The record-union., 1895-04-08
RELAY BICYCLE RACE.
The Hundred-MiIe Run Around
San Francisco Bay
WON BY THE BAY CITY WHEEL
MEMS CLUB
An Ex-Minister's Mind Becomes De-
ranged over Defeat for Office, and
He Commits Suicide BY Hanging
Himself at Ukiah-A Six-Year-Old
Boy Asphyxiated at San Francisco.
epsciaI TO the REcoRp-ux1oN.

Special TO the RECoRD-UNIoN.
SAN FRANCISCO, April THE great
100-mile relay bicycle race of the Califor-
mia Associated Clubs has been run, and
the Bay City Wheelmen have shown The
way with their Maltese cross. For the
Eecond time the Acme Club of Oakland
has put its winged acorn in the second
place, and the intrepid young men who
whirl along the roads like jets of escaping
steam are telling how it all happened.
There is mourning in Oakland, but about
the clubrooms of the Bay City Wheel
men on Golden Gate avenue there has
been enough enthusiasm and noise to
start an electric road or run a planning
mill.
The fact that the victory was unex-
pected gave it peculiar flavor OF satisfac-
ton, and now the Bay City men are
wondering how anybody could have
doubted that they would win. They
went right out at the start. scored close
seconds in the first and second relays,
jumped into the lead on the third relay
and won all the way down the line, with
lots of time to spare, when Mayor SutrO's
letter to Mayor Davie OF Oakland was de-
hvered 10 the officials at the finishing
tape in the city over the bay.
The Garden City boys are the sorest of
all, both physically and mentally. 1t
was generally thought that they would
win. They won last year from the
Acmes, and had they come in first this
time they would nave been within one of
the necessary three successive wins to
eutitle them to the championship cup.
But they had a long list OF hard luck
stories to tell. Their champions were re-
ported in accidents Of no less than five of
the ten relays, and the best they could do
In the face of adversely was to finish
third with spill.
There was great crowd about Ninth
and Market streets this morning.
Wheels were flashing and gliuting every
vghere. All down Ninth street the peo-
pie packed the sidewalks About the
corner the crowd craned and peered and
jostled for position III the endeavor to see
the seven thinly clad young men who
were ready to ride the first relay-the
worst relay OF all-irsm Ninth and Mar
ket streets TO point on the bay road be-
tween the sea Point House and Basin.
get ready" shouted De Witt Van
Court, the famous wrestler, who had
charge of the start. Then the seven rid
ers jumped to their places. Languentin
OF the Bay City wheelmau was on the
outside HardenbrOok OF the san Jose
Road Club next, then Taylor of the Re-
lance Club OF Oakland, Schlueter of the
Acmes Of the same city, Smith, the Gar
den City crack; Edwards, the sN lit O!ym-
plan, and Alcayaga OF the Calf Cycle
Club on the inside.
At the starting signal there was an in
stants cOmmotlon. Then out darted
Languenun and Edwards. Turning
from Market street into Ninth Ian
quentin talUered an instant. At once Ed
wards shot into the lead. Languentin
was at his hind wheel and the Others in
close bunch. Down Ninth street they
daried, going like gale. The crowd set
up shout and then held in its breath,
the riders were going at such killing,
dangerous pace. BY and by groan
came floating up the line. Edwards had
taken a tumble. He was up and on again
however, a little daZed and plucky to
the finger tips.
When Protrero avenue and Seven
teenth street was reached it was seen that
Languentiu was leading, setting a hot
pace, but a blanket would seemingly
have covered ali the bunch with the ex-
ceptiOn of Edwards, who had not recov-
cred from his tall and seemed to be labor
ing painfully. Up the sharp six-mile
hill they went without any apparent
diminutlon of speed and little change in
position, though Edwards was getting at
himself more and more with every yard
OF progress.
Down on the road between Baden and
the Sea Point House was gathered an ex-
IeCldDG
ant stood the. men who were to run the
second portion Of the long, hard race ..
i. Pickard was there for the Acmes, rosy
checked +. q. Lacy for the Bay City
Wheelmen, w. kIutz for the Calf
Cycling Club, Tony Delmas for the
Garden City Cyclers, w. j. Christ for the
Olympic Club Wheelmen, +. Dieckmann
for the Reliance and W. Harris for the
San Jose Road Clue
shout went UP, Here they Gomez 4
tall rider driving like the scud came into
view. Close behind him three others
came whizzing. Everyb body strained his
eyes TO catch the device on the first mans
uniform. ITS Edwards sung out
long sighted Olympian. Sure enough it
was Edwards. He had recovered from
his spill, and ridden grandly. On he
came. Christ swung into his left, caught
the message from his hand, anu swept on,
on, on with the wild acclaim of Olympic
ringing in his ears
Mixed with the shouting came the
murmur, Look at Languentin." The
Bay City man had been fourth at the
fourth last hill. There he put in all his
reserve energy, for hnal spurt, and
rushed by HardenDrook and by Smith,
coming in second, only four and half
seconds behind Edwards. Lacy swung
in to take Languentiu's package, and was
hardly away before Harden brook of the
Road Club was at the line giving his
packet TO Harris. Smith was close be-
hind Edwards but 200 yards from the
wire. He turned into a side path and
ran into DIeckman, the Reliance man,
who was waiting tor Taylor TO come III.
Smith was spilled and Dieckman's wheel
was wrecked. Smith went on to the
wire, and got there twenty-five seconds
after the leader, but carrying the first
hard luck story of the Garden Citys, who
always VIII believe that but Tor the accl-
uent Smith would have come TO the tape
first.
Tony Delmas got Smiths package, and
whlrled on IN the chase with lTemend-
Gus burst. When he passed out of view
he seemed to be cutting down the leaders,
but alter time lie was back with the
second hard-luck story, having got a
spill by running over his friend Cary,
near MlllDrae, Cary having waited Tor
hlm with fresh bicycle to be prepared
for emergencies.
sSchleuter OF the Acmes was the fifth to
finish the first relay. He was over a
minute behind the leader. TayIor of the
Reliance was sixth, three minutes late.
and Alcayaga OF the California Cyclinp
Club last, four seconds behind Iavlor,
Harris of the Road Club ran into a hole
and got terrible fall. He got UP and
rode on, daZed and bleeding
Following is a copy of the letter which
the winning wheelman carried:
MAYORS OFFICE.
SAN FRANCISCO, April Z, 1895.
John L. DuUie, Mayor OF O0kiqld. CaL.
MY DEAR SIR: In the early days OF
California we had pony express. which
dashed along the plains and across the
Sierra Nevada Mountains, mounted on