The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-05
THE HOLSTERS FINE EFFORTS
HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT TO Sc
CURE THE BIG BICYCLE EVENT.
Omaha Was Swept Out of the Way in
the Magnificent Russia
Meeting Tonight.


ana State Division and various clubs in In
diana to hold the annual meet at Indian
apolis. The following telegram was sent TO
Chief Consul Wallace Sherwood, in this
city;
Executive committee, by unanimous
vote, accepts Indianapolis invitation and
awards the meet of 1898 to your city. We
extend congratulations and offer our best
cooperation to accomplish the most sue
cesssful meet in the history of the organi-
zation.'
August was fixed upon as the month of
the annual meet, it being left to the State
Division to fix the exact date. The execu-
tive committee also adopted a resolution,
which will be forwarded to Secretary Abb
bot Bassett, at Boston, to the effect that
the sale of supplies of various kinds from
the office of the secretary to the several
state divisions, while necessary in the con-
duct of division work, should be carried on
at cost, and without pecuniary profit to the
national body of the league.
The movement to secure the meet for In
dianapolis began only few weeks before
the 1897 meet was held in Philadelphia, and
the success of the movement speaks highly
of the energy of those who took it upon
themselves to push the claims of the city.
Ordinarily, city, to stand any show i'll the
strong competition for the big meet, must
enter into a contest beginning at about the
time of the second meet preceding the one
desired. 1t is thus with Buffalo and Boston
in their claims for the 1899 meet. Omaha,
defeated by Indianapolis, was q candidate
for the 1898 meet two years ago, and made a
big and expensive demonstration at the 1896
meet in Louisville in launching her boom.
The fact that Indianapolis should come in
at the eleventh hour and secure the prize
is evidence that Mayor Taggart, Postmas-
ter Sahm and the rest of the delegation
which went to Philadelphia did their work
i'm a thorough manner and convinced the
wheelmen of the country that the reputa-
ton of indianapolis had not been overesti-
mated
THE FIRST SUGGESTION
The first suggestion toward launching an
Indianapolis boom appeared in the Journal.
1t was just after nine cycling clubs of the
city had formed an associated cycling club
by electing delegates to a central organiza-
ton Wallace Sherwood, chief consul of
the Indiana Division of the L. A. W., had
been talking national meet for two years.
with absolutely no encouragement until his
plan was taken up by the Journal and given
publicity. After several articles had APP
peared in the Journal Mr.. Sherwood had a
talk with NJ. A. Woollen, a member Of the
Board of Trade governing committee, and
through Mr.. Woollen the governing COM
mittee appointed committee to confer with
a committee from the Commercial Club on
the ACCESSIBILITY of making the effort to Sc
cure the meet. The committees held q
meeting and decided to send a delegation TO
Philadelphia. The other papers then took
CT1h md "a q nr1lfA on
enlargement.
The victory of Indianapolis was a de-
cisive one. Omaha had already gone to
great expense to secure the meet, and it
was reported that special car with fifty
representative citizens would make the trip
to philadelphia to keep afioat the boom
launched at Louisville the year before. With
these facts in mind there was not great en-
enlargement for Indianapolis, and the five
Commercial Club, the Indiana Division L..
A. W., the Cycle Trade Association and the
Associated Cycling Clubs-which were
called upon to raise money to defray the
expense of the Philadelphia trip, did not
feel like being generous. But it was
thought that 5000 could be well spent in adj
yertising the city at the meet, even though
the city should not get the meet. This
amount was raised. and the following went
to Philadelphia: Mayor Thomas Taggart,
Albert Sahm, c. c. Foster, Evans Woollen,
sey l.. NJ. Wainwright, Frank Erdelmeyer,
Russell Eckman, Wallace Sherwood, John
Navin, +. w. Van Sicklen, Ben d. Crosse,
II. w. Reed and A. o. Royse. The last
four named composed the press committee.
They reached Philadelphia a day ahead
of the rest of the delegation and two days
before the meet began. The first night they
won all the morning papers over TO their
cause, and the next morning the Philadel-
phia papers had column after column of
Indianapolis matter. including cuts of lead
ing members of the delegation. Day after
day this was kept up in both afternoon and
morning papers, so that the claims or In
dfop lie ma la "a 9 "a q
s SeRIor' OF the proceedings OF the meet It
WORK AT PHILADELPHIA.
When Omaha reached the scene 1t found
Indianapolis in possession and made but a
feeble effort to overcome the strong lead the
Hoosiers had gained. Only one member OF
the delegation was interviewed by single
Paper. The delegation might not have been
there for all the attention it received from
the press.
While the Indianapolis press committee
was thus engaged the rest of the delegation
had taken headquarters and was keeping
open house day and night at the Hotel Wal
ton. The old league members, such as
Hearsey, Keck, Wainwright and Sherwood
We're working among the league officials
Mayor Taggart gave q banquet to the Local
and visiting newspaper men. which caused
many complimentary article for Indian
apolis to get into the papers. Others who
aided the cause of indianapolis We're few
wheelmen from elsewhere In Indiana who
attended the meet and Joined heartily in
the work. /. Grohs. formerly of this city
but now located at Philadelphia; William
Stilz, former Indianapolis man engaged In
the insurance business at Philadelphia. AND
Elmer Morris, formerly of the firm of Morris
* McCurdy, of this city, but now of New
York
After the Philadelphia trip those who went
formed a provisional meet committee. WITH
Albert Sahm as chairman. This committee
has kept i'm touch with the league officials
and with the probable delegates TO the st
Louis assembly, for 1t was thought thai
the place of holding the meet would be de-
cided upon either in the assembly or by I
mail vote of the delegates. AT the same
time the press committee sent out weekly
letters TO thirty-eight cycling papers and two
news matter as calculated to keep the
claims of Indianapolis before the wheelmen
Early in the fight Omaha withdrew from
tile race, ard one by one other cities gave
to make the selection OF the place of holding
this 1895 meet without fear of being accused
OF taking snap judgment or showing par
tiahty
THE MEETING TONIGHT.
Tonight there will be a meeting of tn,
executive committee of the permanent NEE
committee of which d. NJ Parry is chair
man. He will announce the various NEE
committees Some of them he has not filled
but they VIII be filled by the chairman from
the members of the new l.. A. w. Club
| Tie L. A. w Club will also meet tonight
and il is likely that the executive committe