Omaha daily bee., 1889-03-21
AND OMAHA STILL LEADS,
The Local Rider Keeps Her Place
Inothe Front.
IMPORTED BlcycLlsrs FOLLOW.
Last Evening at the Coliseum Marked
BY Vigorous, Squirting, Tre-
mendousa and In
teresfing Incidents.
The BfcycIe Race.

The seven fair bykers were promptly on
the track at 1880 last night, and another
splendid attendance was on hand to send
them of. The smoothness of the start was
somewhat marred by series of contretemps
that might have been avoided by little FORE
sight on the part Of the respective esquires
of the ladies' In the first place, Miss Will
iams toppled from her machine just as the
pistol was fired, and before she could re-
mount, the others had gained half lap on
her 1t was not as bad as 1t might have been,
however, for had her competitors been
aware of her mishap they could have
easily gained full lap on her. But
Miss Williams, while she has quite
as much speed as the fastest of them, with
also greater powers of endurance, and she
was but short time in recovering her lost
ground.
Shortly after this mifortune Miss Lewis,
who is among the leaders, discovered that
she was not upon her own wheel, and she
was compelled to halt and make a change.
1t eventuated that the handlers had made the
blunder, mounting Miss Lewis on Baldwin's
wheel and Baldwin upon Miss Lewis. Thus
both lost q lap in making the change.
Then again, after all were under full
headway, yellow dog made his appearance
on the track, and all the contestants were
compelled to slow up, in order to avert an
accident, until the canine could be chased off
the course. This was no easy task, for he ran
yelping around the track as If he had an old
oyster can attached to his caudal appendage.
One OF the attendants took after him, and
amid the screams and laughter OF the crowd,
the exciting chase went Finally the purp
leaped over the balustrade among the aud
ience at the lower end of the track and the
emulous wheelers again had a clear field.
Miss Oaltes, who seems to possess varied
wardrobe, appeared last night in light blue
waist, white knickerbockers and black hose,
while white plume nestled among her
raven tresses. She signitied her appearance
last night by cutting tremendous pace from
the beginning, and succeeded in recovering
several laps from her nearest competitor.
Miss Baldwin looked as bewitching as
ever, and her spasmodic spurts of
wonderous speed were of course again greeted
with the uproarious plaudits of thousands
OF hands and voices. She is great favorite,
and the frequent expression among the audi
ence was, ''Oh l wish that little thing could
win." 1t is forlorn hope. Williams is al
most a dead sure winner, and local pride is
certainly to be satiated. She is TOO strong
and determined for the rest and. it is pre-
dicted, will increase her lead from this on
out.
The interior of the Coliseum at half past
last night was scene calculated to enthuse
any one. Every seat was occupied and the
spacious promenades' crowded with applaud
ing and Interested spectators. 1t was the
second largest audiences ever assembled
here, and it is no exaggeration to place it at
5000 souls. = "a
b. AT twenty minutes after s o'clock Miss
Williams completed her one huudredth mile
in six hours and ffty-eight minutes, within
thirty-fve seconds of Louise Armaindo's
best time. Miss Woods completed her one
hundredth mile in $3.50. Sir Thomas Eek an
nounced these feats to the audience, and the
ladies were given a tremendous ovation.
Miss Williams evidenced her appreciation of
this demonstration on the part of the audi
ence by squirting out from the bunch and
gaining lap on all the rest before they
hardly realized what happened. Miss Woods
fought gamely to prevent this, but it was no
use, and she was compelled to give up. The
strain upon her in this arduous work was too
much for her, and she was compelled to dis.
mount and rest for several minutes. She had
been sick all day, and the only wonder is
that she was enabled to go on the track at
all. During this absence from the track both
Baldwin and Lewis gained fully eight laps
upon her, which again gave Lewis second
place.
The difficulty with the foreign ladies seems
to be that not single one is in condition. 1t
is well known fact that Misses Oakes,
Lewis and Baldwin are excellent riders and
that none of them have come anywhere near
their former best records. An over-indul-
gence in bonbons and tropical fruits may in
measure account for some of the far ones
inability to do themselves credit.
NAT fifteen minutes after 9, at the spe-
cial requests of the speeding wheelers ac-
cording to Manager Eck's announcement.
the Council Bluffs fife and drum corps, con-
sisting of Jack Prince, fifer, Birdie Knapp
bass drum and Jack Kineman tenor paraded
around the saw dust track playing ''The
Girl Left Behind Me-" The trio was
greeted with wild and continued applause.
AT half past nine Williams led Lewis one
mile ana three laps and Woods one mile and
seven laps and was gradually gaming.
BY magnificent riding Miss Oalkes, toward
the close of the evening, overhauled and
passed Miss Brown, and is now in fifth place.
The wind-up was made in a perfect pandi-
monium of applause, the audience seemed
utterly beside itself, and arose as one person
and cheered until echo answered echo. 1t
was one of the most exhilarating scenes ever
witnessed in the city of Omaha, which is be-
coming famed far and wide for her life and
prominence IN sporting affairs of all kinds.
Following is the score:
Miles. Laps.
WlillatnS. ...........'...'..'...l .lS9 v.
Lewis .....................l2 1871 @