Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-09-10
RACES OF TINE WHEELMEN
Valuable Trophies Captured
by Wilmington BicycIists.
SECURED THREE HANDSOME CUPS
EclIpsed Their Competitors In
Many Respects.


organization in the lou and l0O. mile
runs given under the auspices of the
Time Wheelmen Of Philadelphia on
Saturday. Three valuable trophies in
the shape Of handsome silver cups will
reward the almost superhuman efforts
of the sturdy riders Of the Wilmington
club. Y
The local teams eclipsed all others in
point Of numbers, perseverance, endur-
ance and ability. Thsy are credited
With. at the least calculation, 50
points. while there was not one Of the
other dozen or SO of clubs that finished
Of the 20 men in the century accom-
piished all that was required of him.
while of the 20 entered in the l50-mile
class l2 rode the entire distance and
the other II stopped at West Chester
only because they bad been informed
by wheelman in authority that owing
to the weather conditions they need
not 90 beyond that point. However,
the club is not counting the 150-mile
men who remained at West Chester. as
the prizes were won independent of
them. ~
The men who completed tbs $50
miles, Frank M. Boyle, Charles II.
Sasse, Walter ID. Bush, Jr,, A. W.
Foreman, H. G. Saville, George G.
Marshall. Thomas Hudson, Elwood Q.
HILBERT, Frank Chapman, Albert
Manual, William Cooper and Newton
Grub had an experience long to be
remembered and one which cannot be
accurately described so as to be properly
appreciated.
The upper part OF the run was nc.
complished without difficulty, the
weather being all that could be desired.
Every man of the local team arrived at
Wilmington in good shape, although
rain had fallen while they were riding
down from West Chester. Most of the
members went at once to their homes.
and in addition TO eating dinner some
changed their clothing, and, having
over two hours some took short maps.
The rest was beneficial, but just before
$50. the time to resume the journey.
the rain, which had been falling for
some time, began to come down in tor
rents. This deferred quite number of
Phila1elphians from falling in line.
Instead, they returned by boat or train.
However, every one of the Whining
ton boys, with the exception OF John
Il. Colt, started back at the appointed
time. Colt oversight himself, but
shortly after 5 o'clock he was on the
road after his comrades.
AS soon as the wheelmen reached the
Baltimore & Ohio railroad tracks on
Pennsylvania avenue, trouble began.
The road was muddy and slippery,
which formed most treacherous COM
bination. But on the wheelmen went,
being compelled to walk up nearly
every hill, and long enough before
Chadd's Ford was reached the brave
lads were up to their hubs in mud.
But this was not the worst feature.
The heavy downpour of rain had Gov
cred the road in some places with
water, at one place it being actually
nearly two feet deep. By the time
Chadd's Ford was reached bicycles and
riders were encased in mud and the
clothes of the latter were saturated
with the rain. At that point they
we're informed that Capt. Ilko of the
Time Wheelmen had, in view of the
condition of things, decided that West
Chester should be the terminal point Of
the runs. All pushed on to West
Chester, reaching that place at
O'Clock. Lunch was eaten and not
withstanding the men bad on soaking
wet clothing, IL OF the Wilmingtor
boys, in command OF Lieut.. E. G. Hib
bert. and II other wheelmen decided Il
wheel over the entire route and MAKE
the l50 miles.
The persevering wheelmen put on
from West Chester at 7. As o'clock, ant
az soon as the town was left behint
they had In front of them nothing blu
darkness. Some knew the road; other
did not But all who went over i
found that it was awful. The MIN
miles to Paoli could not have beef
made had il not been for the lightning
which flashed every few seconds
With the aid Of this light they wer
enabled to tell something about tn
road. Nearly every man walked mos
of the distance between West Cheste
aod Paoli, they being absolutely unsbl
10 ride through the mud in the dark
Several Philadelphia wheelmen VIII
ventured out of West Chester with th
90 went back and boarded the mex
train for home.
The plucky cyclers finally reaches
Paoli, and the run to the headquarter
of the Time Wheelmen, No. SlS Mort
Broad street, was a trifie easier. an
the last Wilmington man hove in sigh
at midnight, the 10th man havin
reached the terminus at II. SO O'Clock
The first Wilmlngtonian arrived Their
huOrGly dJItT ~ U ClOCk, Iue II bilu
delphians finished before midnight b
keeping In sight Of the Wilmipgtonians
At the Time Wheelmen club hous
the half-drowned riders we're well take
care Of, the Wilmington boys hein
given the best Of attention on accour
of being so far away from home. Man
of the boys were provided with DR.
clothing. Some clothes were obtaine
at the club house, while a party frol
the club here had gone up by trsi
with dry wearing apparel. The Wi
mington survivors were rubbed dow
by their comrades who went up for IL
purpose. Most of the boys returne
home at their earliest opportunity.
Capt. Kirk, who stopped at We
Chester, put up for the night at bot
there. Most of the others who finishe
al that point either wheeled back hon
or returned by train.
The 100-mile men also acquittt
themselves uobly. Every member
the Wilmington Bicycle Club in tn
class left here on time on the retul
trip, and although they encountered
great deal of rain before reaching We
Chester, it was their intention to co
tinue on to Philadelphia. On the WI
to West Chester they encountered al
quantity OF mud and they we're "
through with the rain.
Dinner was taken there and the WI
mingtonians started out on time