The San Francisco call., 1896-03-28

American Wheelmen, has issued division
bulletin, reading:
Sanford Plummer San Francisco, and John
Kitchen Jr, Oakland, have been appointed
official referees OF the North California Divi-
sion.
Division championships for 1896 have been
established at the following distances:
Quarter mile, half mile. one mile, two miles
and five miles. open only to amateurs.
Prizes are medals OF d design prescribed by
the division board, costing S35, for set OF
three, one each OF gold, silver and bronze
petition on application. K. NJ. WEIGH,
Chairman North California Division Racing
Board.
Since the New York World saw fit to
employ Arthur A. Zimmerman, the
world champion to edit its cycling col
umns the New York Morning Journal has
engaged the services or Eddie C. Bald last
years champion class B rider. When the
racing days are over there is still field
for the bicycle champion.
The Alameda Cyclers willshave try-out
at San Leandro tomorrow to aid Captain
Dodd in selecting his relay team. A Ian
tern parade on a large scale through the
streets OF Alameda IS being arranged for
the near future.
Inferior tubing in bicycle is the worst
of constructive faults. No matter how fine
the enamel which may cover it and the
superior luster It possesses, the inherent
weakness of the frame presents an element
OF danger, and the manufacturer who uses
tubing of this character is criminally neg
Hgent. The worst phase of it all is the
policy OF deception which floods the mar
ket with bicycles of inferior character
under the gulse of "high-grade wheels"
this season, owing to the difficulty of
securing high-grade tubing, buyers of
wheels cannot exercise too much care. 1t
is not safe under existing conditions to
choose hastily from the large number of
new makes daily making their appearance
on the market because they look nice on
the surface
Boomers are rapidly passing into de-
cadence, from all we can Judge by a Pc
rusal of the Eastern cycling press reports.
Last year there were bright prospects for
this style of garment, and the costume
was accepted with general favor. But
when a certain class OF women adopted the
apparel and misused it, the strong minded
women all over the land discarded it at
once. Now a compromise has been made
on the bloomers and short skirt. This
costume will be very generally adopted
the coming season. 1t is neat and emi-
nently respectable. 1t has been asked
whether this suit will be practicable on
diamond-framed wheel or tandem. As
bloomers will be worn the same as hereto
fore, and the skirt over them will be short
and OF very light material, it will be quite
feasible to wear the costume on mans
wheel. Ladies who have ridden mems
wheels would not care to go back to the
drop-framed style of bicycle again, and
there Is no reason why they should, as the
skirt they are now asked to wear will be
only the length of the bloomers and is
really only intended for appearance sake
when off the wheel.
Physicians certificates relating to the
merits OF new patterns OF bicycle saddles
IN the majority of instances are far from
being 1nfallible, and should be accepted
with the greatest caution by intending
purchasers. Doctors often Judge saddles
merits upon its theoretical basis, without
witnessing the results of practical tests or
making the tests themselves. Softness
and elasticity are by no means the prime
requisites of saddle construction, and
where these features are pronounced the
saddles possessing them have proven use
less when the rider is called upon to do
even an ordinary amount OF riding.
fiftymile ride will best test the vir-
tues OF d saddle, and how many OF the new
freaks which are marketed under the
name of saddles will stand the test to the
satisfaction of the rider? A firm seat is
the essential thing for easy riding, and
only by the use of firm seat can a bicycle
be kept under proper control.
The saddles last year furnished with the
standard makes of wheels were of leather
top firm and durable, elastic enough for
the purposes desired, and purchasers of
1895 bicycles of that character had no
cause Tor complaint. 1t will be wisdom to
select the same class of saddle this year, as
freaks are destined to have a brief and in
glorious career.
J. n. Britain, the well-known wheel
man of Los Angeles. will leave that point
for this City about the Sd of April, making
the trip awheel by easy stages along the
coast road. He will follow the route laid
out by the league road book.
Most of the leading colleges of the coun.
try will hold distinct cycling tournaments
the coming season. The intercollegiate
Athletic Association appreciates that
cycling is the favorite sport and is en-
couragiug it immensely. 1t would be
wise move for Stanford or the University
of California to hold such a tourney.
The San Francisco Road Club will hold
its postponed ten-mile try-out tomorrow
morning from Fruitvale to Haywards, and
Captain Pixley has called club run to go
over on the 9 o'clock boat. Not until the
result of this race is known will the clubs
relay team be decided upon, other reports
to the contrary notwithstanding.
The Fowler sextet has been taken to
Portland by John Plows, who has it in
charge. There is possibility that he NAV
return here with it before going East, as
Mr.. Plows is trying to secure an all Cali
fornlan racing team for the National cir
cult, and arrangements are now being
made with several of the noted local rid
ers. There will probably be four or five
men on the team. all OF whom must be
extremely fast. Mr. Plows knows the ma
terial is here, and he intends to find it.
The Bay City Wheelmen is not a body
of superstitious young men and save for a
bulldog mascot named Mike" they have
no good-luck fetch or other symbol of for
tune around the clubhouse. But one of
the members claims to have had premo-
milton that the club was going to win the
coming relay race and he is willing to bank
on the reliability of his information. 1t
seems he attended one of the spiritualistic
sessions of Anna Eva Fay the other even
ing. When she made the customary re-
quest for questions from the audience
upon pieces of paper he sent up the query,
''W bat club will win the 1O0-mile relay |
race next month";" What was his sur
prise and delight to hear the answer. later
on, "Some one in the audience wants to |
know what club viii win certain bicycle |
race; it will be won by the Bay City |
Wheelmen." From the assurance OF Pres |
ident Kerrigan and Captain Plummer ever |
since l am half inclined to think they be-
lieve it will be so, but, nevertheless, they |
will hold their try-out tomorrow at San |
Leandro.