Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-10-23
RECORD UNBROKEN..
Bicyc|ist Simonds Fails to Break
300-MiIe Road Record.
Bad Roads from Portland Encountered IN Ride
from Hartford, Conn.

to equal his ride from Hartford. Conn.
made last July. Mr.. Simonds on that
ride, last July, of 3O6 miles. broke the
road record for 300 miles, making the
distance in % hours and 80 minutes.
He attempted to break that record,
saturday and Sunday. but, the fates
We're against him, and he came in %
minutes behind his previous time.
Mr. Simonds announced, last week
| through the Journal, that he should
| make the attempt and to look for him
at noon or little before, Sunday, as
he should start from Hartford at I
O'Clock. Saturday morning. The rain
Of Friday made his Augusta admirers
believe he would surely give up the at
tempt, but he did not. He sent word
to Mr.. Cyr from the start, Saturday
morning, to look for him here on time.
At Boston he telegraphed that he was
feeling well. though he had suffered a
fall. Again. Sunday morning, Mr.. Cyr
received another message from Port
land saying ne was one hour ahead of
his previous time to Portland, having
left the place at 5 A. NJ. for Augusta,
unaccompanied by PAGERS.
A great crowd gathered on Water
street, Sunday noon. to witness the
plucky rider as he should arrive. and
some anxiety was expressed as moth
ing had been seen of him at Gardiner
The word came that he left Gardiner
at 12.35 II. NJ. and then all eyes We're
strained for a glimpse Of him. His
form, accompanied by three PAGERS
appeared around the top of Rines hill
ut 4 little past | o'clock. and. at l0I,
he had dismounted ana was being led
into Mr.. CyI-;s. repair shop. Simonds
was not greatly exhausted. though
rather shaky. and for several minutes
was very weak. but he gradually re
gained his strength so that an hour
later. when the Journal had talk with
him at the home of Charles Morris. /
laying in bed. he looked very unlike the
picture he presented in July, after his
ride in the hot weather. Mr. Simonds :
attributes his good form after this ride /
t. the. excellent condition he is in. hav- 4
ing been in training for this test of en-
duraucr.
His story If the ride Is interesting. /.
lie started out on good roads and had
an exceedingly pleasing ride tn Bos I
tan, accompanied 10y pace makers. At .
Inuian orchard they took the tracks .
If the railroad To Boston. From Bos-
ton to Portland during the night was
not bad. though il was cold. Here. too.
lie had pacemakers and he intended to /
have one from Portland To Augusta.
but the man failed to appear.
lie left Portland at ; o'clock, Sunday
morning. all alone and over roads that
grew worse as he approach
cd Augusta. The wind was directly in
his face. though not a strong one was
his coat over his sweater and he also
Wore gloves. 1t was at Freeport that
happened. Here the cement on the tire
of the front wheel gave out entirely.
letting the tire loose and he dared not
go further without having it repaired
for the puncturing of the tire was the
inevitable result in case he did. 1t
happened that tire cement was the very
thing he happened to leave from his
repair kit and he had TO go from house
to house in the outskirts of Freeport
in search Of some thick paint in case
he could not find the cement He
found some thick black paint and APP
piled it to the rim. putting on the tire
and letting 1t dry for a time. This
cost him about an hours time, 50 he
believed.
The rough roads the rest of the way
lost him valuable time. and that ac-
counted for his failure to break the
Local wheelmen paced him from Rich
mond.
He has been riding a wheel for the
past two years with one of the fric-
ton brakes and recently when he
adopted the White bicycle he ordered
q brake to fit the wheel, but it had not
arrived in time for the start The alb
sence of this, as any one may suppose
who know the use of the brake, caused
him much Inconvenience after having
become used to the brake
Mr. Simonds will remain in the city
for day or two, when he will go to
Boston where he has secured employ
ment in the drop forging department
of the Warwick bicycle manufactury.
The bids for the contract for putting
the heating apparatus into the new
journal block We're opened. Saturday
night, and Malcolm & Dyer were found
to be the lowest bidders.
Enterprise, honesty and vim will do