The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-01
SMASHED ALL RECORDS
SECOND INDIANA ROAD RACE WON
BY LOUIS GORDON.
Elmer Pierce Takes the Time Prize
Number Beat the Best Time
of Last Year.

Winner of time prize-Elmer Pierce,
Brazil.
Winner Of first place-Louis Gordon, IN
dianapolis.
The Indiana road race was run off yes
terday morning and there never dawned
a fairer day for such an event The air was
cool, but the sun shone brightly upon the
several thousand of people who gathered
along North Meridian street to see the start
and finish. From old Fourteenth street as
far north as Fall creek bridge the side
walks along the asphalt pavement were
lined with men and women in holiday at
tire except for the hundreds who were
awheel and they were attired in every
conceivable kind of costume. The crowd
began to gather long before the hour for
the race to start.
There was long wait for most of the
people, for it was nearly 10 o'clock when
the race was start ed.
The sun was just beginning to warm up
the atmosphere when the first of the riders
who were to participate in the great event
began to appear with their trainers. They
found waiting for them tents for dressing
rooms pitched in the front yards of resi-
dences on the east side of Meridian street,
south of old Fourteenth. The greater num-
Der of the riders appeared in time to take
a little warmingup spin out across the
bridge and get the rub down." which is
so important to put them in condition. A
little easy riding, with a final squirt, put
the most of them on their best metal for
the race.
An hour before the time for the start
the work of checking and numbering and
classifying the riders began and the clerks
were kept busy while the crowds of eager
wheelmen and wheelwomen enthusiasts
crowded about the temporary quarters or
sought vantage points along the road from
which to see the race. The crowd was a
heterogeneous one. There were old men
and women whose principal interest was
one of sympathy with son or the son
of a friend who was to start in the race.
There were mothers and sisters and broth
erS of the $50 starters, as well as sweet
hearts There We're tally-ho and coaching
parties There were women who had some
beWitchtng outing costume that must be
worn on such an occasion even if a heavy
cape had to be worn with 1t for comfort.
The sweet young girl and the camera fiend
were also there, and last, but most numer-
Gus, were the men and women who made
up an army of wheel riders. They were
there with their wheels and they proved
great annoyance TO the policemen who
tried to keep the way OPEN
THE FIRST BUNCH OFF.
A police sergeant and detail of sixteen
patrolmen managed finally to crowd the
people back upon the sidewalks and lawns
and for q distance of four or five blocks
there was hardly a foot Of space vacant
except the asphalt pavement. Just before
the race began two bike cops" rode along
on either side of the street at the curb
line and gave the final injunction about
keeping on the sidewalks. Then the riders
made their appearance at the old Four
teenth-street crossing. On either side of
Meridian street, standing on old Four
teenth, was a taly-ho and from these was
stretched a flaming red streamer. 1t was
high enough for the riders to pass under
1t easily and this served as the tape.
At eight minutes of 10 O'Clock the first
bunch of Starters-the SeVen-mnute men
were sent away amid the loud cheering of
the multitude and then at minute intervals
thereafter other lunches were started until
the scratch men were off and the race was
fairly on.
After all there was little for the specta-
tors to see. They saw the riders come
out of their dressing rooms dressed like
Indians, saw them mount their wheels,
throw off their blankets and at the word,
dash past them like the wind. This was re-
peated until the eight classes had been
sent away and then there was restless
scramble in which everybody wanted to
get out in the middle OF the street where
he would be most likely to interfere with
the riders on their return. There was an
and then the word came down the line that
they're coming" Then there came in sight
three crippIes-men who had met with ac-
cdents along the course and had come
back. One had lost a pedal, another had
punctured a tire and another had broken
his front wheel. Another shout and an
other rider returned without having made
the course. Presently the cry was again
taken up and as the long lines of specta-
tors realized that this was indeed the be-
ginning of the end of the race, there was
wild rush for the middle of the street.
The crowd closed up and formed two solid
walls leaving only room enough in the mid
die of the street for a single wheelman
to ride and probably preventing some rid
ers from passing others along the way.
After the winner of first place had crossed
the tape they began to come in rapid sue
cession until 100 had been checked off. The
rest of the starters were lost in the shut
fe and the race was over.