The evening times., 1896-04-29
SEITET AGAINST EXPRESS
They Will Race About May Is
Near Albany, New York.
VERY PECULIAR BICYCLE
New Workers. Want an Elevate ed Cycle
Sanger Emulatingthe
Example of Fitz and Corbett-L. A.
w.Not Anxious to Accept the A. A.
U. Articles of Agreement

"a a.
If the weather permits there, will be a
race. on or about May g, between sextet
bicycle ami the Empire STATE express, near
Albany, N. Y. Since the bicycle has con-
uuered the horse on the track the friends of
The wheel are anxious to prove even the
steam engine inferior. The fast lille OF
the Empire State express. made in 81 1-5
seconds. is the goal OF bicyclists' ambition,
and u trial at that record will be had. III
This time is beaten it will prove the bicycle
she fastest method of locomotion on earth.
A track six miles long is now being pre-
pared parallel to the tracks, near Albany.
The wheel has already been built aud is a
sextet, geared to 1876 inches. II the men
men to ride 1t eau turn their pedals three
times each second as is hoped. the train
record for a mile will be beaten two and
two-rifth seconds. The veteran trainc- of
bicycle riders, John West. has taken c.. sc
OF the riders who are to make the attempt
at the record.
The machine is built on the cantilever
principle, and it is claimed the weight OF
its six riders will not defect the frame in
The least. There are four sprockets used
in gearing, SO that at each revolution of
LHe DeutlS Une DlCyClt
two feet. The entire sextet weighs 1877 1-2
pounds.
1t is not stated definitely who the men
to be placed on the wheel will be. but it
is understood that the team will be made
up from the following men: John Lund or
"Dave" COburn of st. Louis, as steersman;
Fred Rau, winner OF the Chicago road race
in s94; Fred Laughead the young Canadian
champion; John Lawson. the Terrible
Swede;" Fred weage and W. S. Kenyon of
Chicago; F. ". Benkey of Mount Clemens,
Mich: II. Z. Fredrickson. the Nebraska
champion. and two or three others whose
names are not yet given out.
About May l. or possibly week later, If
the weather has not permitted steady train
ing, the entire team, with trainers and sub
stitutes, will go to Buffalo to put a few
finishing touches on their Work before the
final test. A few days on the track itself,
with preparatory brush with some slow
train, will be all, II is claimed, that will
be necessary before the great race is run.
Probably the .'freakiest' wheel of the
year is that owned by Billy Bainbridge,
the erstwhilc English crack. who Is at
present in this country. Billy il training
on the wheel every fine day. and expects
1t to land him up near the front in the
great Chicago Decoration Day road race.
The peculiraiSes OF the wheel are many.
Attached 10 frame of the regular dia-
mond pattern are 22-inch instead of 2S-
inch wheels. The right pedal is attached
to the rim of the front sprocket, which is
IL inches in diameter. The crank to
which this pedal is attached forms one OF
the spokes of the sprocket The gear is
Il, and instead of chain there is an end
less band of spring steel, pierced at intervals
OF about 2 inches 10 receive rivets, which
project through the inner side. The heads
of these rive,s engage with small slots
cut into the periphery OF the two sprocket
wheels. Fitted with light ra eng bars and
wooden saddle of n new pattern, the
freak tips the beam at exactly thirteen
pounds. The wheel is not on the market,
and is the only one of the pattern ever
turned out. H
New York cyclers not only want a cycle
path, but want an elevated one. 1t has
been suggested that the double decked
L road which has been talked Of he made
three -decked affair. the additional deck
to be used as cycle path. When the plans
for the double decking of the elevated rail
road system are presented to the mayor
on Friday there will also b. submitted
for the consideration OF the city officials
separate sketch OF n second plan. which
Will show a three-story structure. the
two lower stories being used by the elevated
trains and the third, or upper, story for a
bicycle path.
To each side of the structure guards
would be erected sufficiently high to pre-
vent accidents to wheelmen At half
mile intervals 1t is proposed that light
elevators shall he erected 10 carry wheel.
men to and from the path.
The structure will lie floored in Georgia
pine to the width of about twenty feet,
and in the center of IT will be placed a
division rail, with openings at quarter
mile Intervals, where crossings may he
made to the opposite track The wheel
ing VIII he regulated, those going north
taking the east track, and those south the
west track II is estimated that 10000
persons would use the bicycle track daily
Nothing Is more Irritating to the vet
eran cyclist than to have some novice |
tear along behind him ringing his bell |
Tor room 10 get past. Practically, the
ringing of bell Is an acknowledgment
that he is not skillful enough in the art
OF handling his bicycle to ride around |
people, and so desires them to get out
OF his imperial way. Such persons should
have mature judgment enough not TO at !
tempt to ride in the most crowded parts of |
large cities. But they have not.
They seem to think that the street is |
made for them alone, and, at the sound |
or their little bell every one must jump to |
make way for their ina ajesty The veteran |
riders disdain to a SIX any odds of any situa- |
tion they ma y find themselves in, and are |
too proud to let anyone know that they |
are In the least discommoded or incon-
venienced in any manner by pedestrians, |
horscmen or stree cars. The ringing of a |
bclli is prima facie evidenced of a lack of con-
ndence on the part of the rider to navi- |
gate without someone getting cut of his |
way.
Walter Sanger the big Mil wauke blonde, |
VINO Is recognized as a mighty fast cyclist, |
is railing right in line with Messrs. Corbett |
and Fitzsimmons in the ma tier of answer !
ing the challeBlDs of rivals. To the many |
reCently received by him he |