Delaware gazette and state journal., 1897-06-17
|, A. W. '97 MEET.
At Willow Grove Park, August 4th,
6th, 9th and 7th.

| ftS WliOW SFONe Harkt august ftnf
5th, 9th and 7th.
Extensive Preparations Being Made for tho
Event by Both Professional aud Amateur
| Ridsrs-A Threc.iap Board Track to Be
| Built-other Details.
| Philadelphia, June 8.-Professional
and amateur rncing men all over the
country cannot fail to he interested in
tha announcement that the races TO be
held in connection with the 18th annual
meet of the Il. A. W, which will be
held in this city August 4th. .7th. will
be run off on one Of the fastest tracks
10 the country. il not in the world.
The Executive Committee in charge Of
the meet was last Friday informed by
the Willow Grove people that three
lap board track. costing close to $40. GOO,
would he laid down over the present
track before the Fourth Of July. This
is how it all came about:
On Decoration Day the first meet OF
the season was held on the Willow
Grove track, and so great was the at
tendance (12, 500 paid adm issions and
about 8, QUO deHdheads who surged into
the inclosure after breaking down the
fence) that the managemeut's eyes
were opened to the possibilities of
financial, gain in properly conducted
bicycle rice meets on large scale. 1t
was also brought to their attention that
had the weather been rainy in the
morning, or, 10 fact, had rain fallen the
previous night. it would have been i'm
| possible to pull off the races on the
present clay.and- track-and as a
result they would have been thousands
OF dollars out of pocket. 1t was there
fore with desire to prevent any con.
siderable loss through the poor condi-
tion OF the track on the 9Th and 7th of
August. that it was decided to lay down
wooden track-and at once
o. S. Bunneil. the well-known race
meet promoter of this city, was imme.
diatoly dispatched to New York to hunt
up Charley" Ashinger. the famous
long distance professional who, as
Bunnell explained. "Knows more in a
minute about building board tracks
than any other man in the country
knows in year. !" Ashinger was not
in tho metropolis, but Bunnell found
Schcck, another well-known long dis
tance man, who informed him that
Ashinger'H latest address was Upshur, a
small town in Ohio. After ''keeping
the wires hot" for an hour or two Bum
nell finally locSted his man. who lost no
time in starting for this city. He ar
an1 to-day the details OF the work are
being completed, and the contract will
probably no signed before this bulletin
reaches the reader.
While the complete speci 6catiops for
the new track have not yet been made
public, the more important ones are
known. The foundations are 10 be of
stone. on which will be sci up the sun
porting timbers, which will be of heavy
pine firmly braced with iron stays and
bolts. For the surface 2x4 yellow pine,
selected stock, will be used. These
boards will be laid lengthwisa and bent
on the turns, giving what experts claim
to be surface offering the least posi-.
ble resistance. The entire construction,
the surface as well as the supporting
work, will be thoroughly coated with
water proof paint. With view to pre-
vent the annoying glare go often com.
planned of by racing men, the surface
OF the track will be painted an olive
green color, expert medical testimony
having demonstrated that that shade is
peculiarly restful to the eyes, whereas
the yellow color OF the natural pine ia
extremely trying to the optics OF the
flyers.
With an extreme width OF 40 feet
along the entire nomestretch, the new
track will taper down to width of 26
feet in the backstreteh. The sweep
from the straights into the turns viii
receive special attention. and the lines
Will be SO accurately adjusted that, al
Mr.. Ashinger promises. "If you could
get a quad or 'sex' team to 60 in
l.30 your track would hold them safa
enough" The extreme banking will
be upwards OF eight feet at the apex of
each turn.
The management has become con.
Vinced that the preseut seating accom-.
modatiops for IL. 600 will prove inade
quate for the 9th and 7th Of August,
and has made arrangements to increase
them to 25 900. Those immense stands.
surrounding the track on three sides.
Will form excellent wind shields, anu
fast time will undoubtedly be the rule
Although the dressing rooms at the
Willow Grove track are unusually large
pleasant and airy, Chairman Dimon Of
the race meet committee, profitjup nv
the mistake OF the Louisville officials
last year, VIII not compel the contest
hots TO remain. there during the races.
ppt Will provide place Of vantage from
wnich the myers and their trainers may
comfortably view tue contests. This
Enclosure will be 10 front of the prand
stand, alongside the press box. II has
been arranged that the quarters for tha
knights OF the pencil will be sufficiently
large to accommodate $50; that the press
box Will occupy the space between the
'front.' OF the stand and the rail anti that
there will be four tiers of seats
IL Is quite probable that the arena. at
Broad ana Cherry Streets only one
block from the City Hall, wil'be se.
cured during the meet for the storaos
of wheels and as a general rendezyoIIs
,or me making up of parties to partici.
pate IN the various runs and side trims
which will be taken under the chanara
onage of the various sub committees ~
the tours and runs committee. The
arena is admirably adapted for an
athletic entertainment, and arrapee.
msnts may be made for holding the an.
t,esr,ainmept Ezra committee's big smoker