The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-09-16
ROYAL ROAD RACE.
= ahrAT h9Esg ZOE wnERLMEN.
me ING bicycle Speed Contest between
UsiontOWs, Pa, aud This City Yesterday.
Good Time Made over Poor Road.
Tho Winners of the Prizes offered.

The Royal ROlllCkipg Road Race, in
which bicyclists in this city and vicinity
and especially those in Western Pennsyl-
yania, have been taking such great inter
est Of late, and about which considerable
has been published, took place yesterday,
and was in every way as great success as
had been anticipated. OF course there
were accidents, utthey were expected.
The race was cotton up by and under
the management OF J. v. stevenson, Of
Greersburg, Pa, 8 bicyclist OF considera-
BILE renowD, he having done some re-
markable work in the way Of distance
riding on his wheel. The six gentlemen
that be interested in the sport sufficient
" to enter for the race were G. W. Beck,
Of Greeusbur$; ]. N. CIiIchlow, Of Beaver
Falls; 7. F. Cummings and K. L. Stuff,
Of Scotldale, and O. I. Kramer and Will
liam Beesou, OF Uniontown. The race
was from Unfontown to Stamm's Hotel,
10 this city, over the National road, via
Brownsville, Washington and West Alex
ander, a distance Of over 6S miles.
THE START.
At 4 o'clock yesterday morning the
word was given and the riders started on
one OF the hardest trips they had ever
taken. The day was beautiful one for
the contest; It was bright and clear, yet
not too warm. The road for q portion OF
the way was not in the best condition, ow-
ing to the recent rains. The route at its
best is hard one, there being SO many
hills, necessitating considerable walking,
and making the liability to falls and
headers greater than ordinary.
The racsra rode the following machines:
Beck, 47.inch Columbia Light Roadster;
Kramer, a 5l-iuch Columbia Light Road
ater; Beesou, a 52.inch Columbia Expert;
Critchlow, a 81 inch Victor; Cummings. q
52.inch Columbia Expert, and Stuff, 81
inch Special Columbia. They all travelled
light, taking only few necessary tools,
medicines that might be necessary, and
their Jackets. What other clothes they
wanted for use at this end Of the line were
forwarded by express.
Beck was in the lead when Brownsville
was reached, distance Of twelve miles,
which he covered in one hour and q half.
Between tina. portland Washington, how
ever, he lost his wird, and Beeson reach
ed that classic burg first, st ll:40 O'Clock,
Eastern standard time, which was the
tune tho race was run by. Kramer was q
close second and Beck was not fur behind.
TOO KIND.
These three were at this time far ahead
Of the balance, and stopped few mo.
ments for refreshments. Kramer stopped
too long: his friend b elk was so badly
tagged out that he was almost ready to
drop out OF the race. But Kramer &c.
cured some nice grapes that refreshed him
very much, rubbed his head and in other
ways handled him; ill he was in good
shape, and they started out together.
Kramer pulled along lively, and
by the time West Alexander was
reached he had passed Beeson
and was leading. He maintained
this lead until Wheeling Park was reach
ed, when Beck, who had recovered his
second wind, slipped by him like whirl-
wind, and keeping up the terrific rate at
which he was going, reached the Stamm
House at 5:0S:45 o'clock, winning the
gold medal offered as first prize, and beat
his friend Kramer s minutes and so sec
onds.
Kramer tried hard TO recover his lost
advantage after the surprise occasioned by
Beck's appearance bad passed oil, but his
efforts were useless, and seeing this he
slowed down aud did not reach the Stamm
House until 5:l7;15 O'Clock, standard
time.
OTHER ARRlvAfs.
Beeson put in an appearance at 5:2S
O'Clock.
Critehlow was the fourth man to arrive.
He did not get in until about 8 :45 o'clock.
The speediest man, OF course, was Ste
phenson himself. he rode 5S-inch
Columbia Expert, and was first in at every
important point. He reached the finish
at 5:0S:S0, having made the distance in
10 hours, 8 minutes and 80 seconds. What
the actual time, not counting stops, Of any
OF the men was, is not known. Stephen.
son proved himself wonder. He was
off and on all the time now waiting
with cup Of water or "a lemon
for the leader, or else coach
ing him or some OF the others. Even
after his long ride he was able TO show
his little wheel to all the fresh riders who
tried a brush with bin along the route,
including several OF Wheelings crack
riders. He is over 9 feet in height, very
slender, but muscular, enthusiastic over
the sport, and full Of fun.
Beck, the winner, is the smallest and
youngest member OF the party; in APP
pearance he Is mere lad.
During the evening Cummings and
Stuff put in an appearance, having been
obliged to come from Washington by rail,
their wheels having been wrecked so as
to be useless by falls. Cummings was
within twelve miles Of Washington when
be broke down, and he had TO walk that
distance, q circumstance that Of course
was not pleasant one, nor the situation
one TO be desired.
rnLInWINa FoR PuN.