The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-08

Attf8
F1fteen hundred people a. the Y NJ e
A park last night witnessed a harrow
ing accident. n came win the sudden
nsss ~ = fash q nghfning. Prom TIE
crowd vent up a Froan % agony ana
Their or fAs narrow homs-siretch 81 tha
suooth bicycle track before the Epecta-
tors lay ths tolies q i've q ne fastest
racers On the Pacific coast. ana near
shesn iay nse bicycles twisted into
AhapsicNs mass
In the Wild excitement people failed
20 sec a man IN red escape the wreck
and rs across tho white tape on his sli-
enf black steed Ike a phantom. IN ar
eyes were fixed with horror on tho MAS
Of humanity bling helpless before them.
They wondered what u meant when
Hardy Downing. OF San Francisco. stag
gcred "a his feet and. wrenching his
wheel loose from the pile, plunged over
the finish line rhey could not realize
vhat had happened when Danny Whit
man. OF Los Angeles. bruised and bat
tered and covered with dirt. nmPed across
the tape after Downing. Things were
passing too fast. and the crowd did not
See the import.
Briefly this tells the story of what
viii go down ia history as the most ter
rihlc 'splii" ever seen In a bicycle race.
rnd those who witnessed II viii ponder
over The sight and wonder how those Eve
ren escaped instant death
Men who have witnessed hundreds OF
races turned away when the climax
came. They said they had never seen
anything like It. and waited with bated
breath for the report from the impro-
yised surgical ward below.
When II was announced that no one
was dangerously injured a shout went up.
Hut the interest ia the evenings sport
was blasted. The picture Of these mea
stretched on the track and their broken
wheels in pile was before their eyes.
They could not Danish H. Every time
the riders 10 subsequent races came near
together the people gave an involuntary
start. II told what was In their minds
They shrank from the phantom OF an
other accis Mt and hreathed a sigh Of
relief when tie final sprint was over ana
The winners had been announced.
List Of the Injured.
Following Is complete list Of those in
fnred.
John Ssavcr. Portland. knocked tnsea-
sible. struck on head. feared he has re-
ceived Internal injuries: forehead and nose
badly skinned. mouth lacerated His in
jlries were the most serious OF any OF the
riders; was removed 70 hospital
Otto Zeigicr, king Of Pacific coast racers.
knocked inscnsiblc. badly shaken up: skin
along nose split open. mouth lacerated
had hruise over right eye; was removed 20
Stevens hotel. injuries not dangerous.
Danny Whitman. Los Angeles. slsxht
bruises or Lett elbow and LETT knee
Hardy Downing. San Jose. slight bruises
George Crawford. Seattle. plowed along
against sife of grand stana FOR ten feet on
h's head but not seriously Injured: was
badly scratched up.
>wift Racers In the Final Heat
Everything appeared cooked aud prinea
Tor Inc evenings sport when the rid r.
we're called for the hnai heat IA the hsls-
mile professional The preliminary heats
had bssn ran on Monday afternoon. leay-
ins otto Ieiglcr. George Crawford. Geerga
sharick Danny Whitman. Hardy Down
INK and John SiaVer 10 compete in the
ilnai These are among The fastest men on
the Coast. Rnd q WAS desired. Of course. o
finish the race Monday afternoon. hnt
owing % the heavy rain 4 postponement
was absolutely necessary.
Every one realized that 4 was going 20
D. nercely contested race. aud wsf.hed
even the rrellmlnarles wsth unusual inter.
est. The fsrsi az the contestants 20 appear
or the track was Zelsier Although he
was dressed Ia white, the crowd immedl-
atelv recognized him and applauaea vieor-
ogSly The other riders came No fn 4
bunch. and among them was Coarve Shav-
lex. dressed in rcd and black There was
a determined expression on his face w..en
ne mnansea his black racer In llae With she
other five men ana waited for the pfztal
The crowd was oiy wfth a rush. Crawford
fn the lead. with Staser close behind hf,a.
xssgier ana ShArtck. upon whom an ewes
we're turned. laE back and waited gar fe-
NeiepnentS. Under the steady glarc or the
electric hghts rhe riicrs gwcp, around thc
circle ard came down the home stretch
well up together. The beil saundea Tor the
last iap, and away ;hey went The SNOWY
legs or the sis riders worked faster. ana
the crowd watched eagerly. like aaSe
they shot ew from THE shadow - tho old
Baseball stand and sired atonx the afrafehf-
away ~ the back stretch
HALFWAY down tho stretch a white form,
was seen 10 jump ahead with Tremendous
snecd. and attcr him came a darker nrs,~.
The crowd Immediately reeos.niEaf Tsfefrr
and Shariek They were Fkhunq another
hattie. and Sharick WIS working With a
grim determination 10 wire out the defeat
Sustained Monday afternoon at the hands
81 the white shadSw rhev fsiri, n.v
past tho other riders ana bad clear spsrr
when they mate the upper turn Thev
swung into the home stretch aud came
tearing down the fHish. Thc crowd ,surf
not stand the excitement ara sfood uo
leaniug csvefiv forward Co catch ever,
nlcve Ga the Erand struggle
ttsc Fsii ia n Heap.
Zeiglcr was close GOO to che pole. and Sha--
lex VAS we'll out. Statrr was q Roaf thirt
ana between the two headers Downing