The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-08
Willow Grove Park Again the Mecca
of Thousands of CycIers Nnd the
Scene of Exciting Contests.
FAST TIME BY CRACK RIDERS
HALF MILE AND MILE OPEN WON By
LITTLE EARL KISER.
Good work by Major. Taylor and Ed
die BaId-SaratOga and New York
Now After the '9S Meet.

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. THE greatest
race meet in the history of America cycling
came to end this evening at Willow
Grove Park, when the eighteenth national
meet of the League of American Wheelmen
closed. In attendance there has never been
national or local race meet that has ever
approached it, During the two days of rae
ing nearly 5000 persons witnessed the
cracks from all parts of the United States,
TWO from Mexico and the Canadian crack,
Loughead strive for fame and prizes. Yes
terday's crowd of $1,000 was very nearly
doubled to-day with an attendance of be-
tween $4,000 and q, 600.
In the particular OF racing. all the cir
cult chasers showed themselves to be in
fine form, which resulted in the closest,
prettiest and most strategic competition
that has been witnessed in a long time.
Fred L. Loughead, the Sarnia, Ontario. lad
who carried off the honors yesterday, kept
up his fine work to-day, but little Earl
Kiser landed on top, winning the half-mile
professional and the great mile open pro-
fessional. A purse of $500 was divided
among the winners of the latter race. Ed
die Bald also added to his reputation and
while no firsts appear to his credit. yet
his seconds in the mile open and the i've
mile professional finals were within d hairs
breadth of being firsts. In each and every
race in which he competed he displayed re-
markable judgment.
Major Taylor, the coored crack was a
hot favorite in the mile open heat which
was won by him, and finished In grand
style. For a while it looked as though he
would be the winner of the final but the
others proved too heady and fast for him
and the best the Major could do was to
land a very close fourth. Among the anna
tours there was much good racing and Pea
body, Eddie Llewellyn and Charles M. Ertz
put up the finest exhibition In most of the
amateur events the riding was close and in
but few instances did the boys show aEy
evidence of loafng.
After the scheduled events had been run
off Fred Schade, the Virginia amateur, sue
ceeded in breaking the worlds record for
one-third of mile. Schade was paced by
two quads and got away beautifully. lie
hugged the quads closely and finished in
terrific pace in 50 is seconds. lowering
Pocters record of "a LA seconds, made in
1894. In addition to -his there were a num-
ber of trials at the worlds record for one
mile amateur and professional Church Gov
cred the three laps in LAB 3-5 and but for
the second pacing teams slowness would
have chopped at least two seconds off the
time he made Major Taylor had the next
try with quad and triplet AS pacemaIers.
The Major crossed the tape in 1:45A.
Johnny Zimmerman rode an exhibition
half mile in :53 20 seconds and Arthur
Gardiner paced by quads, did a. mile in
1:44. This brought the racing to a close.
STREETS PACKED WITH WHEELS.
The last day of the meet opened more
auspiciously, If such a thing be pos
sible, than yesterday. There was just
enough breeze to make life worth living
but not enough to retard the progress of
the racers. There were no small runs
scheduled for this morning, the stellar at
traction being the run to Willow Grove,
which was OH the programme for o'clock
At that hour the condition of Broad street
the widest thoroughfare in the city, was
almost indescribable. AS far as the eye
could reach this asphalted boulevard was
one mass of humanity mixed up with
wheels of all descriptions.
So tightly were the wheelmen massed
about the L. A. w. headquarters that 1t
was almost impossible for the captains OF
the various divisions to get the vast column
in lire There had been no smoke at the
headquarters last night and this Was partly
accountable for tbs increase over the
crowd Of yesterday. To glance at the
crowd one would scarcely imagine that
there were so many wheelmen in the coun-
try. 1t was nearly $3.50 before the first di-
vision got under way and 1t was almost an
hour later before the last phalanx got in
motion. AS the ride to Willow Grove oc-
cupies only about an hour, the first part
of the parade reached the gsounds before
the last end had gotten away from ehe
league headquarters.
The surprise OF yesterday was tie belated
booms of Saratoga and New York city for
the next Z. A. w. meet After Omaha and
Indianapolis had the field practically to
themselves for week the Saratoga ana
New York people got together and started
the ball rolling in favor of their respective
cities The New Workers. hustled manfuily,
but were unable to make much progress, as
the greater number of the delegates had al
ready pledged their support to either Oma-
ha or Indianapolis. The Omaha people are
putting up a great fight, and while they
are not making much noise, there Is
strong undercurrent in favor of the hustling
Western city. A. large number of l.. A. w.
boys called at the Omaha headquarters al
the Lafayette Hotel last night and to-day
and pledged their support for Omaha for
1885, They argue that it would be great
thing for the l.. A. ". to meet in Omaha
at the same time that the Trailsnissippi
and International Exposition was being
held there The Indianapolis boomers are
also doing some tall hustling and thou
sands OF wheelmen are wearing buttons
with indianapolis. S. printed on them.
The Indianapolis people were on the ground
before the Omaha hustfers. and while they
were shouting loudly the other fellows
were working quietly
c. NJ. Ely a well-known amateur from
Northampton Mass, met with an accident
to-day which prevented him from compet-
ing in the races. He was taking spin on
the track while some lnemen were clean
ing the big electric light globes ove-hang
ing the track. The globe of one was low
cred to a short distance from the track.
Ely was going good clip and failed to see
the lamp. His head struck the globe and
he was cut very badly. He was removed
to the Jewish Hospital.
Tonight the wheelmen own the town. ev-
erybody is wearing a big +. A. Nv. emblem
and the more enthusiastic picyclists are
literally covered with all kinds or badges
All the bicycle club members OF the asso-
citation are keeping open aouse tonight. 40.