The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-29
WARS EFFECT ON CYCLING
FEWER WHEELMEN ON THE
STREETS THAN USUAL

STREETS THAN USUAL
Many of the Enthusiasts Have Gone
to the Front, While Others Are
Busy in Other Ways-LaureI Cy-
Gle Club Making Plans for the
Como Road Race Which Comes
Off June rs.
No matter what the future has in
store for Spain, one victory may be
credited up to the Dons. Their argu-
ment with Uncle Sam has given the
bicycling a blow in the solar plexus.
Many of the most enthusiastic cyclists
are now on their way to Cuba or the
Philippines.
Patriotism and glory have the CALL
wheels are forgotten or relegated to
the home guard. Not only is trade in
the dumps, racing fails to draw as Of
yore, and the number of wheelers on
the downtown streets show a marked
diminution. The low price of wheels
only partially makes up the loss. The
absorbing interest is in the progress
of the war. and it diverts attention
from pursuit of pleasure. A little more
time and another Manila will doubt
less restore normal conditions.
Those who are not disposed to take
hand in the fracas may show their
patriotism in ways more conducive to
longevity than by bombarding the
Spaniards. Bicycle stockings with red,
white and blue tops, and sweaters hav-
ing national colors running in lateral
stripes around them, are being sold by
local merchants, and, during the last
ten days, some pleasing effects in pa
triotic bicycle regalia have been seen on
the streets.
The wheelmen as class are eXcep-
tiOnally patriotic. With the increasing
popularity of the wheel comes many
new departures in wheeling which only
serves to further establish the wheel
with the people. ,.ra, 81.
Unless there is an unexpected down.
pour of rain today, the roads will be
in ridable condition, and the Twin City
century run to Mortified and return
tomorrow will be the largest century
run ever pulled off in the Northwest
With almost an even 300 riders from
the Twin Cities, the start of the local
wheelnen will be made from st. Paul
at o'clock tomorrow morning, and
from Minneapolis at $50.
charge Of the Minneapolis end, and
Archie Matthias will look after the
comfort of the ST. Paul riders. A din
ner can be had at Mortified for SIS
cents, specially prepared for the wheel
men.
Sufficient time will be allowed at
Mortified for the wheelmen to rest be-
fore attempting the return trip. An
easy pace will be set to Mortified, and
the crowd will in bc- h,1pcb n,
the return, however, it will be a free
for-all, and some fast time is liable to
be made.
Tom Bird and a party of Twin City
riders will start a couple of hours be-
hind the other riders, and endeavor to
break the record. both for a century
and a double century.
If Old Sol does his duty today the
roads will be pretty well dried up, with
the exception Of a short strip near
ROsemount.
Ease ball players and athletes have
their own peculiari les, but bicycle rae
ers have idiosyncrasies that are indeed
peculiar. For instance, after thinner
man became king of the track he would
never mount in race unless his feet
were shod with pair of old and dilapf-
dated low shoes that he had worn ever
since he started as a novice. There
was no merit in that particular pair Of
shoes, nor did they help him win the
race; but like old Pete Browning,
whose funnyisms have furnished a
great amount Of laughter for the entire
base ball world, Zimmerman was con-
WINGED that success was not his unless
his mascot was with him.
Henry 3. Wood, the Ohio profession
AL likewise suffers in this manner. Like
Zimmerman, Wood imagines that his
shoes are the sesame to victory. He
says he would rather quit racing than
part with the shoes.
Jimmy" Michael has one, too. His
tcothpick is regarded in some quarters
as an idiosyneraSy, but it has been
stated that Michael regulates the
amount of air he breathes by the quill
he holds in his lips, and, although he
would not dispense with his mouth
piece, the reason is not that he regards
the toothpick as a mascot.
AS soon as the music of springtime
first is heard, every wheelman in this
vicinity who ever thinks Of scorching
in more or less degree, begins to Won
der if the big event of the years. the
Como road race, can be looked forward
to with certainty.
Plans for the race have progressed
sufficiently far to warrant the assertion
that the affair Will be a great success.
Encouraged by their success last year.
the Laurel Cycle club has decided TO
make the Como road race an annual
affair.
The club now makes the definite an
nouncement that their second annual
road race will be given over the Como
course on Saturday afternoon, June rs.
For the past six weeks the road race
committee, under the direction of DR..
NJ. o. Nelson, chairman, has been hard
at work on the necessary details.
Manufacturers and dealers in all
parts Of the country have generously
responded by offering prizes. At least
third Of the prizes are donations Of
out Of town firms. The first time prize
will be one Of the finest road racing
wheels made. The first place prize viii
also be some standard wheel of wide
reputation and merit. Two other
wheels will be donated by the st. Paul
City Railway company. In addition to
this the best known wholesale house in
the Northwest will offer one of its best
racing wheels for the rider who finishes
first on that particular make. Several
carloads of these wheels have been
sold and there will be large field of
entrees for this special prize.
The affair will be strictly amatuer.
Every scorcher in town wants to en-
ter the race and try the mettle of his
new wheel. It will take good man