The morning times., 1895-07-22
ROAD RECORD AGAIN BROKEN
Quick Time Made by Parks Between
Baltimore and Washington.
evo Hours and Forty-seven and One
BALI Minutes Records of wahl
and Wood Fister Knocked Out.

Atpresent there seems considerable doubt
as 10 who holds the shington
road record The fact that there are tHO
routes between the TWO cities helps mater
IaIly 10 increase the doubt and by no
means alds IN the solution OF the problem
as 10 which OF the several riders belongs
the record claimed
One road via Ashton is said by some
20 be iOTty-nlnc and by others only forty
three miles long The other road is via
Laurel and is said to be between thirty
line and forty miles long and by far the
roUghesr and most hiIly and IS genefany
conceded to be the worst highway IN this
section OF the country.
Now, about two years ago, l. c. Wahl,
formerly Of tins city, but now residing
at Colorado Springs, Colorado, claimed 10
have made the run via. Ashton In tue re-
maTSable short JiTne OF two hours and
forty minutes. This record was very much
doubted, even by the wheclmen who helC,
The watches at their end
The best previous record wasmade by ].
C. Wood in 3 hours and % minutes, and be
was paced the entire distance.
The Century Road Club Of America, which
organization controls the official road
records o. America, allowed Wahl's claim.
Now here Is where that allowed record
is placed in doubt. Harry Park, one Of
the best local riders and trick wheel per
formers made TWO attempts last fall 10
break the record, and tie best he could
do 10 Ashton, twenty-five miles from Balti-
more, was two hours, ana be quickly ar
rived at the conclusion that the remaining
eighteen miles could not be made in less than
forty-nine minutes. which would have 10
be done in order 10 better the record al
lowed; II would be a physical imposSIb.lIty
TO do IL.
Parks was not alone in hisdoubt aboutthis,
but many local riders agreed that 1t could
not be done in the time claimed over that
particular road.
The first twenty-five miles, which are over
inuumerable steep hills ana steady upgrade,
would have TO be ridden IN one hour and
forty-five minutes and the remaining cigh-
teen miles in one hour and four minutes,
which is generally conceded 10 be a prac-
teal lmpOssibillty.
On the 18Th instant Mr.. John j. FisteT,
one OF our hardest road riders, after a
most Creditable ride, made the ride via the
Ashton road in 5 hours II Ia minutes,
or eleven minutes better time than
Woods record HerTow claims the Bal
timOre-WaSLIngton record, but in view OF
the fact that the Century Club VIII not
recognize any record unless below the
time made toy Wahl upon which record it
had officially decided, he lad bis trouble
for nothing
On July 10, 1894, Parks made the run
over the old Washington road via Laurel
id 3 hours minutes On this ride he
was duly checked at the start enroUte and
at finish
Upon making claims for the record
Parks was informed 10y the Century Club
that IL must decline to allow the claim,
because IL did not surpass Wahl's When
the club was Informed that the ride was
made over an entirely different road, IT
replied that IL allowed records only for
the quickest time made from point TO
point, regardless Of the road taken. and
which latter matter was left to the dis
Cretion of the rider.
Abiding by this decision. Parks on Fri
day last succeeded in making the run via
Laurel in two hours and forty seven and one,
half minutes. being two minutes better
than Wahl's claimed record and thirty min
utes better than listers locally accepted
record.
Fister now claims that Parks did not
break his (Fisters) record because he did
ride over the same road over which he made
his record OF three hours and seventeen and
one-quarter minutes. But it seems without
doubt thar Parks is entitled 10 his record
because he was not riding 10 break Flster S
record, but 10 make a Baltimore-Nashlng-
ton record and which he did, and Of which
he claims 10 have ample proof. II remains
20 be seen if the Century Road Club VIII
officially accept Parks record.