Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-05-31
BIG SPORTING EVENTS.
Plucky Wheelmen Lower the
Worlds Bicycle Records.
THREE GREAT ROAD RACES RUN.

Callahan of Buffalo Won tho Martin Road
Race-Seven Others Smashed Records
Rau, - sixtcen-year-old CycIer, First II
the Chicago Road Race-Other Sports.
CHICAGO, May 3l.-The Chicago Road
race, the successor of the historic Pullman
bicycle event, was run over the new North
Side course, and the finish was wit
messed by an immense throng of enthusi
astic spectators. The successful contest
ants for honors were as follows: First
Fred Rau, Chicago man, time about *
minutes; second, J. j. DeZenek; third, A
Widen; fourth, J. SHELTON; fifth, A. Jack
son.
AS soon as the last starter had disap
pearcd the immense crowd which lined
the course became unmanageablC. Surg
ing back and forth, straining ut the ropes
and crowding over one another in the at
tempt to reach n point of vantage, the
driveway was soon black with people
Ropes soon parted, and police lines were
broken through, and in the crush many
people were knocked down and trampled
upon, although none was seriously in
Jurcd. The mounted police time and
again charged the surging lines, and only
after n vicious amount of clubbing was
the track cleared
Soon disabled riders began to make their
appearance, limping down the course and
showing or carrying their broken steeds.
The first man back was .. Zimmerman of
the y. NJ. c. A, a relative of thinner
man, the crack, and one of the riders who
was expected to make n good showing.
He collided with IA mounted policeman
within n mile of the start and returned
with badly smashed wheel and strain
ed arm.
The Belmont avenue turn developed in,
to dangerous point in the course, and
many of the riders went down there.
Three men-E. c. G. Touch w. II. Gross
and William Holmes-met ut that point,
and q terrific collision occurred. Gross
and sHolmeS were badly disabled. Many
minor accidents resulted from punctured
tires and buckled wheels and during the
hours wait for she finish a sorry looking
procession of bruised and bleeding wheel
men limped past the judges stand and
hunted up physicians.
Some Serious Accidents.
All along the route people were gathered
inthe windows and on sidewalks watch
ing the racers as they whirled by, occa-
sionally urging them on with hearty
cheers. The men who dropped out or Were
disabled along the way We're overwhelmed
with offers of assistance, and many were
sent back to the park in carriages.
One of the most serious accidents OF
the day occurred near the finish. +. Lind
quiSt of the Lake View club was coming
into the final stretch at n scorching pace
with half a dozen riders punched around
him. y sudden swervc threw Lindquist' 5
wheel against two others. The rider was
thrown from his machine, and the wheel
was wrecked. Lindquist was unable to
rise from the twisted pile of spokes and
tires and was aided by friends. He was
taken to the tent in which his club had
headquarters, and physicians who were
called pronounced his injuries very serious.
His shoulder was dislocated ani his body
badly bruised.
The finish WAS an exciting one. AS the
cry went up that the men We're coming the
crowds surged forward and wrrc beaten
back by the frantic police, who Were bare
ly able To keep the way clear for the CON
tcStants The leaders swept down the
stretch at "A terrific pace, every man show
ing all that was i'll HIM AS Rau shot
over the tape "a howl of joy went up from
his friends and the crowd cheercd in sym
pathy. Dczenek was a hot second and
then the men came punched, for the first
IS or 20, all pcdaling by at breakneck
speed. Then came the stragglcrS, some
working hard and others taking it easy,
but each one cheered by the crowd.
Rau was pulled from his wheel and car
ried up and down the course on the shout
ders of his frantic friends, to be greeted
on every side with congratulations. The
time made was considered good, taking
into consideration the stiff northeast wind
against which the men had to pedal and
the race was unanimously pronounced the
most successful, all things considered in
the history of the famous event.