Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-12-08
spORrENG NOTES.
Wawaset scrutinizes inc Wilmington Ri

l
| cyclic Ficld--Who Is 1t That Scorches?
In the current number Of CycliMg, Of
| Philadelphia, "Wawaset" writes rs fol-
lows upon bicycling matters in this city /:
The two things exciting the most
interest here just now are the record
from Philadelphia to Wilmington and
| the eliptical sprocket wheel. On Sunday
week L, II. Pyle, Mcdaniel and Mcrri-
hew had go at the record (held by the
lattef) Of 2.04 from Market street bridge,
Philadelphia, TO Market street bridge,
Wilmington, % miles, made last spring
before the road had been improved.
Merrihew succeeded in getting in first in
t.53, beating the old rccordby II minutes,
which II minutes, curously enough
was all gained from Philadelphia to
Chester, where the road has been i'm
proved. Pyle got in in 1.55 and Me-
Daniel in 1.59.
Last Sunday party of nine went
up to Philadelphia on the 100 u. IN,
boat and started down at 10 o'clock.
Steward made most of the pace to
Chester, and made it so hot that he
shook off everybody except Mcdaniel,
but in doing so he cooked his own
goose, as he got tired few miles this
side OF Chester and gave up. AT Chester
Mcdaniel and Steward were met by @.
A. Elliott, who paced the former all the
way home, bringing him in in lao, in
spite OF stiff breeze and u muddy road.
Merrihew caught and passed Steward
and got within two minutes Of Mcdaniel,
or l.5l. Kirk, who had started ahead
to pay toll, came in next, in the remark
ably coed time, everything considered,
OF 2.13, Including stoppages for toll
tickets. Jackson got in 2.02, @. Speak
man in 2.04, A, Speal1man in 2.Q6 and
Thompson in 2.oS. Steward got in in
about $50, having stopped for refresh
ments along the road
The ride was made very interesting
from the fact that Mcdaniel had had
made and used for the first time on his
wheel an eliptical sprocket wheel. 1t
had two more teeth than the old sprocket,
which geared it up to 70, very high
gear for road work, and he was doubtful
OF his ability to keep up. Mcdaniel is,
as is well known, rider of very un.
certain form, but it seems scarcely prob
able that he would have flushed a bad
last one week and the next an easy first,
in ten minutes better time, had he not
derived great advantage from the
sprocket. II seems just suited to his
style of riding, as he pedals III Jerks, ana
he seemed to have just struck it right.
Ills chief advantage seemed to be on
long, smooth hills, where slow, steady
stroke sent him along at great rate.
The last quarter of the ride told on him,
ms the numerous rough hills did lie.
seem calculated to bring out the best
results from the eliptical sprocket.
The talk of a team road race between
teams from Philadelphia and Whining
ton seems to have died out. The viii
mington boys are ready and anxious for
such contest, but there seems to be q
lack of interest and disclination TO
bring about such a contest on the part
OF the Philadelphians. A race Of this
kind would be very interesting, and it
is to be hoped that it will not end in
smoke.
Is there anything in the air Of Will
mington that leads its riders to scorch ?
The custom Of searching is so universal
that one would think SO. II is said that
week or SO ago quiet afternoon run
was taken by party consisting mainly
OF stald family men, who were out for
their health. There was II. Jackson, on
q tandem, with his boy on the front
seat, w. II. Cloud on his Rambler, G, G, |
Guyer on his faithful Swift, II. G. Hum
phreys on his even more faithful Quad |
rainfall men of family, and some of |
them of considerable family-young
Bisselle, and several Others who are not |
OF much Importance to this narrative.
The party went over to New Castle, and |
after drinking in the quiet beauties of |
the river scene from the Battery they |
started for home. One version is that |
jackson, thinking to have some fun. |
started little scorch, and held his end
up until u stone struck his crank and |
bent it, when he dismounted to repair
damages Another, coming from Culver,
Is that he was going along at nice, easy
gait, when Humphreys came up, evil
IDENTIFY challenging him to bout, which
he contemporary declined TO accept
and kept on the even tenor of his
way, with the result that Humphreys
was first held, then gained on and finally
passed and left far in the rear, gaspine
for breath, and in such bad way gen
orally that he (Guyer) feared serious
The version of "IIum-
phreys' Quad" however, is utterly at
with the others. He AYERS that
- tSh.'A4 SilNt NuSGl tIlttl w AsD nm,
and found to their sorrow that il was
not as easy q job as they thought it
would be- He let them 60 ahead at
first, knowing that they would kill
and was just getting down
10 work and oyerhauling Jackson when
he pretended that something was the
matter with his tandem and got down to
examineit, thus deprving "Itumphreys'
Quad of well.earned victory. Asto
'Whiskers," meaning Gayer, he simply
wasn't in it, as "llumphreys' Quad
sailed past him in great shape, and left
nm fur in the rear. Such are the stories
hat are floating around, AMI it is
that at some near by date these
doughty riders will bid their wives and
antilles a sorrowful farewell, and HE
'orth for deadly scorch tie whole
ength of the Wilmington causeway,
'ach man mailing his colors to the mast
lead, and resolving to "do" or be "did."
She-"You forget yourself, sir"