The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-12
THE AMOUNT WAS S195,00O.
PRIZES EARNED BY THE YOUNG
CYCLTsT USED FOR n NOZZLE
PURPOSE.
And CT Personal Sacrifice-H Dung
Sanger's Place in the Hearts
of His Friends.

L. Sanger, one OF the country S famous
bicycle riders, has added to his laurels
of the track one in filial duty that has
won for him warm place in the hearts
of his friends and made him a hero
in the minds of all admirers of true
manhood.
The recent demise in this city of Cas-
per M. Sanger, father of the bicyclst,
and up to a few years ago a millionaire,
was responsible for the announcement
of the fact that his large fortune had
been spent in paying the claims of his
creditors, but that his family would be
comfortably cared for through insur-
ance policies on his life aggregating
$1S5,000 which had been saved from for
fixture mainly through the efforts Of
Walter, who had devoted his earnings
as a wheeIman to the payment of the
premiums on this large amount of in
surance. Now that Walter is no longer
tied to a career as professional wheel
man through this duty which he felt
he owed his family, it is likely he will
retire from the track after the eXpira-
ton of his present contracts.
Few men have participated in pop
ular sports who were animated by high
er aspirations or encouraged in the be-
ginning of their careers by a more de-
voted friendship than Walter Sanger.
Because success meant to him the full
fllment Of a cherished hope born of
filial duty, the laurels of victory were
dearer to him than to most of his COM
petitors of the track, and his remarka-
Bile success as a wheelman is no doubt
due in measure to the nobility of pur-
pose which sustained his work.
LOVER OF SPORTS.
The late Casper NJ. Sanger was a
man of strong character honest in all
his business dealings, and an affection
ate father and husband About five
years ago he was reputed to be worth
over $1,5OO,000 He took a keen inter
est in athletic sports and watched with
great interest the advancement of his
son Walter as an amateur bicyclist.
Th1s devotion to the wheel on the part
OF his son was looked upon only as a
manifestation of the peculiar traits
which made the father a lover Of
hlooded horses, and the older Sanger
therefore took considerable pride in the
development of Walter as speedy
Wheelman. Walter Sanger did not cui-
tiVate love for bicycling with the I'LL
innate object of achieving a pecuniary
reward therefrom. He took to the
sport naturally, just as his father did
to horses. This love for the excite
ment of the track was intensified in
recent years by manly consideration
by noble desire to have fortune for
the members of his family
For several years prior to 1892, Cas-
per NJ. Sanger and his family were
temporarily located at Daggett, Cal.
Mr.. Sanger owned a half interest in a
that place. These mines were for a
time considered among the best in the
country, and an offer of $2250,000 for
them by an English syndicate was re-
jected by Mr.. Sanger and his asso-
ciates. While Walter Sanger was in
California with his father his fancy
turned in the direction of bicycling,
and the fine roads in that state often
caused him to conjure up mental pic
lures of the possible speed that might
be attained by wheelmen in the future.
HIS FIRST VICTORY.
Young sanger's first wheel was
cushion-tired and on this he won his
first race. This was in 1891, and the
scene of his victory was at the an
nuaI Scotch picnic in this city. AL
though he had been riding for only a
few months he entered this race and
was given a handicap of 100 yards in
a two-mile squirt. He won second place
in this contest, making the two miles
in about Col. This was the beginning
of his career as an amateur. Before
the season of 1891 closed he was the
winner of four other races and had by
that time become the owner of a light
pneumatic racer With these victories
and some good records to his credit,
he drifted right into the sport. and
since then he has devoted his energies
to the attainment of success in this
branch of athletics.
During the season of 1892 young San
ger made a tour throughout the North
west, and was the winner OF many
prizes. On the trip he was accom-
panied by his father, who watched the
young mans progress with great en-
thusiasm and frequently bestowed
handsome presents on the son in ap-
probation of the prizes he had won. 1t
was largely through the enthusiasm
and efforts of Casper NJ. Sanger that
his son became a great rider. Mr..
Sanger went with Walter to nearly all
of the big races N this country and
became a familiar figure at the bicycle
tracks. He always had the utmost
confidence in his sons ability as a
racer and was ever ready to back his
Judgment when bets were offered
against him. In his experiences ON the
LlGtCh NIL. CdISSl > JuhSliACAAI Ne'S "a
cellent and Walter seldom disappoint-
ed his father.
HIS PHENOMENAL CAREER.
Young Sanger, however, was not
really in it." to use an expression Of
his own, until 1893, when he made some
phenomenal records and won a nation
al reputation. Then came his tour of
England and his numerous victories in
that country. In the meantime the in
terest which Casper NJ. Sanger took in
the progress of his son and the rapid
development of wheeling induced him
20 become a large investor in a bicvcle
manufacturing firm in this city. This
vas a losing venture, however, and
when it failed Mr.. Sanger was an in
dorser of it's paper for large amount.
In to that time he had also spent a
large amount of money in the develop
msnt of his silver mines in California.
Sanger and his associate spread out
extensively at Daggett and estab-
lisAed stores, hotels, and other enter
prises. and practically controlled that
PROMISING mining town. When they
o,era offered 50 900 fo~ their mines
~ an English syndicate they declined
Tie proposition, and decided to hold
cut for $2.500,000. Shortly after receiv-
ing this offer the price of silver began
20 depreciatc and with it fell the value
If the mines at Daggett, until it was
impossible to find q purchaser for them
at all. Other Milwaukee enterprises
in which Sanger had been interested,
but with which he had not been act
lively identified for number of years,
became insolvent about the same time.