The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-23
The Wheels New Records.

| 1t was predicted last spring that the per-
formances Of wheelmen during the present
| year would afford many surprises and
| would reflect great deal OF credit upon
| expert riders. The racing ability Of some
champions, it was believed had not been
demonstrated as fully as it might be, and
the superiority Of the new bicycles over
those OF the past was expected to assist
materially in establishing series Of records
which would make the achievements Of
| last year seem commonplace.
An intelligent prediction rs to the excel
| lence Of the summers racing was not, how
ever easy to make. Anew persons thought
| that the absorbing interest in cycling
| manifested by the public in recent years
would not be continued ard that, conse-
quently, the crack fiers would lose heart
in their work and be unable to do credit to
themselves. Others argued that the racing
men were likely to think more about secur
ing their respective fees with comparatively
little exertion on the track than about ex-
ceiling former feats 1t was plain that II
either OF those conditions should exist there
would be no record-breaking.
AS frequently happens, many OF the signs
failed. No noticeable want of enthusiasm
has been shown on the part Of the public
during the races which have been held, and
certainly no spirit OF half-heartedness or
lack Of activity has been detected in the
exhibitions OF the racing contestants since
last May. Indeed, greater things have
been done since then in the way Of cycle
record-smashing than were ever before ac-
complshed in a similar length Of time. In
ha - Jpl
perts succeeded in eclipsing the one-mile
figures for paced racing which last fall
aroused 80 much surprise and admiration
on both sides Of the ocean.
Perhaps greater interest has been CEN
tered in the attempts to lower the one-mile
record than in any other single endeavor.
During the last twenty years the honors for
"doing the best mile" have been forfeited
and regained several times by English and
American riders but, with all due credit to
the former. it should be said that the record
has been kept for the greater part Of the
time on UNCLE SANS territory, and that
whenever fresh laurels were won by English
men they were quickly transferred to this
country. For example, when PLATT-BETTs
in 1898, brought the time for mile down
to 1875, it required less than three months
for an American, TAYLOR. to make the time
/ 80 3-5. And when the same English
scorcher recovered the one-mile honors on
July of this year by riding a mile in
1871 rs, he was obliged to relinquish them
twelve days later to ELKEs at Washington,
D. c., who rode the distance in 1881.
Ten days after ELKEs's feat McDUFFER
rode mile in New Bedford in the surpris-
ing time OF 1928, which by many was
regarded as unapproachable, at least 80 far
as concerned this years performances. In
less than a week afterward, however,
major" TAYLOR, whose skill on the track
last year won for him almost uninterrupted
applause, startled the cycling world by
making fresh one-mile paced record OF
/ :22 2-5 at Garfield Park, Chicago.
Among other feats Of notable merit Is the
performance OF DowNEY. youth Of seven
teen years. who on Aug. 10 reduced
the time for five miles by % As seconds. On
Aug. 15 the national one-hour record was ex-
celled by LINTON at Waltham, Mass, the
new distance being 81 miles ! 1888 yards,
or 40 yards better than the previous at
tempt. Tho worlds one-hour record OF 80
miles TOT yards Is held by TAYLoRE, q
Frenchman. LINTON also clipped four-fifths
Of a second or the best time previously
made in a paced race for 25 miles, his
record for that distance being 42:41 1-5.
The present racing season is long way
from its close, and it would not be strange
If other efforts equally gratifying as
those of the past two months are heard OF
before December. Last year the cyclists
most spirited performances did not occur
until November, when they took place in
rapid succession. But whatever surprises
the coming fall may have in store for the
wheelmen and their friends. the compe-
titions Of the riders will be exciting and.
we hope, instructive likewise.