The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-29
CYCLE PARADE A FIzZLE
ONLY ABOUT $50 WHEELMEN
TOOK PART IN IT
Lack of Interest In the Contest Was
Source of Serious DisapDoint-
ment to the Carnival Committee
Still, There Were Some Uniaue
Exhibits In the Parade az 1t
Was.

An opportunity to hold credltable and
representative bicycle parade was thrown
away last evening. The failure of the st.
Paul wheelmen to take advantage Of 1t is to
De regretted for 1t was expected that the
bicycle parade which the carnival committee
hau arranged would be one of the largest and
most brilliant affairs of the kind held in
the Northwest. On the contrary it turned out
70 os not very Disappointing procession In
women participated.
When announcement was made that the
GIln aaNr would wind up with a parade of
something worth seeing, and by s o'clock
me hour set for the show, the stree IS
onoouga which the parade was to pass were
cio"ueu WlGn eXpectant people, Rice park
was the rendezvous and many people gathered
there to witness the formation of the parade
but at the hour set for the line to march
dence. "'i' IL e'i
1t looked as though the parade would be a
nat faliure. But later several clubs wheeled
W Wi me order was given to move by Tom
Bro few minutes after and the wheelme n
started off in single file.
mere We're several eccentr.cs in line
Burney Bird rode a high Eagle wheel of the
style of TIE late '70s. A. d. Crowley an
p pt' on wheel made in 1869. 1t was con
rode an American Broncho, geared in the
hub, and manufactured fifteen years ago
CHARLES Hofer had an old Star wheel.
Inese were the only objects of special in
terest IN the parade. There were a numbsr
OF whee-s decorated with the national colors
ana several young women wore fantastic
was made to give the parade picturesque
appearance, or to make it different from an
ordinary procession OF wheelmen.
AS the procession moved down Sixth street
the spectators crowded in upon the wheel
men, but left a narrow lane down the street
through which they scorched as rapidly as
circumstances would permit. The judges
stand was erected in front of the Metropoli-
tan opera house, but the judges were greatly
disappointed at the slim turnout. They look
ed long and anxiously for some one worthy
or prize and were turning away with sickly
smiles when young fellow came along on
wheel made of wood He was dressed as
ccuntryman ard his get-up was the only
unique feature OF the parade. The judges in
first prize of S25 to him. The wheelman did
not know of the honor that had been thrust
upon him until later, when ore of the judges
met him in the street ard told him of it. He
gave his name as Charles C.. Barclay, and
he is employed at the Boston,
The judges delberated long time before
they awarded the second prize They thought
over all the men and women they saw In the
parade, and finally decided to give $40 to
young woman who wore a very neat dress
name, and will have to trust her to appear
before George R. Finch and make herself
known to him. That was the best the cont
mttee could do, and they retired from the
stand sadly disappointed.
The wheelmen proceeded to Jackson street.
and then to Seventh street and out to Como
park.
While the parade was in progress Guy Tor
ley gave an exhibition of trick riding in front
of the Windsor hotel. A crowd that blocked
the street gathered around him and applauded
his efforts.
The balance of the evening was spent by
the crowd of sightseers around the Ryan hotel
and the corner of Sixth and Cedar streets
Minnesota haD ha1d
forth, and at the corner of Cedar street the
Postofice band gave a concert. Both con-
certs were similar in character, and they
served to hold the crowds until nearly mid
night.