The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-20

No men ever more heartily welcomed the
approaching close of a contest than the
dozen remaining contestants in the inter
national siX-day race at Mechanics pavilion
when at o'clock tonight they entered
on the last half dozen hours of a remarkable
test of endurance. Nothing but the nearness
of the finish and the stimulus of a cheering
crowd could have kept the men at their task
Human endurance had reached the point
where reason deserts the body and total col
lapse was imminent.
Miller deserves his victory. and his record
will probably stand for years to come. No
previous contest has been so stubbornly con-
tested from start to finish, and no similar
number of men have shown such wonderful
pluck and endurance.
Crowds that almost riValed those in at
tendance at the closing hours of the Madi-
son-square contest last December remained
in the big pavilion throughout Saturday
night and Sunday. 1t was noisy but sym
pathetic and impartial crowd, urging and
encouraging each rider in turn. There was
plenty of enthusiasm, too, when Miller at
the end of the 127th hour rode his 2OO0th
mile IN 2:25 3d. unpaced. At $50 o'clock this
morning Miller was fourteen hours and nine
teen minutes ahead of his New York record
AS the day wore on sprinting became in
frequent except in the cases of Nawn and
Barnaby, who were repeatedly charged with
energy by an electric battery and came out
10 exhaust their charges IN a wild sprint
The hight of the last half dozen hours was
between FrederickS and AarOnSOn for sec
ond place. For time 1t seemed as if Fred
erickS would succeed in oVerhaullng the
Swedish rider, but with the assistance of
Jullus ) pacing AaronsOn made a game ride
throughout the afternoon and evening, and
about O'Clock apparently had second place
TO a certainty.
Gimm went down the line to-day, drop
ping mile after mile to AaronsOn and Fred
ericks. Gimm was unable to overcome his
physical weakness. though he tried hard to
do so. Hale was in bad shape mentally all
day. He imagined himself riding to San
Jose. His physical condition was good, how
ever, and he kept steadily at work.
All through Saturday night and Sunday
the poor tired fellows, jaded and worn, with
drawn faces and staring eyes, circled the
track, sometimes at a snail's pace and then
again. under the influence of inspiring
marches by the band and the urging of
friendly voices encouraging them to Hurry
up, old man. or You're all right" the rid
ers would increase their speed tor few laps
and then drop back into the old rut. Hal
luclnations haunted the tired brains of most
of the contestants at frequent intervals and
their Vagarfes presented humorous phases
that We're at once grim and pltiable.
Miller Is marvel of endurance. 1t may
be said of him, too, that he has used his
head as much as his muscle in this supreme
test of endurance. He has been systematic
throughout the race. HIS periods of rest
have been short and at frequent intervals
He did not continue at the steady grind
until he became entirely exhausted before
seeking rest, but at stated times would
leave the track for his dressing room, where
his trainer gave him attention for periods
ranging from fifteen minutes to half an
hour. His longest absence from the track
was thirty-eight minutes Unlike some of
the other riders Miller seldom made pace
stronger rider, whom he would follow like a
shadow. BY this system he wore down
Gimm, who was until the beginning of the
NTH day believed to be his most formidable
adversary. Miller's ankles gave him great
trouble. His left ankle was kept tightly
bandaged for the last forty-eight hours of
the race and must have caused the plucky
and furrowed with new lines but on the
whole he was in fairly good shape at the
beginning of the closing hours of his terrible
experience.
The first six men al the end of the one
hundred and-forty-third hour were all with
IN Millers former record of 2007 miles. At
this time all the contestants retired from
the track for brief rest and rub down
for the finish in good form at the conclusion
of the race. an hour later.
In the short distance events tonight Kid
Mccoy acted as starter Baby Gibson gave
a tWo-mfle exhibition, paced by Fournier
Time, 4:10. Jimmy Michael rode a mile in
1:5l 2-5 and Eddie Bald covered half a mile
In :55, each passed by the internal ma
Charles Turville were the competitors in the
Australian pursuit race, which was won by
Turville In 4:19 4-5 Distance two miles and
seven laps The One-mile tandem race be-
tween Downing and COtter VS.. Fournier's
machine was won by the tandem in 1:54 40