Omaha daily bee., 1898-08-28
wHIsPERiNGS OF THE Wheel

favorite state.
WHISPERINGS OF THE Wheel
Brick Kuhn Of Chicago who recently
Joined the ranks Of local bicycle dealers, has
invited his wheelrnen friends to participate
in run and grand picnic today. Mr.. Kuhn
spent his boyhood days on a fruit farm,
which is located about FIVE miles northeast
of Council Bluffs, and as his parents still
own the place and live there, he has planned
grand outing for local wheelmen today.
He has invited all Of the local bicycle clubs
to join him and also expects about half the
membership Of the Owl club and Ganymede
Wheelmen Of Council Bluffs TO go along
The start will be made from his store, on
Fourteenth street, at $50 this morning, and
more pleasant time for starting a run dur
ing this hot weather could not have been
chosen. At Council Bluffs the party will be
Joined by the Bluffs wheelmen and will
proceed Immediately to the farm. Mr.. Kuhn
says he has ordered two big wagonloads Of
watermelons hauled to shady spot, SO that
they will have ample time to cool by the
time the boys are ready to devour them.
The farm boasts a fine vineyard, apple
orchard and plenty Of plum trees, all OF
which are loaded with fine, ripe fruit, and
these will all be at the disposal of the vis-
itors. And you can say in your paper for
the benefit of the local wheelmen that have
not been invited" said Mr.. Kuhn, that
am pretty easy to get acquainted with, and
l will be glad to have any and all of them
who want to enjoy a Sunday outing in the
country, and general good time, join us.
They will be just as welcome as my inti-
nafn fria dc anI
party from the Omaha Wheel club, the
Tourists and the Turner's will make the trip,
and it is expected that Mr.. Kuhn will have
at least 200 wheelmen to entertain,
The Nebraska state bicycle circuit, which
has been quite successful one considering
that this is an off year in racing, will close
at Beatrice tomorrow evening. Friday the
boys raced at Lincoln on the one mile track
at Lincoln park. 1t was expected by local
racing enthusiasts that at this meet Gadke
would make a killing, as mile track Is
where he shines, but he was unable to do
better than one third, which was in the mile
open, while George Meiersten, another local
flyer, took third in the half-mile race This
is the second big disappointment Gadkes
admirers have suffered this season, as he
was expected to make a showing at In
dianapolis, but he failed. 1t can truthfulIy
be said, however, that he is in better con-
dition and riding faster this season than
ever before, but he is out Of luck, so to
speak. Vice Consul Benson has not as
yet compiled the table, showing the stand
ing Of the riders upon the circuit, but will
probably to do so Immediately upon its clos
ing tomorrow evening. The table will ap-
pear in these columns in next Sundays issue.
1t does not follow just because O man
carries the title OF champion that he is
invincible. Frank Kraemer was beaten
in four of the five amateur championships
at Indianapolis, and yet won the fifth, the
one-mile event, which carries with it the
title Of amateur champion of the United
States for 1898. At the very next meet
in which he competed he had all that he
could do to quit even with Ray Dawson,
the intercollegiate champion. No one can
rob him Of the title of champion Of 1898,
but he will never be given credit for being
pre-eminently the best amateur rider in the
country until he has duplicated the per-
formances Of Zimmerman in days of old,
or Peabody last season, or Bald in the
professional ranks.
James Michael. the all but dethroned king
OF middle distance riders. and David G.
Shafer. his mentor, manager and trainer,
have agreed to disagree 1t was generally
conceded when Shafer took hold of the
midget that he was not actuated by philan-
thropic motives. In fact, it is a notorious
fact that Shafer always looks out for num-
Der ,one. There were rumors and rumors of
trouble last season, but whatever trouble
there was was patched up and Shafer con-
tinued to direct the fortunes Of the Welch-
man. Again this season the rumors devel-
oped into shape that gave evidence that
there certainly was something tangible back
Of them and now it has been acknowledged
that there is trouble that cannot be patched
up. Michael Is dissatisfied. He thinks he
has been easy spending money for his
trainer and is determined, as soon as his
present contract expires, to find another
manager-and there are plenty who would
like to direct his fortunes-who will not in
sist on being the whole thing" Michael
has made far from a mint Of money out of
the four races already run, as his pacing ex-
penses have been heavy and he got the
losers end Of the purse in two OF them.
Nor was there enough in it for Shafer to
make him very deep in velvet, as he did not
do enough betting on the outside to pull
Michael has been dissatisfied with the
small amount Of his net earnings and there
is said to have been more trouble about
money settlements between the two.
Bald and Cooper have met, and the best"
man tat loafng on the track) won the race.
What a great mess two Of the foremost
racing men in the country made of it in
their recent match race at Indianapolis dur
ing the national meet! In winning the
event in the great time Of nearly 800 for a
mile race Bald does not prove that he is the
best man by any means. 1t proves nothing.
The race was a farce, and it is certain that
the public will not stand for much more on
the same order The only way to settle the
question between Bald and Cooper is to
start them at opposite sides of the track,
the man reaching his tape first to be de-
clared the winner.
The returning pilgrims from Indianapolis
bring pretty we'll backed stories that the
League OF American Wheelmen is more than
likely to cut loose from the racing game at
the next national assembly. A pretty we'll
authenticated statement is also made that
while the league will wash its hands officially
of the control Of the racing game, President