Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-17
THE ROAD RACE.
"A Contest That PrOmisea to Re Hin
usually Interestinr

usually Interesting.
Inc coming road race, under the ans
p'ees OF the washington Road Club, prom
ises 10 De one of the greatest contests oe
that KIND ever held in this section. Last
year there were number of good road
races on the Conduit, but the coming road
race, which will be held Friday evening
Novemer 6, at ) o'clock. will he tho
largest road rece in all respects The nst
OF prizes will be larger. and 1t is calculated
to nave at least fifty prizes the leading
ones OF which will be five or six bicycles.
AS regards the entrance list, it Is expected
to nave at least 100 riders in line, and from
present Indications it looks very much as
thougn the Clubs expectat tons in these re-
spects will be fully verified The entry
blanks made their appearance during the
week. and In orGer to avoid any confusion
specincaiiy state that it will be an anna
teor road race, thereby preventing any of
the entrants from being thrown in the pro-
1essional ranks by competing with riders
III that class in the road race. The en-
trance Zee for the race is 81. and the en-
tries Will close at midnight on October 70
The list Of prizes will aggregate in value
In the neighborhood Of 81 900, and this viii
give some idea of the magnitude of the
race. The race will be time handicap at
last year.
The course Of the race will be different
from that of any other course heretofore
used. While it will embrace a part of the
old course. the steep hills on either side of
the Dalecarlia reservoir will be eliminated.
The start will be made about one mile west
of Cabin John bridge. The racers will then
RIDE toward the city, and upon reaching
ride up as far as the Anglers Club house,
turning around once more, and coming
back to the foot of Stony Hill, make an
other turn. with the finish at Cabin John
will ha
and the course Is expected to be faster than
the old course, which began at the lower
reservoir and ran up as far as the Anglers
Club house and return, taking in the two
three turns. and 1t Is calculated that less
time will be lost in making these turns
than in climbing the two steep hills of the
old course. Another advantage of the new
course Hes in the fact that a spectator can
see the riders at least three times from one
position, and this will prove advantageous
lr order to prevent any confusion. and to
see that every man rides the full twenty
miles, corps Of checkers will be stationed
at both turns, and all men properly check
ed. Umpires will be stationed along the
line of the course and help keep matters in
trim.
In the Irvington- Milburn course there are
five turns instead Of three, yet the riders
make fast time over the course and the
annual road race held there attracts at
tention all over the country It Is calcu-
lated to make the coming road race a ma
tioral affair, and consequently prizes are
being offered sufficient to induce amateurs
to participate all along the eastern coast
New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore Rich
mond and number of other places, espe-
cially in cites lying westward Of Wash
ington. There Is considerable inquiry be-
ing made as regards the race from places
quite distant.
The club Is pushing the matter, and ia
sending out neat. typewriter letter to
all the prominent racing men Of this and
other cities, which winds up by stating that
this will be the largest road race ever held
in this vicinity, and expressing the hope
that the recipient will honor the club with
his entry at an early date. In sending out
one of these letters during the week a Gu
rious mistake was made Mr.. r. III. Atkin-
son of the Queer Wheelmen Is a well-known
rider. and as there was only one person by
that name in the directory, the communica-
ton was addressed to 90 French street
northwest. The reply received was as fol-
lows:
"Mr. William Jose, ESQ.,:
Dear Sir: I received q communication
from you. In which you express a desire to
nave me enter for twenty-mile handicap
road race.
Il should be perfectly willing to. accom-
modate you In this matter, and would il 1t
we're not 1of one circumstance, !. e., my in
ability to ride bicycle. I never was on
one in my life. and am afraid that I could
not master it in time to warrant my enter
Ing any of the races of your club.
Yours truly,
''R. II. ATKINSON
This Mr.. Atkinson, 1t transpires. ia a
government clerk. and an entirely different
individual from n. II. Atkinson the bicv-
clist.
Although the entry blanks have bean o,t
but few days, SO far twenty-five applica-
lions have been received. as follows: c, "a
Cause. w. R. c.; George B. Pratt. unat-
tached; George e. Smith. w. R. G.; A G.
X nd 1nh
G. L. Petze. Q. W.: C. E. Wood w. r. G:
Frank WEIGH. Le Droit P. w; L. J. Wool.
bridge. w. r. c.; T. L. Milstead, c. A. C.:
w. O. F1tzhuSh. w. R. c.; A. II. Crandau