The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-08-16
THE RELAY RACE
From Washington to Denver Fin.
ished Sunday Night.
An Immense Throng Greet tho Relay Rldcrs
on the Last Section at Dcnver-A
Sandstorm La Nebraska Delayed
the Race For Several Hours.

DENVER, Col, Aug. 1.-THE relay
race of the l.. A. w. was finished Sun
day night at lo:37-six days, ten hours
and seventeen minutes from Washing
ton. The signal rocket Mt Sand Creek,
five and three-fourths mile distant,
went up at 1913, and the cheering of
the waiting crowds that lined the
streets soon heralde1l the on-coming of
the wheelmen.
The riders on the last section, George
Mccarthy and George W. Hart, camo
ON Arapahoe street to the corner OF
Sixteenth. and from there up Sixteenth
to the county courthouse, where an
immense throng had been patiently
waiting since s o'clock.
The governor received the pouch.
and took from it the messages, reading
the one to himself and his telegraphio
reply, and handed a message to Gen.
Cook and one to Mr.. Blncls. who had
charge Of the race from Washington,
from Representative Springer.
The governor then said:
mir. Mccarthy, Us the governor Of
Colorado l desire TO thank you for the
delivery of this autograph letter, which
was placed in the h1nds of the first re-
lay whcelman at Washington. August
6. at l2so'clock noon, by the private
secretary of the president OF the United
States. In future. as 1t will he q mat
ter of pride to you and your fellow
bicyclists that YOU had part In this
grand achievement in helping to make
this wonderful record of the skill and
speed of the American whcelman."
Turning to Mr.. Black the governor
said:
"Mr. At. Black, of Jacksonville, ILL.,,
Of the l.. A. W., 1t Is my pleasant duty
to congratulate yon as the manager
and promoter OF this great enterprise
upon its suspicious termination. You
have aroused new interest In that
bone6cent invention, the wheel, which
has already produced SO exceeding a
change in locomotion. The fact is, the
wheel is the greatest invention Of mod
ern wheels in tho head always
excepted Laughter.
Gen. McCook then read hts reply to
Zen. Greedy, after which the crowds
slowly dispersed.
The last one hundred miles was COW
cred under the most favorable condi-
ton, little or no wind and smooth,
hard road that was an inspiration to
the flying wheelmen.
The sandstorm which the Nebraska
riders ran into Saturday night was a
most unfortunate occurrence. 1t de-
layed the race several hours and pre-
vented il being completed in six days,
ms was anticipated Saturday when tho
news that such excellent time wns
being made in Eastorn Nebraska was
received here. but west Of Julesburg
Sunday morning the sun found the
presidents message moving steadily
westward, sixteen miles per hour. The
couriers arrived at Cheyenne at $40 p
m, where the best riders of that oity
received it without seconds delay,
and were off for tho south like the
wind The road from there to Greeley
is smooth and hard, with occasional
hills or slight rises, giving tho men
chance for an occasional coast"
The Cheyenne boys were greeted
few miles north of Greeley by IN cs-
cort of local whcclmen. who set Il kill
ing pace on toward their city. and the
pouch was transferred to the Denver
boys with the same celebrity with which
it had been changing hands since Mon
day noon.