The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-05-31
CHICAGO ROAD RACE.
Homer Fnirmon Wins and George l..
Emerson Gets the Time Prize.

Ill. May 30.-The ninth annual
Chicago road race, covering a course of a
fraction over eighteen miles, from the
Grant monument. in Lincoln Park, TO
South Evanston and return. was run to-
day. and resulted in a victory for Homer
Fairmon, of the Chicago Cycling Club.
Fairmon started from the five minute forty
five second mark in the handicap. and made
the run in the riding time of ffty-four min
u;es and thirty-six seconds. Fairmon. al
though a beneficiary Of the unavoidable
element Of guessing that figured in handi-
Gaping a race of 52s entries, rode in good
form and finished comparatively strong.
Last year he rode in the same event. but
fell before completing the circuit. As he
had not been d factor in any other cycle
races, he must be put down as a winning
dark horse" as nave been nearly all the
winners of this race since il was first start
ed. in 1887. and run over the South-side
course. TO Pullman.
The most remarkable work of any of
the riders was that Of George l.. Emerson,
OF the Englewood Cycling Club. who start
ed from the 2:30 mark and finished second
N ffty-two minutes and fourteen seconds.
securing the MISUNDERSTANDING prize for
best time. Emerson has been seen on the
track and road for several years, and al
though rated high. was not thought ca
pable of the ride he accomplished to-day.
in 1893 he secured third time in the Pull
man road race. but since hat time he has
not figured prominently, excepting some
fast work on the track at Rockford. ILL.,,
in the same year. Englewood, a southern
suburb Of Chicago. gathered in the greater
part of the honor in to-day's race. securing.
besides the time prize. second. third and
eighth places by the fast riding OF Ros-
back. Hoffman and Frosh, respectively.
Fred Rau. who won the race last year,
captured second time. ahead of the scratch
brigade. which was led by Decardy. Balm
bridge and Peck. Decardy heat Cambridge
over the tape by a few inches. and the two
got third and fourth in 54:O9. T. l.. Baird.
the high gear man." from st. Paul. rode
in fine style. his time being 55:Ol.
While any one of a dozen men was free
l. mentioned as likely to win, popular
choice was divided between Peck. Balm
bridge and Decardy, the scratch men, but
the idea was quite prevalent that the time
winner would come from among Winship.
Day. Levy. Bowden, Larson and Nezelle
brothers. IL was said Larson had made the
run in but little more than hfty-one min
utes.
Levy was said TO have done the distance
in dfty-six minutes. and was conceded to
be a DANGEROUS man. Even the most con-
servative wheeImen said the time would be
cut down BY several seconds.
The weather was warm and the. wind
neither north nor south 10 impede the
men. 50 that the conditions were favorable.
About 1000 people viewed the start and
finish. and fully 10000 saw il throughout its
length. going and coming. AT the finish
the scene was Of unusual color for a bicycle
race. The crowd was banked against the
ropes in solid masses, and IL required 80
policemen TO keep the excited crowd from
breaking down the rope barrier and swarm
ing on the track. Tally-ho coaches TO the
number OF a dozen were stationed along the
line of the finish. and the 40 or more con-
~testants started and returned to the toot-
ing OF horns. The event was probably the
most brilliant ever carried out in the cycling
line.
ut 3 o'clock the official result was an
nounced as follows:
Mime OF the race. Homer Fairmon, or
Time winners. first prize. George Emer-
con. OF the Englewood wheelmen. Time,
5214.
Second prize. Fred Rau. Time. SOB.
]. NJ. Deworak. OF the Chicago Cycling
Club. crossed the tape first. but was dis
qualified on his own admission that he did
not ride over the full course. There were
scores Of slight accidents during the race.
but only two or three were in any way
serious. John Swarthout c0llided with a
fellow who had strayed out into the track
Just after he had crossed the stretch, and
both had 10 be carried away. Swarthout is
said 10 be internally injured ard In a seri-
Gus condition Ashley p. Peck. Of the Lin
coin Cycling Club. had a bad tumble at
Pratt avenue and Clark street and broke his
<ollarbone.
Ascending to the decision OF judges the