Omaha daily bee., 1896-05-31
ROAD RACE DREW The CROWD
Contest Much More Exciting Than that of
Last Year.
PKLtY CAPTURES THE TIME PRIZE
Exciting Finish between Him and
McCnll-Frcd Barnum Gets First
Money with IL Two and II Half
Minute Handicap.

Any one who has heretofore doubted the
fact that this city has gone crazy,
should have been a spectator at
the Dodge street road race yes
terday afternoon. 1t was the Sec
ond annual read race, given under the
auspices Of the Associated Cycling clubs and
was a grand success. The field of starters
was not as large as it might have been,
there being but thirty-four entries, while
last years race had thirty-five. The fact
that only members of clubs were allowed to
enter, undoubtedly kept the list down. The
men who did start, however, were. as a rule,
much better riders than those of last year,
therefore the race was even more interesting.
Decoration day is quite proverbial for its
usual downpour of rain, and the aspect of
the sky yesterday was not such as would
tend to discourage this expectation. The
light morning showers laid the dust and left
the course in elegant condition. There were
fully 1000 peup there, and they came in
all manner of ways-afoot, horseback, on
wheels, in carriages and buggies and on
street cars. There were all kinds of people,
too. not only common folks, but there were
representatives. from the 400 There were
carriages there by the hundred, some of
them the swell outfits of the town. and con-
tanning their swell owners. Running between
their wheels and their horses feet were
hundreds of the small boys of the city, who
came out to cheer their juveni e friends who
were in the race. But the great mass OF
people was composed of those who came out
in the street cars as far as they could and
then walked the balance of the way
CROWD LINED THE COURSE.
The course was over the white macadam
road, ever hills, down into dales, five miles
and back again. People were scattered all
along it. but were crowded along the eastern
end. At the starting point it was difficult
for the officials to do their work. However
they managed to get the men off in coed
order, and there were no falls or delays
after the first bunch got the word to 60
The handiCapping was very good, and the
men finished much closer than they did in
last years race. Fred Barnum of the Tour
ist Wheelmen, who had handicap of two
minutes and thirty seconds, succeeded in
getting back first, and therefore, won the
first prize, which was a $100 opal ring, sur
mounted with diamonds. Barnum was closely
followed by McNider Sawyer, Koonz, Hos
ford and Houston in the order named.
There were only three scratch men, and
at the crack Of the starters pistol they were
away like a flash, with Plxley setting the
pace and it was not until the course had
been nearly half ridden that they began
catching up with the handicap men. Mccall
of Denver set most of the pace, and was
largely responsible for the fast time made,
which was, 2S.4S, or neary four minutes
bstter than Holoway's time of last year. The
finish between Mccall and Pixley for time
prize was very close, the latter winning by
about two feet. The banner offered by the
Associated Cycling clubs to the club whose
man crossed the tape first was awarded to
the Tourist Wheelmen, whose club repre-
sentatives won both first and time prize.
Summaries: