Omaha daily bee., 1897-02-14

| VIII cause the bearings to bind and the wheel
| to run hard, and only a competent mechanic
should be trusted with repairing 1t.
Whispcrings of the wheel
There are but two short weeks left before
the opening of omahas Third Annual Cycle
| show, and wheelmen and dealers over north
ern Kansas, western Iowa Nebraska and
South Dakota are looking forward to 1t with
almost as much interest as the local con-
| tingent. The Omaha show will be to these
people what the Chicago and New York
shows are to eastern and central states.
Every wheel of any Importance that is made
in this country will be exhibited and many
Of the midwestern dealers who did not get
| to attend the Chicago show will come to
| Omaha to choose their lines for 1897. With
the possible exception of one or two, every
space In the mammoth building In which
| the show is to be held is sold. The man
agement have provided special attractions in
| the way of a siX-day race on home trainers.
| trick riding by local experts, and a splendid
musical program for each evening. There
VIII be two bargain day matinees, Wednesday
| and Saturday afternoons. Tuesday evening
will be League of American Wheemen night,
and there will undoubtedly be Omaha Wheel
| club. Tourist, Turner and Union Pacific club
nights which will add greatly to the affair
Arrangements are being made for a mammoth
electrical display, and there is every indi-
| cation that Omaha people will see the finest
exhibition of bicycles and accessories ever
exhibited west of Chicago
The Associated Cycling club has instructed
its racing committee to begin preparations
at cnce for the third annual Decoration day
road race. This is a wise move on the part
of the club as there came very near being
no road race last season on account of the
limited time in which the committee had to
work upon the project. One member of this
years committee unfolded himself in the
following manner to the writer recently:
1--WE are going to have road race this
season that will rival anything ever held in
the west before We will begin to solicit
prizes and cash donations at once and hope
to have at least fifty or sixty prizes this
year, which fact alone will draw many ad
ditional entries. 1t Is quite true that many
of the od-time favorites have joined the
professional ranks and will therefore not be
eligible to ride in this years road race but
we will have others who will I'll their
places. Another thing we will endeavor to
DO is to have the handicappng done so that
instead of riders strnging in one at time
at the finish they will finish in a bunch and |
therefore give the people chance to see
race instead of a procession or club run | |
hardly th!nk last years time OF 2S:4S for the |
ten miles will be lowered, but you may rest |
assured that the course will be covered in |
very close to that time and | would not
care to bet either way"
Floyd Mccall and W. A. Plxley have de-
cided to double up as a tandem team again |
during the coming season. They are having
a special racing tandem built for them and
nope to be able to cut some of the worlds |
tandem records. AS it is, they hold the
following worlds records for an eight-ap
track: One-haf mlle 81; one mile 592a
tWo-thiI'ds mile, 1:29
The Omaha Wheel club is arranging a
whist tournament to begin next week
H. Hardy will leave for New York City
early next week on business trip
Local members of the League of American
Wheelmen seem to be well pleased over the
action of the national assembly at Albany,
y. Y, last week in electing Mr.. Isaac Potter
OF New York president CT the association
Mr.. Potter has been a hard worker for the
league ever since its organization and has
probably done more for the good roads cause
than any other wheelman in the country.
The retiring president, Mr.. Sterling Elliott
has been one of the best officers the league
has ever had. and, while most Of the west
ern members favored his reelection. they
are satisfied that Mr. Potter will make
equally as good man for the place
While at the Chicago show the writer had
the pleasure of renewing acquaintances with
Senator" W. ]. Morgan and Stillman G
Whitaker, two old-time racing men who |
were well known in this city ten years ago
Local wheelmen, who were enthusiasts at |
that time, will doubtless remember the orca-
sion OF the opening of Jack Princes quarter
nile race track which is now called Uni
Yersity park. Professional races were en-
tho program and among them was a one
mile handicap with such old timers as Ash
niger, Eek, Prince, Dingley, Knapp, Bullock
and Whitaker as starters. Prince acted as
and kindly consented to allow
Whitaker twenty yards handicap in the
mile. The race was ridden and Whi.teker
simply ran away from the scratch men
among whom were Prince. Ashinger. Dingey
I<t1nF and
Yards. In the next event, also a one-mile
whit was put on the scratch
and again demonstrated his superiority over
he others by winning easily. After that
Whitaker remained in Omaha for some time, |
riding match races with Prince, Ashiager
and others Probably the most notable race
in which he ever competed in this city was
tye-mile match race with Ashnger in which ,
ne allowed the latter handicap OF one
fourth of a mile and the race by over
100 yards. At that time and for several
years afterward Whitaker was undoubtedly
the fastest professional rider in the world
He has since retired from racing and is ,,
now connected with the trade and is located
n Worcester. Mass. Senator" Morgan was ,
we'll known as fast man in the days of the !
Coliseum and was the hero OF many hard
ought siX-day and march races. Like
he has forsaken racing and is
low editor of the American Wheel'nen of
New York.
Among the ether old-time Omaha wheel
men VINO were at the SHOW were A. H. I
'errigo, now of Providence, II. l.; Richard {
Belt, Chicago; Walter Burdick, Chicago, and
>. II. Wollenhaup. Chicago. s
Last Thursday evening the Tourist Wheel |
nen gave a smoker and card party at their t
,lub quarters in the Shelley block being the |
irst of series of smokers and entertain a
nents to be given before the opening of the a
dng season. The Tourists have long since a
established a reputation for sociabllity among
hcir members and for giving enjoyable par .
les, and the one held the other evening was \
10 exception to the rule. Many Of the old q
ime members were present and general =
rood time was INDUCED In by those present.
The next one will be held on Thursday even
ng, March 4 All members and their friends
ire cordially invited TO be present
Waller Wins the Race.
PITTSBURG, Pa, Feb, 13.-Frank Waller
the flying Dutchman," as he calls himself ,
Won the siX-day bicycle race, which closed
onlght at midnight. beating Louis Gimm,