Evening journal., 1896-09-05
HUNDREDS OF RIDERS
Bicyclists Who Are in the Time
Wheelmen Runs To-day.
WILMINGTON HAS THE MOST MEN.
IN THE 15O MILE CLAss-OvER 300
RIDERS, THREE OF THEM Wo-
MEN, SURVIVED THE FIRST
HALF OF THE CENTURY.

HALF OF THE CENTURY.
This is. big day for the Whining
ton Bicycle Club and the wheelmen Of
Wilmington. All day long those OF
the club who were not entered In the
great century, or l5O-mile run of the
Time Wheelmen, were busily engaged
in caring for the tired riders who had
pushed their way through so many
miles of Pennsylvania and Delaware
mud and sand.
About forty members Of the VIII
mington Bicycle Club left Wilmington
last night for Philadelphia I'm a spe-
cial sleeper. The car was sidetracked
and the men slept until . o'clock this
morning.
The start in the big 150-mile run
was made at 3 o'clock The Whining
ton club has the largest number of
riders entered in this class of any club
entered. There are twenty-four of its
men who are expected to make q con-
tury and half
The century riders started az Q
o'clock on this chedule. Leave Phila-
delphia at a. m; Wayne. 10 miles
6.45; West Chester, 30 miles, S.20
Chadd's Ford, 3S miles 9,15 Whining
ton, 50i5 miles, 10.45; Chadd's Ford 63
miles, 1916 y. m; arrive at West
Chester. a miles. Li1; dinner; leave
West Chester. 3.15; Wayne. S6 miles,
s; arrive at philadeluhia, 10t miles,
Gas.
There was a number of clubs enter
ed and in all there were probably 300
riders, including three women. Miss
Farley, Mrs. j. II. Better and Mrs.
Myers.
/ The pace makers set stiff pace
from the start, and at every checking
point the riders were from twenty to
thirty minutes ahead of the schedule.
: The first rider reached Wilmington
at 1907 o'clock. thirty-eight miles
ahead of the scheduled time.
Then they came In groups ranging
in number from flve to twenty Later
came a steady stream, one by one.
then stragglers in little groups of two
and three
In twenty minutes the lawn of the
Wilmington Bicycle Club and the ad-
jacent streets We're crowded with BIZ
cycles, while their riders we're partak-
ing of cofle and sandwiches in the
clubhouse.
The streets along the line of the run
were thronged with sightseers, who
uNA bhlnIltu " btt AAl lhlon "a AhN
first fifty miles.
Miss Farley was the first woman
rider to arrive. she coming in about
1920 She rode with the Century
Wheelmen
The Wilmington checkers were ID.
. v Thomas and c. S. Rice and the
pace-maker for the Wilmington
Club is Lieutenant w. Il. Spen-
Ger, who was the first man in.
The special repair committee, who
accompanied the wheemen with a sup
ply of pumps, tires. chains, cranks,
cones and pedals, had little to do.
There was only one accident one OF
the Philadelphia men having collided
with a wagon at West Chester. Lit
tie damage was done. A number Of
men sustained bad falls, but were not
incapacltated from riding.
Howard Schrack, of the Whining
ton Bicycle Club, punctured his tire at
West Chester, but repaired It in time
f-l-h with the other club members.
The wheelmen remained in Will
mington but a few minutes TO eat
some lunch and recuperate, and again
started out, the line forming at Della
ware avenue and West street at 1915
, o'clock.
( The roads were very dusty, and the
. riders looked as II they had passed
in the Wilmington Clubs yard was
fturned into a temporary bath-house
for the men, while the clubs bath
room was reserved for the women.
The schedule for the 15O-mile run,
which is the first event of the kind
, ever run in this section. is as follows:
Leave Philadelphia, a. M; Fort
Washington, 1914 miles, 4.SO; Mont
gomery Square, 24iA miles, BIB; Fort
Washington, 32h miles. G; arrive at
, Philadelphia. 40 miles, 7.30; breakfast
! leave Philadelphia, $50; Wayne, GA
miles, 955; West Chester, 20 miles
1l25; Chadd's Ford, 81 miles, 1910 D.
M: arrive at Wilmington. 99ik miles
J 1.30 p. M. dinner; leave Whining
, ton $780, Chadd's Ford, 112 miles, 4.45:
West Chester, 120 miles, 5.45; Wayne
1876 miles, us; arrive at Philadelphia
, $50 miles, 8.45.
The advance guard Of the 150-mile
men, with the Wilmingtonians in the
van, arrived a few minutes before the
scheduled time. Notwithstanding the
= long ride, the men were remarkably
D fresh and gave little evidence of theii
r hard work Dinner was served anC
j the return was begun at o'clock
e There is no time limit, but all expect
4 to arrive in Philadelphia before Il
z. o'clock. Those who arrive before mid
- night will receive a medal.
y The riders came into Wilmington
s by Pennsylvania avenue, thence Z,
z Delaware avenue and the clubhouse.
e At the request of the club officers
r. permission V the men entered in the
4 race to ride to their homer
/. without lights on their return
from Philadelphia. The vii
|. mington men finishing in the 100
= mile class will wait in Philadelphi;
y for those of the 150-mile class. and al
y will return home together.
! A special record banner will go t,
the club having the largest number o
survivors. in the century.
The prizes, besides the silver media
to each survivor, are handsome cups
, and they viii be awarded to the clul
y scoring the highest and next highes
y number of points.