Evening star., 1896-10-24

" SCi+9t Is CONTINUALLY
on the watch to guard him against danger
and harm as he pedals at headlong speed
around the track
This belief-it is more than a SUPER
stition-of the racing wheelman is some
thing entirely unknown to the general
public and very rarely is it ever referred
to by the cyclists themselves.
On the track 1t often happens that for
some seemingly trivial reason a rider who
is almost certain of winning a race will
abs olutely refuse to ride, even though he
may have gone so far as to come to the
scratch prepared to start. In such cases
no amount of persuasion or argument on
the part of the racers friends or hackers
can induce the man to start in that race.
Urged to give a reason, his answer al
ways is that he has an underlined feeling
that he had better stay out of that race
and stay out he invariably does. The real
reason, however, Is that the man is act
ually afraid to enter the race. His feel
ings are as nearly like the blue funk Of
the school boy as anything, and he has an
idea that his guardian angel causes this
feeling as sort of warning Be this
as it may, the fact remains undisputed
that racing wheelmen are peculiarly ex-
empt from serious accident while in con-
tests.
Accidents but Few.
The death of jockey while riding in
a race. fatal accident to q ball player,
broken limbs and injured health on the
foot ball field. and almost fatal accidents
while playing polo, are common incidents,
but it is seldom indeed that one hears Of a
bicycle racer meeting his death on the
track, and even accidents of a serious
nature are so tnfrequent as to cause re-
mark when they occur.
That there is some mysterious influence
which protects the apparently reckless
wheelman as he rushes at breakneck speed
around the track would seem plausible
enough, when the number of remarkable
falls man takes are considered. In
ninety-nine cases out of hundred where
the rider takes header over a fence, or
gets tangled up with hfs opponents wheel,
1t would seem II no human being could
get out of such mixed-up mass alive.
even If he avoided instant death from the
terrific jar OF the sudden stop. In almost
every case, however, the rider picks him
self up unhurt often not even scratched,
and appears In 1.-The next race none the
worse for his mishap.
A peculiar case in point was that which
occurred at the Manhattan Beach track on
July Is. During race in which Owens,
Barho and Hicks, al well-known men, were
riding In bunch. they came into collision
with one another, and the result was sur
prsing to riders and spectators alike.
When the three wheels struck Barbo shot
up into the air as If from a spring board
He sailed gracefully over the fence sur
turning a somersault, which would have
done credit to professional tumbler land
ed on his feet in the midst Of a crowd of
spectators Hicks was also thrown over
the rail, and after performing some won
derful and intricate mid-air contortions
found himself sitting in a seat among the
holders OF reserve tickets. Owens was
the only one of the three who remained
on the track, and 1t took four attendants
the best part Of ten minutes to get him un-
tangled from the three wrecked wheels.
Unfnjured Amongst the Ruins.
Yet none Of the men were hurt al
though the wheels lay in ruins. and when
other machines were provided they started
out again and rode to a finish. When the
three men came together they were riding
at recoId-breaking pace and there was
not person who witnessed the collision
but thought that one at least of the men
would receive serious IL not fatal injuries
Yet another case is that of George Pflffer
a we'll known wheelman. who while scorch-
Ing with three companions managed in
one beside him. Pfffer rose into the air
as II he had received kick from a cata-
putt, and when he landed he was sitting
astride stone wall ten feet away won
dering how he got there. but uninjured
His companion in the shake-up picked
himself up from the middle of the road,
and after careful examination all the
damage he could find consisted in few
~ 6oou oedl oi tHe TOaQ-DeQ ub-
orally distributed over his person, and a
rent In his new knickerbockers. In this
instance the protecting spirit of the wheel
man was particularly well-disposed for the
wheels were practically uninjured.
" all tumbles on record, however,
which seemingly started out for tragedy
and ended in comedy, that recently taken
by owens on the Olympic track takes the
lead He was in the race to win, and
victory seemed almost within his grasp
Inc spectators had already begun to ap-
length away. Suddenly-no one can tell
Just how it happened-Owens' wheel struck
the inside fence. The wheel halted alb
ruptly, the rider did not He kept right
on In the direction he was headed, and
did not stop until he found himself in the
judges stand. 1t was even money as to
VINO was the most surprised, the rider the
judges or the spectators. at this most I'M
expected ending of what seemed at the
moment OF Its happening most serious
accident.
Perhaps one Of the most marvellous es-
capes that ever wheelman had from
death was that Of A. ]. Boyle Of Jersey
CITY who while riding down what is
known as the George road, which runs
from the top Of the Palisades down TO the
river lost control of his machine and mar
roWiy escaped being carried over the edge
OF the c!ln. His machine .Went over and
was dashed to pieces on the jagged rocks.
seventy-five feet below while Boyle at the
very edge of the precipice, threw himself
from his wheel and escaped with only a
severe shaking up and a few bruises.
WOODS FOR CABINET WORK.
CnafIv U.nu,l, U-.~l <oA xn~