The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-05
NATIONAL L. A. w. MEET
PRESS COMMITTEE BEGINS SENDING
OUT ITS NATTER.
InfOrmat ton Gathered from the First
Press Sheet--Dirty Streets
Discussed.

The press committee of the Indianapolis
| 1898 Meet Club opened permanent bureau
| in room in the Commercial Club building
| and is sending hundreds of thousands of
| words out to the papers of the country
| every week. Hal w. Reed, of the News, is
| chairman of the committee and is giving
| his whole time to the work of booming In
| dianapolis. The following is the weekly
press sheet" which goes to about 500 pa
| pers, in addition to which hundreds of spe-
! Gals are sent out:
The executive committee OF the '9S Meet
| Club has opened it's permanent headquar-
| tiers in the Commercial Club building, and
| from now on all business in junction with
the meet will be transacted these offices.
me work of preparation / .dvanced so
rapidly that it has been i necessary
to open permanent headQuaA rs this early
two months off the members Of the COM
mittee are satisfied that it will be gigantic
success. Inquiries are now being received
every day from wheelmen of different parts
OF the country asking in regard to rates,
accommodations, plans for entertainment
and a dozen different things which shows
the active interest that has been aroused in
the '9S meet. Heretofore committee meet
ings have been held once week, but 1t has
been found that this Is not often enough
to transact all the work which accumulates
from day to day, and beginning with the
1st of June meetings will be held two or
three times week, and later, every day.
The chairmen of various subcommittee
who are working on the details in connec-
ton with the big affair, all report that they
mittees will be ready to do their full duty
when the time comes. Nothing that will
1torS next August will be left undone, and
now there are twenty-five active agrees
sive business men devoting much of their
time as to how the interests of the wheel
men of the country can be best served dur
ing the week of Aug. 9 to 10 inclusive:
The information committee has gathered
together during the past ten days almost
everything in the way of information which
could be of benefit to the visitors. 1t has
secured lists of the hotels, their rates, Sc
lected centrally located places for the es-
tablishment of information bureaus during
ing the paved streets and prettiest rides
located the public buildings, points of in
terest and prepared the data for book of
information which will be given to the vis-
itors during the week of the meet
The finance committee has succeeded IN
raising almost the entire amount asked for
by the entertainment committee. Chairman
Sahm has prosecuted this part of the work
vigorously and he has met with great en-
not yet been canvassed, and he fully ex-
poets that as soon as he can get over 1t he
will have more than the amount of money
asked for by the executive committee.
Chairman Foltz, of the race committee, is
being bombarded on every side by letters
from riders, trainers and race promoters
asking for further details in regard to the
race programme of the national meet. There
are several decidedly new and novel features
been sprung on the cycle racing public. The
multiplet handicap event and the interstate
pursuit race both seem to be vexing prob
lens: The chairman himself has not yet
decided just what method will be employed
in running them. The great American
handicap, which comes the second day has
also attracted much attention among the
riders, and the indications are that there
will be over one hundred entries in this one
race. The amateur national championship
on the third day is practically new event,
the entries being restricted to the winners
of the mile championships of the different
States. This will cut down the field, but il
will bring together the fastest amateurs in
the country and prove one of the most in
teresting events of the week The winner
of this race can call himself the champion
amateur of the season.
The interurban team pursuit race for
amateurs, which will take place Saturday
Aug, IL, has aroused much interest among
amateur riders in this section of the coun-
try. Chairman Foltz states that the teams
whether the heats will be made up Of in
dividual riders from each team or be be-
tween the teams themselves, with three men
qualified for the final, is a question which he
has not yet decided. He still continues TO
receive many compliments on the excellence
of the race programme for the national
meet
Work on the new track is progressing rap,
idly Charles Ashinger, the veteran track
builder. is in charge Of the construction
and has a. large force of men at work
Herbert Foltz, supervising architect, has all
of the plans of both the track and stand
completed; In drawing them he has had
the benefit of the experience gained in
the building of the Chester Park. Fountain
Ferry, Detroit and Montreal tracks, and
1t is believed that the Indianapolis track
when completed, will not only be more ac-
ceptable to riders. but will provide better
comfort for the spectators and particularly
the newspaper men, to whom attendance at
national meet is anything but pleasant
job The track will be finished by June
20. and will be opened with the state meet
on July T.
The directors of the Indianapolis Cycle
Track Company are still wrestling with the
name for the new track on Central avenue.
A request for suggestions for name was
recently sent out by Secretary Foltz and
many replies We're received These have
been gone over several times and each direc-
tor has unfortunately selected a different
name. 1t Is proposed to call a meeting
next week to decide this question. The
company has raised all of its funds to build
the track, has the work well in hand. and, |
with nothing else to do until the track Is