Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-07
Popular Washington Amateur Quail
6es for alf-Mile Championship.
Everything Propitious for Final
Events This Afternoon.
RE S Z Its UP TO DATE

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, August What
veteran wheelmen unhesitatingly pro-
nounce to be the most successful race meet
ever held i'm this country will close this
afternoon at Willow Grove. Yesterdays
races only served as an appetizer for the
enthusiastic bicycler, and IL was predicted
by many of the riders who took part IN
those events that not only the state
records. but national records as well, would
be lowered.
The day opened more auspiciously. if
such thing be possible, 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 attraction being
the push to Willow Grove, which was on
the program for o'clock. At that hour
the condition of Broad street. the widest
thoroughfare in the city, was almost In
describabie. As far the eye could reach
this asphalted boulevard was one mass OF
humanity, mixed up with wheels of all de-
scriptions. So tightly were the wheelmen
massed about l.. A. w. headquarters that
1t was almost impossible for the captains
of the various divisions to get the vast
column in line. There had been no
smoker at the headquarters last night,
and this partly accountable for the
increase over the crowd of yesterday.
wheclmen Were All There.
To gaze at the crowd, one would scarcely
imagine there were any wheelmen In the
country outside of this city. 1t was nearly
$50 before the first division got under
way, and it was almost an hour later be-
fore the last phalanx got in motion AS
the ride to Willow Grove consumes only
abe ut an hour, the first part of the parade
must have reached the grounds before The
tail laa gotten away from league
headquarters.
The program for today was more attrac-
tive than that OF yesterday. Seven events
were scheduled to be run off. This did not
include a special race for a purse of $jUo
by professionals.
The chief topic of conversation. among
the racing men this morning was the re-
markapl riding of +. j. Loughead, the
Sarna, Ontario. crack. This great rider
started in three events. total OF six heats,
winning five of the heats, including two
finals, and finishing a close second to me-
Farland in the final of the two-miie handi-
cap.
Struggle for Next Meet.
The surprise of yesterday was the be-
lated booms of Saratoga and New York
city for the next l.. A. w. meet. After
Omaha and indianapolis had the field prac-
tically to themselves for a week, the Sara
toga and New York people got together
and started the ball rolling in favor of
their respective cities. The New Workers
hustled manfully, but were unable to make
mucl progress, as the greater number of
the delegates had already pledged their
support to either Omaha or Indianapolis.
The Omaha people are putting UP great
fight, and while they are not making much
noise, there is a strong undercurrent I'm
favor of the hustling western city. A large
III mber of l.. A. w. boys called at the
Omaha headquarters at the Lafayette Ho-
tel last night and today and pledged their
support for Omaha for ISIS. They argue
that it would be a great thing for the l..
A w. to meet in Omaha at the same time
that the Trans Mississippi and internation-
al exposition was being held there.
Indianapolis Also HustIfng.
The Indianapolis boys are also doing some
tall hustling. and thousands of wheelmen
are wearing huge buttons with "Indianap-
oils '9S,' printed upon them. The Indian
apolis people were on the ground before the
Omaha hustlers, and while they are shout
ing loudly the other fellows are working
quietly.