The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1896-07-04

try on q wheel. His speed on the road
way has never been questioned. In
several instances where he has been
called upon to suppress a racing
man who showed "scorching" speed on
the roadways or drives the cop" po-
liceman on a wheel has never failed to
run the lawbreaker down. The belief
Of the men on wheels Is shared by the
police commissioners. and they are
anxious to do everything possible to
make the race a success.
Though he has been twice defeated
by Fftzsimmons. Peter Maher has very
little regard for Fitz's fistic abilities.
ard thinks him about the easiest of
all the big men. In an interview with
Macon" recently he was asked. Were
your eyes really as bad as reported?''
Il was in a bad way sure enough.
he replied. Continuing. he said: THE
space around the ring was enclosed
with white canvas that was very try
ing on my eyes. and back Of the can
vas the cliff was almost as glazing.
But the worst Of all was the covering
of the floor Of the ring. The naked
boards would have been bad enough.
but they stretched white canvas all
over the ring and it was as trying as
snow. AS true as 1 am a mortal man
/ couldn't see Fitz plainly, so as to
Judge my distance. even when we were
standing up. talking to the referee. be-
a very good judge of distance, but I
give you my word of honor, except
when he clinched me. / wasn't certain.
at any time. whether he was within
reach or a yard beyond. I fought at
random, like. Had / been able to see
him plainly 1 would have put him out
in the first round. for the two cracks
I gave him on the head, they tell me.
had him half groggy for a moment and
had I been able to see him plainly I
would have welted him for keeps with
out doubt" This coming from Maher
has not much weight, however, with
the public But the fact cannot be de-
MED that the canvas and the glaring
cliff had a great deal to do with his
defeat. While it is hardly probable
that Maher could put Fitz out, even
while in the best condition, he GER
tainly could make a better showing
than he did when they last met.
The subject of 81 improvements Is
pretty young. but it is nevertheless
just what the manufacturers are most
concerning themselves with at the
present time, says the American Cy-
clist." The prevailing standard will
be carried along another year-perhaps
for all time-but progress will be man.
ifested in betterment of details. and
the term details is comprehensive
large to come under the head of nov
elites and innovations. Although riders
have as yet had but comparatively
little experience with the larger tubing
introduced this year. its superiority to
the small tubes of the past has been
made plain. and its use will be con-
tinued. The machine is more rigid
there is less ..winking" of the frame
and a resulting saving of the riders
strength. A general change in spokes
may be regarded as a possibility.
There is, in certain quarters at least.
tendency to return to the straight
spoke. Difference to fashion seems to
have been the main incentive to the
universal adoption of the bend at the
hub. but from the mechanical stand
point the bend has never been re-
garded as an improvement.
According to the common belief ball