Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-08-07
THE l.. A. W. RACES.
Great Sport at Philadelphia Yesterday.
Sensational Time Made.

NenSatAOnal Time maze.
Philadelphia, Pa, August 6.-The
opening race meet of the eighteenth
annual meet of the League of American
Wheelmen was held to-day, at Willow
Grove Park, fourteen miles from this
city. before 1900 spectators. It was
the most successful in the history of the
organization; in attendance, enthusi-
asm, good racing. Several State rec
ords were smashed. and Arthur Card
iner the Chicago crack, came within
two-ffths of a second breaking Hamil-
tons one mile record for one mile
paced. He succeeded in lowering the
fast mile made by Johnny" Johnson
at Chicago, last year, by four-ffths Of
a second.
Gardiner was paced by two quads,
one loaded with Wenzel, the Turville
boys and Coburn; the other with w. Z.
Becker, W. L. Becker, Crooks and
Steenson. He crossed the line like a
flash and the time was caught beauti-
fully. He never ceased his pace until
the finish. made in 1:39 3-5, breaking
the State record of !: As 3-5, held by
Earl Kiser.
StarbUck also took a trial at the rec
ord. paced by a quad and trip. For
the first half he made very fast time,
but lost behind the trip. His time was
1:443-5, also breaking Kiser's record.
Both these events followed the
scheduled races for the day. In the
latter the honors among the profess
SIGNALS were won by F. J. Loughead,
of Sarnia. Ont, WIG crossed the tape
a winner in three trials, two finals and
second man in a third final. In one Of
the finals. the one mile professional.
he broke the State competition record
Of 2:O4 As. by covering the distance in
2:OS9-5. He captured the one-quarter
mile championship in 50 seconds.
Among the amateurs, honors were
more evenly divided. with the best rae
ing done by Peabody, Johnson, Mid
dendorf. Schade, Kinck and Miller.
The day was perfect for racing and
the sun was not long up before hun
dreds of cyclists were pedalling along
the historic and picturesque road, to-
wards Willow Grove. and even greater
numbers were taxing the railroad trains
and trolley cars to their utmost. Not
withstanding many Of the visiting
wheelmen did not get from last nights
smoker at the national headquarters I'M
I'll nearly daylight most Of them were
astir early. The heat from the sun was
- nr-th Vud :
breeze and there was an almost total
absence of humidity.
There were early morning runs TO
League Island navy yard, at the lower
end of Broad street, across Rope Ferry
bridge to Paschalville, Pa. returning
bv way Of Woodland avenue. West
Philadelphia. to Broad street. where
the column merged into the army OF
wheelmen who had gone through the
Paramount Park and the Wissahickon
Drive, and the big scheduled run to the
track BEGAN. When the head Of the
line reached Old York road. four miles
from headquarters. there were many
who had not mounted their wheels.
At the track all was hustle among
the racing men. Johnny" Johnson,
who was hurt on Wednesday, was I'M
able to ride to-day. but will probably
make an effort 10 start tomorrow.
The other men were being rubbed down
or we're taking preliminary spins on the
track. This was specially constructed
for the meet. II is Of wood, entirely
surrounded by seats. with a capacity Of
$4,000.
The trials began promptly at nine
o'clock. with several thousand specta-
tors. At 10: 40 o'clock there was recess
for lunch. Meanwhile the seats were
rapidly filing. and long before the hour
for resumAg e. was evident that the
crowd would be enormous. At three
O'Clock TN track was cleared and
racing in again, continuing until S
O'Clock Without the slightest hitch.
During he entire day there we're but