The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-10
FUTURE OF THEL. A. w.
1Ts RAPID -DIsTNTERGATION PRE-
DICrED ny AN Ex-0FFICIAL.
Riders of the Present Day Want to
See ProfessionsI Races and Are
Tired Of Amatcarfsm.


rocky road at the present time. Its MEM
bership has been on the decline for two or
three years past. and last year the number
suspended for nonpayment of dues was ex-
tremely large. The entire trouble seems to
arise in the firm policy of the J.. A. w.
board in maintaining so-called amateurism
in the racing rules of the league. Gradual
~ the best riders are slipping Away from
what Bearings very appropriately calls
shamateurism and joining the ranks of the
professionals; but to do this they must go
to Europe, where such hide-bound rules do
not exist.
Zimmerman, Wheeler and Banker have
had such success in France that others,
who classed as amateurs, are
turning longing eyes in that direction, but
dislike to take the decisive step because it
would bar them from every track in this
country. Sanger has boldly declared
against the L. A. w. rules and for cash
which would bar him from thes l.. A. w.
tracks. Cabanne, who did some good work
in the meet here last summer, is thinking
coming out in his true light OF profession
al racer. Johnson has had some serious
break to the professional ranks. and will
upon as the man an who f1 viii make the break
which will carry with it some of the fastest
According to an ex-officiai of the League
of American Wheelmen residing in Chicago
the league iss now verging on to destruction.
He states that for the last few years in
terest in the organization has been waning,
and that unless the new president of the
Moses. and can lead the degenerated into
the light, there is no hope for it. This gen.
1.-THE chief trouble in the league is this: 1t
purportS to be a great wheelrnen's organ
ization with q number of high sounding pur.
poses. It claims to stand for the rights of
every cyclist, to advance the cause of good
roads and other. vague and general matters.
the fact of the matter is that its super
vision of racing is the. only possible excuse
it were not for the fact that young fellows
like Zimmerman and Johnson get together
now and then you would never hear the
name of the league mentioned. AS q super
visor of racing the league is all right; but
what can't understand is why big salaries
whatever to do with the government of rae
ing, and why an organization like the league
should exist at all for that purpose. The
force of these facts is coming home with
emphasis to thousands of men who have
who take no interest whatever in racing
matters. They are asking themselves what
possible good the league can do them, and
IN year. or two the membership of the
members who take active interest in rae
Ing, and having reached that equilibrium
tnere II Will stay.
William l.. Sachtleben, who has girded
the globe on his cycle, sailed March from
New York on the steamer La Champagne,
bound for Armenia by way of Paris The
object of this trip Is to aid in the search
for Frank G. Lenz who was last heard of
In Armenia while attempting to circle the
globe on his wheel. At present there are
two searchers looking for the missing
w mi rta In ha ~
the American Board Of Foreign Missions
and the Presbyterian Board of Foreign
Missions. Mr.. Sachtleben will take per-
sonal charge of the searching party, as he
Is TO some extent acquainted in that cOun-
try, and he will attempt to interest the in
ternational commission which recently COM
menced investigating the alleged Armenian
Frank g. Lenz started on his trip around
the world June a, 1891. being the first man
to undertake to go around the world from
east to west. He started from the City
Hall in New York and travelled by way of
ing the track of the Northern Pacific to
Spokane Falls. From there he went to San
Francisco, which place he reached Oct. 20,
1892. He crossed the Pacific, and by Christ
mas he was on the border of China. LEM
passed through northern China, feat
which no other traveller had ever performed,
and thence to Burmah. Then he wheeled
through India ard Persia to Turkey. He
Persia, at Tabriz. The theory that Lenz is
now living in bondage in the hands of some
half savage tribe is the one most believed
by his friends, and this is the cause of the
prolonged search. However, 1t may be pos
sible that the young man met his death in
some mountain pass or in trying to ford
one of the dangerous streams. During the
winter months the country where Lenz is
supposed to have been lost is entirely inn
passable and little will be accomplished
by the searching party until next summer.
The latest thing among bicycle riders is
the talk of organizing a ladies' cycling
club. Now that the young men have placed
new club on a firm foundation, the ladies
are wondering why they cannot also have
one. Such a thing would not be new. Ev-
cry large city, and a number of smaller
ones, have one or more ladies' clubs de-
voted to bicycle riders. Now that the in
terest in the sport is being awakened to a
great extent among the ladies by the new
riding school, and the society women
predicting the extensive use of bloomers,
with good prospects for knickerbockers in
the near future, the same ladies
dering why club could not be organized
and successfully conducted. There are sew
eral hundred lady riders in the city, and
among them lis large number with lib
ING IN . suiet tNav amonS their fr; Ih and
the young men are looking forward to the
time when their club will have rival or
ganized by the other sex.
Thomas w. Winder, newspaper man, of
Warsaw, Ind. started from New Orleans
last Monday trip through the United
GtdteS Oh MS WHeel. Inc Trip is on a wager
and to establish a record. The distance he
Is TO travel is estimated by way of circuit
tous roads at 1900 miles. to be covered in
three hundred consecutive days, which is
an average of seventy-two miles a day. He
will cross thirty-three States and Terrific
ries. 220 counties, visiting 2.2S4 Cities towns
and villages. and registering at seventy-six
places route. The registering and check
ing will be in charge of the L. A w.
Winder is also expected to earn his expenses
while out. which he will probably do by
newspaper correspondence.
The Century Road Club has complete con-
troll OF the road racing this season, and has
adopted new set of rules. No records I'M
der five miles will receive any recognition
in the future and no distinction will be
made between paced and unpaced miles and
competitive and noncompetitive records, the
desire being 10 place on record the fastest
time for a given distance. Only records
made according TO the Century rules will be
recognized. To become a member of the
Century Road Club necessary qualification
is that a rider shall cover one hundred miles
in sixteen hours.
July to- 10 has been selected for the
holding of the annual l.. A. w. meet at