The herald., 1897-07-04
FLEMMING CAPTURES PLACE
a HARD, ROUGH RIDE OVER A
DUSTY COURSE
Seventh Annual Santa Monica Road
Race Brings Out New Crop
of Speedy Men

was beaten to Santa Monica yesterday
nv Jasper Shoemaker, from Riverside,
and despite an earnest protest, the de-
feat stands and rankles in Ruess' breast.
Though unexpected, the win was pop
ular one, the time made being very close
to the record established by Emil Ui-
BRIGHT in 1895. Will Fleming won the
first place in the race. arriving at Santa
Monica at 11:19:19 2-5. riding as strong
as If he had only gone a mile. instead
Of having covered nearly eighteen miles
of the worst road in the country.
The morning was cloudy one, but
none the less a large crowd jammed itself
into the street crossing at San Pedro
and Sixth streets to watch the start OF
the annual road race. A few apoplectic
moments were spent by the rest of the
officials in waiting for the arrival of
H. C. F. Smith, the starter, while the
condensed mass of watching humanity
passed rude remarks upon the physical
appearance of the barelegged, bare
armed riders. However, Mr.. Smith
peace to the ratified officials and anx-
ious riders, put everyone in his place,
and at 1925 a. m. Phil Percival said the
word that sent the limit men off on their
dusty journey to the City by the Sea.
Seventy riders had entered for the
ride, and only seven thouht that the
race was too hard, sixty-three facing
the starter. The limit men had eight
minutes handicap, three riders starting
together as Phil Percivaps stentorian
"Go!" split the foggy atmosphere. Rob-
inson, Lewis and Brodie were the riders
who bent over their pedals and started
out. Nine men had seven minutes over
the unhappy scratch men, who were
gradually growing paler as the various
punches of vibrating pipestems and
hunched shoulders disappeared in the
perspective of San Pedro street. In this
bunch was Will Fleming, the man who
Flemming started he saw before him
a long vacant stretch of road, where
monotony was only relieved by the shad-
Deeming it his duty to cover this empty
space as quickly as possible, Flemming
Gug his pedals hard and was deeply sur
prised to find himself the first arrival
at Santa Monica.
AT 1888 o'clock the four limit men, w
r. Ruess, Carson Shoemaker, Harold
Hawks and ]. +. Frazee were sent away
on their long, stern chase, and then the
xyor nf7in toll do fa \, s1,1,e
that was to take them to the Arcade
depot, where the judges special train
was waiting for them. The start was
MADE at once, and the train was sent
through to Santa Monica as if Uncle
Coils himself was trying for a record.
The eighteen-mile run was made in
twenty-ore minutes from start to stop.
The riders were passed before Mondon-
VILE was reached, the hurrying spec
tators on the train catching a mere
glimpse of an occasional bright racing
suit as they were whirled along.
The road was in good condition to
the end of Washington street. Here the
riders encountered a stretch of slushy
mud an unwise and deeply cursed water
ing cart man having turned his flood
upon the surface of the highway. More
here. Fleming, Kinsey, Keene, Michel
son and Cooper formed a bunch that
made the pace for the race, and right
merry clip they cut out Shoemaker was
pacing the scratch bunch, Ruess follow
ing him closely, Hawks and Frazee some
distance back in the ruck of the pur-
suers Furman and Hamlin, who start
ed from the two-minute mark, paced
tn vi in O
through the race without an accident
and landing so close to the time prize
that many thought these riders had won
the event. Ruess, who had been looked
on by a large following as a certain win
ner of time, had the misfortune to fall
at the foot Of the cemetery hill. When
he got up his forks were bent, and a
minute was lost in Strengthening them.
That minute was fatal. for the long
Riversider, Shoemaker, sped away from
him like scared wolf, a large bunch OF
unsympa thzing wheelmen passing Will
liam before he could remount
the finish at Santa Monica. AT the last
moment the finishing tape had been put
at the old place on Utah avenue many
of the riders declaring that they could
not turn the corner to Railroad avenue
without falling. After several minutes
anxiety, the waiting small boys on the
surrounding roofs yelled, Here they
come!" and a cloud of dust was seer
moving at the top of the hill. The cloud
travelled down the grade and from i
emerged a rider, so dirty and sweat.
stained that he might as we'll have beer
an animated clod of earth. A great roal
went up as he swiftly moved down be.
tween the lines of specta tors and flew
across the line, winner by nearly fou
seconds over the man who followed him
at first they came one by one, then b,
twos, threes and in punches, each ar
rival being slightly dirtier than hi.
predecessor A mighty shout went III
as Shoemaker, riding strongly, fiippet
past the judge, the first scratch mai
over the tape Then the riders cam
more slowly and more scattered. !
small boy named Robinson came in witt
only one crank, having broken the othe
nearly five miles from Santa Monica
and riding in with one leg. Then MI
r. Y. F. Campton sailed slowly and ma
jeStically down the straight road, sa
luted the judges, and the Santa Monic;
road race for 1897 was over Out o
sixty-three starters fifty-nine riders fin
bhed. new record for the annual race
The names Of the riders in the orde