The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-04
THE BIG NATIONAL MEET
MANY TOURS AND OUTINGS FOR
PHILADELPHIA's VISITORS.
The Washington Park Programme for
Monday-BicycIe FooIs-The Fu-
tnre of the wheeI-Notes.

Chairman Allen, of the tours and runs
committee of the % L. A W. meet, which
will be held IN Philadelphia aug. a. s. and
Z, has arranged a most complete schedule
OF short and long-distance outings which
will give the visitors an excellent oppor-
tunity OF becoming acquainted with famous
riding districts in the neighborhoOd OF the
Quaker City. Mr.. Aliens committee. which
is composed Of the captains of the nineteen
organizations composing the Associated
Cycling Clubs, will be divided UP into nu-
merous subcommittee which viii assume
direct charge of the various excursions.
on Wednesday. the opening day of the
meet, there will be two runs-the first. an
all-day affair. leaving headquarters at
O'Clock in the morning for historic Valley
Forge, the scene Of the terrible winter en-
campment Of the revolutionary soldiers
during the war for independence. and the
other at ? o'clock ia the afternoon for
tour of Paramount Park, the largest mu-
nicipa1 pleasure ground in the world.
Thursday the long-distance fends will
have an inning, a century over the famous
South Jersey course being scheduled to
start from headquarters at a. m. At $50
a. m. a second party viii leave for a trip
over the far-famed Lancaster pike, the old
sst stone road in the country. At ? o'clock
n the afternoon still another party will
start on a tour of exploration of the shady
retreats of the Wissahickon and Chestnut
Hill.
At $50 on Friday morning three runs win
leave the general rendezvous bound in as
many different directions. League island
and Point Breeze. the West Park and the
Wissahckon being the objective points.
These will all return in time to allow for
an early dinner and a start for Willow
Grove. where the races will be run off in
the afternoon commencing at o'clock
on Saturday morning at o'clock a run
will start for Fort Washington and half an
hour later another will start for West Park
and the Wissahickon AS on the previous
day, the return to the city will be made
at such time as tc allow for dinner before
starting for Willow Grove. where the most
important cycling contests ever run off in
this country will be decided in the after
noon.
On Sunday will take place the big Allan
tic City combination run and excursion.
The entire tours and runs committee are
already at work on the details of this af-
fair, which, with good weather, will
doubtedly be a brilliant success. The run
will be in two detachments the "slow
pack" leaving South-street ferry at
O'Clock and the clustered poodles" and
warm citizens" at Z o'clock. There will
be amusement galore to be had by those
who accompany the latter detachment.
About o clock the special L. A. w. seven
ty-minute flyer will leave over the Reading
for the accommodation of those who will
not forego their early morning maps. 1t is
arranged that the entire party may return
Nv in lie oIIf
In addition to the members of the tours
and runs committee, guides (to be collect
lively dubbed the steering commttee'O will
be on hand at all hours to escort visitors
to various places of interest in and near
the city
The race meet committee will have en-
tire charge of the Willow Grove track dur
ing the first week of August. and the oval
will be open to the entrants for training
purposes during that time. There will be
no restrictions other than that amateurs
and professionals will not be allowed to
train at the same time, certain hours being
designated for each class. This is not from
any fear that the ''pures" may be contain
mated by mingling with the pros" but
that the latter whose livelihood, in many
instances. depends on their physical cordi-.
ton. may not be exposed to the risk of ac-
cident by being compelled to train on a
crowded track. In former years it has
often happened that a number of bright
particular stars have been temporarily
eclipsed through mix-ups occurring during
the practice preceding an important meet
and due entirely to the overcrowding of the
track with riders of less experience
The track is of wood, and the work of
constructing it is now in progress. The
work is under the direction of Charlie Ash
niger. the well-known long-distance pro-
fessional, who knows more about building
wooden tracks than any man in the coun-
try
The new oval is three LAPS to the mile
Foundations are of stone and the support
ing timbers are Of heavy pine, firmly braced
with iron stays and bolts. The surface
lumber is of by yellow pine selected
stock, laid lengthwise and bent on the
turns, which will give a surface Offering
the least possible resistance. The entire
construction the surface we'll the
supporting work, will be thoroughly coated
with waterproof paint. With a view of
complained of by racing men, the surface
of the track will he painted an olive green
color as it has been demonstrated that
that shade is peculiarly restful TO the eyes
forty feet, that being the width the entire
length of the stretch. The minimum will
be twenty-siX feet, in the back stretch
The sweeps from the straights into the
care. and the lines will be so accurately
adjusted that as Mr.. Ashinger promises
"If YOU can get a quad or seXtet team to
&c in 100 your track viii hold them safe
enough" The extreme banking at the apex
OF each turn viii be upwards of eight feet.