OUT AMONG THE WHEELMEN. - Reliance Races Coming This Afternoon. - LIBERTY'S LADIES' ANNEX. - San Francisco Chronicle, September 07, 1895

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OUT AMONG THE WHEELMEN.

Reliance Races Coming This Afternoon.

LIBERTY'S LADIES' LADIES' ANNEX.

SAN JOSE TO BE INVADED BY WHEELMEN
Friends of Foster and Edwards Endeavor to Arrange a Match Race for Them.

The attention of the wheelmen during the past week has been engrossed in the details for the races to-day at Oakland Trotting Park, given under the auspices of the Reliance Club.

The relay race of ten miles, in which each club enters five riders who each ride two miles, is a decided novelty and should prove the best drawing card on the programme. It will be found when the races are called to-day, that the men who have been following the Pacific cyclist circuit will be in much better shape than those who have stayed at home. They are bound to assert their superiority when it comes to close finishes. The entry list is a large one and the handicaps are considered good, so that those intending to visit need feel no alarm that it will be a dead affair.

Apropos of this racing circuit there has been a great deal of talk pro and con as regards the racing qualities of those two star performers, Walter F. Foster of the Olympics and Wilbur J. Edwards of the Garden Citys, and the talk has turned in the direction holding a special match race between these two speedy riders to determine the superiority of one over the other. Were it possible to arrange such match to take place at the races on Monday to be given by the Garden City Cyclers at San Jose, it would repay the outlay and would prove one of the best drawing cards ever offered to the sport-loving public. Foster's champions claim that Edwards would not dare meet him alone in a match race at any distance, while Edwards' adherents make a similar claim as regards Foster.

The annual parade of the California Associated Cycling Clubs, which will be held at San Jose on Monday, bids fair to be highly successful.

In the matter of prizes the Garden City Cyclers have generously offered $75 (to be expended in merchandise, as desired) for the club having the largest number of C. A. C. C. men in line, and also a similar prize to the club making the best appearance in the line of march. In awarding the latter prize the uniform and position of the men and condition of the wheels will be considered.

The committee having the affair in hand states that the parade will start at 10 A. M. from the rooms of the Garden City Cyclers and the clubs will be formed in line alphabetically. Following them will be the unattached clubs. In a circular issued by J. F. Hancock, the secretary of the C. A. C. C., he states that clubs desiring special baggage accommodations for wheels on trains returning from San Jose on Monday night will report the same through their captain to H. F. Wynne, stating the number of wheels and division over which they travel.

No special excursion train will be run by the C. A. C. C., but a round-trip ticket good from Saturday morning to Monday night for $2 may be obtained at Southern Pacific offices.

The picnic which was scheduled to be held on Sunday has been abandoned owing to previous affairs of this kind having proven such dismal failures.

The races will be called Monday at 1:30 P. M., and will be finished in ample time to allow of catching the regular trains.

The sport has received a great deal of attention the past week owing to the accidents, and much comment has been the result. As far as the continual jar on one's spine is concerned, this can easily be averted by the use of the recently introduced pneumatic saddle cushion, and the physicians are advising its use among their riding patients. It is admitted to be a great relief when riding over rough roads.

As regards the recent accident to Miss M. Hall and George Macleod, who were injured while riding their tandem, it is to be regretted, as it will act as a damper for a time and keep the ladies from riding. While the facts remain so clear in the minds of the public, it would not be ill-advised to suggest to the numerous cycling agents that a return to the use of brakes on machines would not be entirely out of order. It is to be regretted that the manufacturers continue to send their wheels from the factory minus this most necessary article, and it would seem quite right that the California representatives should call their attention to this fact. A brake weighs but a small fraction over a pound, and in time of danger it is invaluable. Had this particular tandem been fitted with a brake, perhaps this accident could have been averted. In speaking of brakes on tandems, it would be well to think over the plan recently suggested by an old-time wheelman, in which he claims that the tandem above all wheels should be fitted with a brake, and that not only the front rider should be able to use it, but the rear rider as well, as in a majority of cases where the lady rider is too nervous for prompt action, here is where the two brake levers come in most handily.

[Tandems in this era put the female rider in front. - MF]

The Alameda county road race, which was run last Saturday over the Haywards course and contested by all bicycle clubs in Alameda county, was not such a source of satisfaction as was at first thought. A well-known wheelman who witnessed the race, in speaking of the managers, stated that the timers were hopelessly involved, and the time of the various riders was entirely different from that already published. Several riders who made good time were not properly credited, and the times of several riders were entirely omitted. As has been said before, the race promoters should carefully select the officials who are to handle the race, and great care should be exercised in securing competent timers men who can stand at the finishing tape and call times without the least tremor in their voices. Had the clubs belonged to the California Associated Cycling Clubs, the trouble would have been averted, as a board of timers attends every association race and acts as timers, thus relieving the club promoting the race of a great deal of responsibility.

The Crescent Road Club leave this afternoon for Santa Rosa and will stay until Monday, returning on the afternoon train.

At their last meeting the prizes won in their recent road race were distributed, after which a sumptuous repast was enjoyed by all present. A committee is arranging to hold five-mile races In series for a trophy to be won three times before the final possession.

The Santa Rosa Wheelmen will at tend the San Jose races on Monday in a large body.

The first general meeting of the Southern California Associated Cycling Clubs will be held at Riverside on Admission day, when the season's plans will be considered. A joint run between the Imperial Cycling Club and the Garden City Cyclers is on the tapis and will come off as soon as the circuit races are at an end.

The Imperials have arranged to move into their new quarters on Van Ness avenue, and all Improvements to conform with a wheelman's need will be a feature in their new home.

The Liberty Cycling Club expect to be in their new quarters, corner Twentieth and Folsom streets, now by September 15th, and the various winners of their road race held on the following Sunday will be formally presented with their prizes on the opening night proper.

At the last meeting of the Outing Road Club an election of road officers was held, which resulted in the following choice: Captain, E. Meussdorfer; first lieutenant, D. Solomon; second lieutenant, Sol Peiser.

This club will promote a five-mile handicap road race on Sunday next, entries for which close on September 11th with the captain.

A gold medal for first prize and a silver medal for second is offered, also several valuable merchandise prizes.

Captain John Burke has called a run of the California Cycling Club for tomorrow, leaving clubrooms at 8 A. M., with destination as San Jose. This will be the initial appearance of the entire club in their new uniforms.

J. E. Fagothey and wife will journey toward Watsonville to-day, intending to return to San Jose in time to witness the parade of wheelmen. Mrs. Fagothey is an ardent lover of the sport and claims that in more ways than one has her riding experience proved both pleasurable and beneficial.

The street lying to the right of the Park panhandle is just at present receiving attention in the shape of smooth bitumen.

A five-mile handicap road race, which will be held on Monday over the San Mateo course, will prove a most novel as well as exciting one, the excitement, perhaps, being confined more to the contestants than to any who happen to be witnesses. The race is to be for a $30 gold medal and the honor of being the recognized champion of class Z. [I think this is a joke, there was only Class A and Class B. - MF] F. W. Eaton and M. Casey are the scratch men, W. J. Kennedy has two minutes and A. C. Forsyth two and one-half minutes' handicap. The race will start at 10:30 A. M., and Alex Acheson will act as the starter and timer. To more clearly explain how he can officiate in the two positions, it should be understood that immediately the scratch men leave Acheson, who is a crackerjack rider, will mount his wheel and pedal down to the finishing point, there to await the coming of the mighty champions. Kennedy is looked upon as a sure winner, he being a devotee of the wheel the past three weeks, which places him as a veteran rider among the combination. The Olympics are backing their popular superintendent to win, although his duties at the club have somewhat interfered with his training spins, not to say anything about the Park guards prohibiting his using the grass plots to ride on, it being softer than the regular roadway when falling.

In case the entire quadruplet of riders finish the same day they will be banqueted at the country residence of F. M. Eaton at San Mateo.

The Pacific Cycling Club will leave this afternoon on the Stockton steamer, returning on Monday.

Captain A. C. Thornton desires that all members of the Olympic Club Wheelmen will report to him at the Garden City Cyclers' rooms at San Jose at 10 A. M. on the morning of Admission day to join in the parade of wheelmen.

The Olympics' relay team for the races at Oakland Trotting Park to-day consists of J. E. Edwards, E. Chapman, R. Irones, G. Fuller and C. F. Lemmon. As substitutes in case of accident, B. W. Bernhard, C. N. Ravlin and G. E. Kreutz will be on hand.

Last Saturday's run of the Olympic Club Wheelimen was a most enjoyable affair. Upon arriving at Stockton they were taken in hand by the Terminal City Wheelmen and Stockton Athletic Club, and together a band of fifty wheelmen they rode to Lodi, enjoying an elaborate luncheon specially prepared, after which they adjourned to a watermelon patch.

In a short space of time a full wagon-load of melons had disappeared except the rinds, which were stacked in a pile. At a given signal a battle was started and rinds of melon were flying right and left. Captain Thornton seemed to be the special aversion of each until his clothes resembled a slaughter-house, when they each and all apologized for their seeming rudeness and quiet was restored.

The Olympics voted their run a success and the two local clubs able entertainers. On the return home H. H. White and L. H. Cox, who were mounted on a tandem, set a scorching pace and established a record of forty minutes between Lodi and Stockton, this being two minutes under previous existing record.

Captain V. A. Dodd has called a run to San Jose to-morrow of the Alameda Cyclers, starting at 8 A. M. from the clubrooms.

Jesse F. Ives' of the Alameda Cyclers being also a member of the Reliance Club, fills a place on that club's relay team, but will ride under the Alameda colors, black and orange, at the San Jose races.

The ladies' annex to the Liberty Cycling Club will hold a most enjoyable three days' outing, it being the intention of Mrs. N. A. Robinson, who is the captain to leave at daylight this morning, riding down to San Jose on the Oakland side. Here a lunch will be partaken of and a start then made for Mount Hamilton. At Smith's creek the wheels will be laid aside and the balance of the journey to the top will be continued afoot. That evening the members will stay at Smith's creek, and on Sunday morning early, they will again ascend the mountain top, this time taking their wheels so that the entire return trip can be ridden. Monday morning they will attend the parade and perhaps take a part, although Captain Robinson states that they intend riding home Monday and may make an early start which will prevent their attending the parade. It will be seen that according to the programme 120 miles will be covered in the three days' riding, and one-half of that will be on the Mount Hamilton trip, which speaks well for the endurance of the lady riders.

W. J. Christ, who at one time held the ten-mile Coast record for so many months, has resigned from the Olympic Club Wheelmen and has joined the Outing Road Club. He will ride from scratch in the Outing's race next Sunday.

Lewis C. Hunter announces that the Olympic Wheelmen will hold a meeting on Tuesday evening at the clubrooms. Many wheelmen vouch for the information that the return trip from San Jose by way of taking the steamer at Alviso, is proving a most popular one. The steamer leaves at 7:15 P. M. Sunday evenings, fare 50 cents. A substantial supper is served on board, and the trip up the bay is a pleasing novelty over the old orthodox style of taking the train. The Captain is a wheelman and a jolly good fellow.

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