representing a sleigh, a fire engine and a rabbit. The other two cars were richly decorated with flowers, foliage and fabrics.
The jury awarded three equal prizes of 500 pesetas each to those first mentioned and two prizes of 300 and 200 pesetas to the remaining two.
The prizes were awarded in the following order:
- Sleigh: a Dion voiturette owned by Ramon Casas, ridden by him and Alejandro Riera, dressed as Russians.
- Fire engine: a Renault, also belonging to Ramon Casas, decorated by Alejandro Soler y Rovirosa and ridden by him and by Oller, convincingly dressed as firemen.
- Rabbit: a Cottereau car, decorated by Miguel Utrillo and entered by the Balet firm.
- The other two cars belonged to Mr Abadal and Mr Fradera."
Source: La Vanguardia newspaper archive
Journalists' cycling trip and meeting with Mr Balet (April 1904)
Los Deportes of 10 April 1904 describes a cycling trip around Barcelona by one of the magazine's journalists and a group of friends, who met Mr Balet along the way. The text does not say so, but he was most likely travelling from the Can Balet house in Vallromanes (the summer residence of his father, the master builder Domènec Balet i Nadal) to Barcelona.
"The season has come when, thanks to the fine weather nature lavishes upon us, many excursions can be made with little fear of their being spoiled by rain. Last week Mr Degollada had the idea of making a bicycle trip every holiday so that we could visit and take copies of the beautiful landscapes of our Catalonia and breathe the oxygen so necessary to the human body.
So, putting our cycling ideas into practice, on Monday the 4th Messrs Degollada, Balagué (Ramón), Juliá, Cases, Sagrera and the undersigned met at six in the morning at the Estació de França to go as far as Badalona, for every cyclist knows the dreadful state of that road; once there, we set off at a good pace towards Montgat, admiring the beauties of nature: on one side the calm sea bathing the lovely beach and kissing the road; on the other, high mountains of many hues, full of crops and bathed in sunshine.
We headed inland towards Alella, where we bought what we needed for lunch, and went to a lovely spring near the road between that village and Granollers, from which Montseny can be seen, its snow-covered peaks reflecting the sun to fantastic effect; after lunch we went on to Granollers without the slightest mishap and in perfect shape to continue our journey; as we were about to leave, Mr Balet arrived in his handsome motor car, having covered some 100 kilometres, as the dust clinging to the car bore witness; the gentleman kindly invited us to visit his garage, an invitation we accepted. On taking leave, they headed towards Alella and we towards Mollet and Masrampinyo, where we were entertained by the owner of the farmhouse called «Manso Catafau»; we then went on to Montcada, Sant Andreu del Palomar, Horta and Casa Gomis, the party breaking up on Passeig de Gràcia at a quarter past twelve, having covered some 55 kilometres without the slightest setback, and looking forward to Sunday to continue our cycling, which we hope will find many imitators, so as to promote sport, so necessary in our unfortunate country. José Casamajó Llorens"
The Balet brothers in the “kilometre” race (1904)
In Los Deportes of 24 June 1904 the Balets appear first on the list of entries in the motoring section of a "kilometre" race.
Domingo Balet, organiser and sponsor of the Barcelona–Madrid endurance race (1906)
El Noticiero Universal of 10 February 1906 published the following report:
"Representatives of several important organisations of this city met last night to discuss the planned Barcelona-Madrid motor race.
Don Domingo Balet, on whose initiative the project was launched, told those present that the race would benefit many Barcelona businesses, as it would be attended by many tourists and motorists from abroad and from different parts of Spain.
He added that the Civil Governor was willing to give his moral and material support to ensure the race's success, considering it timely as a great celebration to be held on the occasion of the King's wedding and in his honour.
Mr Balet also said that the race would not be dangerous, since it would be a test of endurance rather than speed, and that it would show the quality of the cars taking part and lead to the repair of the Madrid road.
After explaining how the committees to study and implement the project might be formed, several of those present proposed, and it was unanimously agreed, to offer the initiative to the «Automóvil-Club», as it was felt that this body was the proper and fitting sponsor.
To that end, Don Narciso Masferrer, representing the Unión Velocipédica Española; Don Francisco Fábregas, delegate of the Círculo Ecuestre; Don Domingo Balet, as originator of the project; and a member of the staff of EL NOTICIERO UNIVERSAL were appointed to visit the «Automóvil-Club» this morning and inform it of the agreement."
In Los Deportes of 19 May 1906:
"Barcelona - Madrid Race - Spanish Cup
The «A. C. de B.» is well advanced in organising the endurance race to be held next September during the festivities of Our Lady of Mercy (La Mercè).
H. M. the King has accepted the honorary presidency of the Organising Committee.
- The prizes for the race are already substantial, notably that of H. R. H. the Prince of Asturias, a valuable silver cup.
- That of the President of the «A. C. B.», Mr Baixeras, of 1,000 pesetas in cash.
- That of the Hispano Suiza company, of the same amount.
- That of Messrs Balet, a bronze cup and 500 pesetas.
- That of D. José Bertrand, an objet d'art and 250 pesetas."
The magazine La Il·lustració Catalana of 17 June 1906 published 6 photographs of different towns along the Barcelona to Madrid race route, with stops at El Bruc, Fraga, Terrer, Alhama de Aragón and Medinaceli.
