The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-03
THE WHEEL.

THE WHEEL
Road Races That VIII Take Place To-Day.
The Acme Club Cyclists.
Club runs and road races to-day. Gar
den City CycIers-Run to Los Gates.
Imperial Cycling CIub-Five-mile road
race over San Leandro course, starting at
Up. NJ.
Liberty Cycle CIub-Run to Preside
and Fort Point, starting at A. NJ.
Olympic Club NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
run to the Beach, starting at 10 A. NJ.
San Jose Road CIub-Five-miIe road
race.
Another week OF this pleasant weather, ac-
companied by the prevailing northeast winds,
Will have q tendency to dry up the roads and
make it possible for the wheelmen to COM
mence taking their usual runs into the eoun-
try The riders have been kept indoors so long
by the constant rains that during the past
week they have taken every advantage of the
pleasant change, riding TO and from work and
out to the park in the evenings. To-day will
see large crowd in the park, while great
many will doubtless cross the bay for spin on
the san Leandro triangle.
The Imperial Cycling Clubs fye-mile handi-
cap roadrace will be run to-day over the San
Leandro course starting from Fruitvale at l
o'clock sharp. There are twenty starters, and
the limit man receives two minutes handicap.
The entries and handicaps were printed in
THE CALL OF last Friday. The majority of the
Imperial rider seem TO think the race lies be-
tween f. NJ Byrne, who is on the scratch mark,
and E. Barley, who has thirty minutes handi-
cap, although opinion is about equally divided
as to the merits of the pair. Edwards, Reid,
Hurst and Harvey are good road riders, and
ho Cd mn To he T-all nm in Thl
bunch at the finish. There is q $105 bicycle
offered to any contestant breaking the hve-m1le
road record, but this is hardly likely, as the
riders have not had much training, and the
roads are not in their best condition. To wit
ness this race it will be necessary TO take the
IL o'clock broadgauge boat and local train to
Fruitvale.
The regular meeting OF the Imperial Cycling
Club viii be held tomorrow evening. The
principal business to transact will be the cleo
ton of a captain, Mr.. Conger having recently
resigned The nominees to I'LL the vacancy are
J. 5. Egan and \. J.. HOlHng.
A great deal OF interest has been manifested
by the wheelmen in the Edwards electric pace
maker, partial description OF which was
given in THE CALL of January 20, and give
herewith further data regarding the device.
The idea originated with George E. Wolfrom,
assistant city engineer, and Wilbur J. Ed
wards the racer of San Jose. The object of
the invention is to provide mechanism es-
peeially adapted for q pacemaker to be used
in trials of speed for bicycles, together with
windbreak or shield which viii protect the
rider from the resistance caused either by the
wind blowing directly against him or by the
current formed by his own velocity. 1t is
three-wheeled vehicle, provided with seat,
and the electric operating mechanism is be-
tween the two rear wheels operated by levers
within reach of the driver. An aperture pro-
tected by plateglass is left in front for the di-
rector of the machine to see ahead
From the front part OF the frame trolley poles
or arms extend toward the sides, carrying upon
the end a trolley-wheel, which connects with
the conducting wires around the inside of the
track To the frame of the machine is secured
the wind shield, which consists OF sides Of
sheet steel, meeting in front at an acute angle
and opening toward the rear so as to include
the vehicle portion and, at the same time, by
reason OF this divergence, providing a space of
sufficient width behind which the rider will be
protected from the resistance of the wind so
long as he remains close behind the machine.
The machine has vertical guide rollers which
travel upon permanent guide fixed parallel
with the curb in such manner That when the
rollers trayelupon this guide the vehicle will
be constantly kept at an even distance from
the inner line or curb. The power viii be
transmitted through wire which viii run in
side and along the permanent guide on the in
side of the track. The wheels of the machine
win be 28-inch safety bicycle wheels pneumat-
ieally tired
The machine has been passed upon favorably
by c. B. Van canon and Z. c. Sessions of the
California Electrical works, San Francisco, who
concede the pTacticability and feasibility of
the same. The machine Is at present protected
by caveat. The inventors expect to show it
at the cycle exhibition this month. 1t has been
figured the machine can run at the rate OF
mile minute.
The Terriu brothers will be prominent fig
ures on the track this season. They will
ride the Stearns. Harry has the mumps,
but is rapidly improving, and viii soon be out
again. He is the fastest class man on the
coast, and with George A. Nissen of Alameda,
who viii ride the Orange-rimmed wheel, they
will make pair hard 10 beat.
The Olympic Club Wheelmen viii hold their
long-deferred ordinary" run to-day, TO the
beach and return, with Captain Thornton in
charge, leaving the clubhouse at 10 A. NJ.
The san Jose Road Club viii hold a ten-mile
handicap road race to-day in that city for
silver cup trophy. The entries and handicaps
are: F. A. Mcfarland, scratch; V. A. Benson,
45 seconds; W. Harris, minute; G. Navlet,
~ minutes; F. Smith, 2 minutes; c. X. Ben
iamin, 3 minutes. Benson has won the cup
twice and Harris once. To possess the cup it
must be won three times
Wilbur F. Knapp has recently returned from
St. Helena and the Napa Valley, where he has
been for his firm, and can recite an incident of
his trip well worth listening to II you will ask
him.
The Liberty Cycle Club has secured rooms at
the corner of Mission and Erie streets, where
they are now comfortably housed. The club
ambitiously following in the footsteps OF the
older cycling organizations here, viii give a
'smoker" the latter part of February, which
will be novelty in its way. To-day the cap
tain has called a club run for Fort Point and
the Preside, not caring to take his men into
the country this week
The Bay City Wheelmen are having some i'm
proyements made around their clubhouse. The
billiard-room is being papered, and the Office
has been renovated and will receive a coat of
whitewash.
The National Assembly of the L. A. w. win
meet on February Is in New York City, and, it
is expected, will enact some legislation par
ticularly beneficial to league members in this
State. One will be taking off the initiation
fee. Another will empower division racing
board chairmen to appoint one or two official
referees to serve at race meets, whose expenses
viii be paid by the league.
The Spading team on the Eastern circuit this
Coming season will doubtless be the fastest on
the track, as it will comprise the three we'll
known riders Sanger, Cabanne and Titus.
The San Jose Road Club hes issued invita-
lions for series of monthly hops, to be held
during the spring months, the dates OF which
are as follows: February /, February % Goal
en- masque), March l, April and Mays. These
functions viii prove very enjoyable, and will
doubtless be well attended.
Edwin ards Osen. DaYis. Jones and Delmas. of