The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-06-20

sgrreSszton Is a common sight On every
slipping piece OF highway.
There we're races an3 races bat the ir-
vSngsorl- MIih1rn annual twe1ty-fiye-rnlI
road race * the cycling event OF America
IL has beer termed the cycling derby"
and has nova been run for nine consecu-
tive years. l. Ia held under tF1e auspices
OF the Metropolitan Association or Cycl-
ing Clubs which includes most OF ths
clubs in New York. Pennsylvania, New
Jersey and Connecticut Ii was nay pr.vt-
lsge 20 attend the ninth annual race. and
perhaps al account from an eyewitness
would Re of some interest 10 our local
wneeimen. The course Is along one Of
the famous Essex county roads. about
eight miles south OF here Springfield ave-
nue. leads oslr southwesferiy from Newark
through Iryington and Hilton. then curv-
ing to the west into Milourn avenue leads
on through MaplswooG 70 AlsbGrn. A
section OF Springfield and Miiburn ave-
nues FIVE miles IN length between Irving
ton and MIlburn IS the course for this
great road race. cannot see why this
particular section of road should have
been first selected for such an event IL IS
far from being one OF the besr-finlshed
roads in the vicinity. and ii includes some
most Objectionable grades. particularly
the Mapiewood hill. which is at least q
mile long, Of continuous per cent grade
Probably * was desired 10 make the
course an average road course. with such
difficulties OF grade and defects as would
be encountered on an ordinary county
road. The start and finish are made from
the central point, which Is Just over the
top of Mapiewood hill al the Hilton grove,
From this point the riders 20 east on a
straight-away and fairly Ieve! stretch Of
road two and one-haf miles to Iryingt0n.
where the turn is made in the road. then
back ever the same course across the
scratch line and on westward Down the
long Maplewood hill and up light grade
10 Mi!burn. two and one-haf miles from
scratch" then back and forth until on
the third run westward from Irvington
the finish is made at the starting point.
The day opened dark. cloudy and I'M
promising. There had been heavy thun
der showers on Sunday afternoon and
night. and the roads everywhere were
shiny with the mud dragged upon the
macadam from the adjacent dirt road
ways But the cycling derby takes
place on Decoration day. rain or shine,
good road or bad. And towards the
course the people swarm from every di-
rect'on. Thousands go awheel. regardless
OF mud. The Delaware. Laekawanna a
Western railway carries thousands more,
and deposits them at its stations nearest
the course. The trolley cars to Irvington
To hdpi1WOOu resemble so many
swarms of bees. as they come rolling
along in quick succession. And last. but
not least, the people thronged to the
course in carriages and wagons of all
descriptions. and some with eauipages
which beggar all powers OF description
/ noted an undertaker's dead wagon
standing at one point beside the course
1t looked grimly suggestive. but really
was only pressed into service as an i'm
promptu grand stand for the employees of
the undertaken
The center OF interest is naturally at
and near the scratch" line. Here a long
and spacious grand stand has been erect
ed on one side of the course On the
opposite side and for an eighth of a mile
In both directions the crowds surge back
and forth, scarcely leaving even a narrow
roadway for the racers. Eleven o'clock
Is the time set for the start, but il is held
off until 1850. as the sun has broken
through the clouds and every moments
delay helps the condition of the road
There are 123 entries. and 100 report at
the starting point. The handicaps range
from seven minutes down. At II 80 four
men take their places at the tape the
pistol cracks and the seven minute men
are off. Quickly following are a bunch
of eight $50 men. and so on down the
list until the three scratch men Alex
ander. Perry and Shepard, are safely of
The cycling derby Is fairly on. and in
a few moments all eyes are strained up
the road towards Irvington to catch the
returning racers. Now they come, a
bunch of three well in the lead the others
quickly following. Seventeen men have