Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-09-11

on this particular spot 10 serve the pur-
pose of the wheelmen in giving the track
the necessary pitch, or incline for the
curves, and with comparatively small
amount of work, there has been con-
structed track the like of which there
are few to be found in this section. AS
yet there is no enclosure or grand stand ;
but these things the bicycle boys will look
after later.
The races commenced at about 4 O'Clock.
The crowd was large enough to more
than half surround the track, and it was
so everybody enuld get good view. A
very noticeable vein of good humor per-
vaded everything, and underneath this
there was deep zeal for the honor OF
Glover. Town pride is wonderfully
strong up there; but different from many
other places, it is no stronger than the
remarkable generosity by which 1t is
almost invariably accompanied
The races were under the general man
apement of Mr.. N. L. Smith. Mr.. Meek
Smith acted as starter. The judges were
Messrs. w. M. Propst, of Yorkville ;
James White, of Rock Hill and Charles
Dilling, of Kings Mountain.
The first race was half mile, open to
all corners. The starters were S. l..
Meacham and John Ardrey, of Fort Mill ;
Geo. Swift and Abernathy, of Kings
Mountain and Oscar Neal, of Glover.
From the start, it was clear that the race
was between Neal and Ardrey. Ardrey
is the champion of the county, and when
the Glover people saw their man pushing
him close their enthusiasm was aroused
to the highest pitch. Ardrey led until
within hundred yards of the finish.
Both seemed to be almost flying. Sud
denly Neal spurted wheel length ahead.
Up to this time Audrey had been too busy
to look back but upon realizing theseri-
BUSINESS of the situation, be put on all the
steam he could command and commenced
steady gain. But it was too late. The
work had already been done. The men
passed the finish line like bolts from two
catapaults, and Clover's man was hall
wheel length ahead. Time, 2.2l 1-5.
Clover went wild. Neal was the biggest
man in town, and everybody seemed to
want to hug him.
The next race was half mile, open to
all corners. The starters were Joe Rey-
nolds and Hunter Mauney, Of Kings
Mountain Will Smith, John Smith and
Will Jackson, of Glover, and John Ar
drey. Ardrey won with apparently but
little difficulty in one minute and eleven
seconds.
The third race was half mile, open
only to boys under IA. The entries were
Paul Neely Moore, Of Yorkville; Hutch
ison, Of Rock Hill, an6 Hope Brison, OF
Glover. The first race the judges decided
to be tie between Hutchison and Brison,
and, after an interval, the heat was run
over again.
Brison was the smaller of the two.
The Glover boys refer to him as "the
kid" He does not own wheel; but
rode a mans heavy roadster. Sitting in
the saddle, he could scarcely reach the
pedals. At the start, Hutchinson led and
seemed to be going out an easy winner.
Presently, Brison slid down off his saddle
on to the frame rod below and got to
but the maneuvre resulted in signifi-
cant change. He began at once to stead
ily gain on Hutchinson, and then forged
ahead. This lead he kept until the end
of the race and he went out all easy winner
in one minute thirteen and one fifth Sec
onds. His riding was pronounced by
many to be the most remarkable of the
day. Young Brison was also accorded
an ovation. Captain John J. Smith led
the yelling, and had no apologies to make.
"Why, that's my boy" he said. "That's
the boy that stays in the store with me,
and didn't tell you he was going to beat
'em? Whoop-ee"
The fourth race was quarter mile, open
to all comers. The starters were Meach-
am, Jackson, Dilling and Abernathy.
This race presented no especial features
except good, steady riding. Meacham
won in thirty-one and one-fifth seconds,
and Dilling came in second.
The fifth race-one mile, open to York
county riders only-was another exciting
event. 1t involved supreme test be-
tween John Ardrey and Oscar Neal. The
Glover people had worked themselves up
to high expectations, and number OF Fort
Mill boys were becoming very much ill.,
terested in their champion. But the Fort
Mill boys were game. "Ill bet Neal III
beat him." said an admirer Of the Glover
scorcher. "Ten dollars to five he DON'T"
answered a young man from Fort Mill.
The banter was not accepted, and whether
there was any betting the reporter is una
bic to say.
The starters were Oscar Neal, John
Audrey and John Smith. Pretty soon af-
ter the start, Smith began to fall behind,
Ardrey shot out slightly ahead, and Neal
followed close second. In this order
they flew around the track until within
about hundred yards of the third quar-
ter. Both Audrey and Neal were down to
it for all they were worth. Ardrey was
close on the inside of the track, and Neal
tried to pass him. He appeared to be
gaining slightly; but the space was so
narrow that he changed his mind and
made for the other side. Just at that mo-
ment his wheel struck rut in the track,
twisted to one side, and the rider went
headlong to the ground with terrific
force. He fell and rolled together dis
tance of some 20 or 80 feet, and the big
crowd was horror struck. 1t looked like