The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-05
E. s. Edwards Rode 100 Miles
on Country Road.
Must Ride Century Every Day
in the Year.
Is PACED BY A WOMAN
Drives a Fast Horse to a Sleigh
Before Him.
Farmers Aid Him by Clearing
a Path.

New York, Feb. 5.-Through the biz
zard of Thursday Edward s. Edwards
rode 100 miles on a bicycle He rode
another century yesterday at Lakewood
and tomorrow he will attempt it again
He is under contract to ride a CEN
fury every day throughout the year to
test chainless wheel. He finished his
SD century last night
He rode through the storm over the
Merrick road with the snow laden wind
hOWllng about him and the road inches
deep with the white carpet. OF all the
terrible miles the last II were the cheer
fullest to him.
The farmers all about had given him
what aid they could, but none was so
kindly as that furnished by Mrs. Craw-
ford of Valley Stream, who is deeply in
tereSted in cycling.
She had watched the plucky cycIist
peddling labOriously back and forth
through the storm. Toward midnight
she hitched a fast horse to a hignback-
ed sleigh and went forth to pace him.
The wind had grown so strong that Ed
wards could hardly force his wheel
against it at a snaiPs pace. He was al
most determined to give up Mrs. CraW-
ford gave him new hope and strength
The cutter sheltered him from the wind
and he was able to follow the fast horse
He finished his hUndredth mile at
1920 a. m. yesterday.
Edwards is a member of the Century
Wheelmen. He is twenty-fOur years old
and weighs 121 pounds, a pound and a
quarter more than he did when he be-
gan his century riding this year. He
long ago acquired the reputation of
being one of the strongest riders in the
district, and no wealth could keep him
indoors.
He is always in great demand for
pacing century runs for he likes to
take upon his shoulders the response
bility of assisting stragglers, and help
ing out those who have met with acct
dents.
When Edwards crossed the Twenty
third street ferry at 10:30 his friends
said it was useless for him to attempt
to ride in that blizzard. The wind was
blowing a hurricane and it would be i'm
possible to force a wheel through the
snow against it. 1t seemed an impossi-
BILE feat to ride 100 miles under those
conditions.
TN ride 100 miles if I have to get off
and sweep the road myself he said
with a laugh. I'll ride about some
little clear space until 1 have finish
ed
People along the Merrick road know
Edwards and they like him. When he
appeared, they shouted to him, saying
they would help him to make his run
Men, women and children shovelled
away the worst places in the road, and
Edwards started at a lively clip. As
the force of the storm and the cold in
creased, he was forced to diSmOunt and
put on more clothing. This impeded
The snow became deeper and deeper.
the wind stronger. AS fast as the snow
was cleared away a drift formed again
When he faced the wind it felt as if
he was trying to ride through a balloon
and when he had turned his back the
snow made the road so heavy that he
could not make anything like speed.
Near Valley Stream Edwards was
forced to dismount. Then his friends
made a crude snow pillow, to which a
horse was hitched, and a track sixteen
miles long was cleared. But it could
not be kept clear. 1t was necessary
to make it a five mile course and it
was almost impossible to keep this
clear.
AS night drew on the snow fell faster
and the fury of the wind increased.
/ Edwards pedalled along like a spectre.
The snow enveloped him in white. His
! clothing was frozen in places The wind
| seemed bent on pushing him back.
In the blaclxness of the night, through
[ the whirling fakes, he rode laboriously
with only the plOughed track and the
/ lights at either end of the five mile
course to guide him. He bent low over