Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-06
sAvANNAH's VISITING wHEELMEN
The Cyclists Trip to Macon and Their
Part in the Recommendation They
Brought Home the Prize.


The Cyclists Trip to Macon and Their
Part in the To'Hrnament-How They
Brought Home the Prize.
The Savannah wheelmen, who went to
Macon on Wednesday to attend the
bicycle tournament, returned home yes
terday morning. The party comprised
Messrs. Abbott Thomas, Allison Bell, J.
r. Saussy, Jr., Bloom Brown, Frederick
NJ. Tunison, G. f. Deterich and John Tur-
ton. On their way back they met at Mil
len Aleek II. MacDonell, member
of their club who had been absent from
Savannah about two weeks in North
Georgia, and was returning home from
Augusta. When he saw his fellow wheel
men in the car and caught sight of their
machines, he was greatly surprised, as he
was not aware that any of the Savannah
club intended to go to Macon. On learn
ing that some of them had partici-
pated in the tournament, and that
one of them had won the second prize, a
handsome gold medal, his intention to up
braid his friends for not informing him by
telegraph of their proposed trip, gave way
to expressions of pleasure and gratifica-
ton. A reporter of the MORNING NEWS
learned from those who returned yester-
day that when they went to Macon none
Of them had decided to enter the race as
the rains had prevented them from prac-
ticing for over two weeks Immediately
preceding the contest, and Mr.. Thomas,
who won the medal, had been out of prac-
tice for much longer period, his machine
being broken and only repaired a day or
two before the race occurred. On the ar
rival Of the party in Macon they met the
wheelmen from Columbus and other cities
and participated in the street parade,
Which attracted great deal of attention,
being witnessed by thousands of people.
Messrs. Thomas and Saussy decided f.
nallv to enter. The contestants in the
five-mile dash were r. S. Ingram,
of Columbus, John Polhill and
w. A. Taylor Of Macon, ABBOTT Thomas
and j. II. Saussy, Jr., of Savannah. A
large number of other wheelmen were
present with their machines, but not as
contestants. The half mile track was
lined with people. At 4:45 O'Clock on Fri
day afternoon in the midst of a shower of
ram the word '.Go'' was given
with Thomas in the lead, followed by
Saussy, Ingram, POlhill and Taylor in
the order named. Thomas kept the lead
until near the finish, when Ingram made
a squirt and came in first in 81 minutes
and 26 seconds. Thomas was only a few
seconds behind, and received the second
prize. Mr.. Saussy was fouled
during the race by Taylor,
anu bOtu lSbuCu lOm luS bIdChe
When Ingram and Thomas were known
to have won the first and second prizes
many of the spectators rushed upon the
track to congratulate them. At this juno
ture Mr.. POlhill, who was a quarter of
mile behind, came dashing in and ran in
to Mr.. Madison Jones. Mr.. Polhill re-
mounted his bicycle and finish
ing the fifth mile was awarded
the third prize of SIS. 1t was the inten-
ton of Mr.. Thomas to enter the mile
race, but owing to a misunderstanding it
was called with only one entry-John
Little, of MacOn-on the track. This
gentleman made the mile in minutes
and 81 seconds, and was presented with
silver fitting pitcher.
The Savannah cyclists speak in the
highest terms of the courtesy shown them
by the citizens of Macon, and by their
brother wheelmen of the State who were
at the tournament. 1t is proposed to have
another contest in few months, probably
at Columbus, where there is a good track.
The tournament was the leading feature
of the days sports at Macon, and the first
contest of the kind that has ever taken
place in Georgia.