The record-union., 1899-09-10

Ndpildl 1lly WHeeliiienS 5 CLUB mouse,
llOS-1110 K street, during the fair sea-
son.
The C. c. W. Club road race will
probably come off early in October 1t
is a free for all club members. and is
an annual event and affords any
amount of fun.
The weather has been so cool of late
days that QUOT pitching on the c. c. w.
Clubs grounds has been very little en-
gagged in. Is it true that it requires
warm weather to timber up the mus
cles for this fine exercise and national
sport?
A couple of years ago bicycle riding
was made responsible for the falling off
OF so many persons in literary enthusi-
aSm. The wheel took them away from
books and overcame the allurements
of the library. Now, however one pub
Usher has discovered that the bicycle
has at least been the means of awaken
ing an interest in natural history, and
reports as direct result an increased
demand for books on that subject
New phases in the world of cycle
freakdom are constantly breaking out.
There is a man seeking the permission
Of some big factory owner to be hauled
to the summit of his tallest chimney
and there spend six days riding round
the ledge, to the amazement OF the
world below. He says he can make a
lot of money this way The sreat
chimney will be plastered with adver-
tisements, and as thousands of people
viii come to the place with the ,xpec-
tation of seeing him topple off. while
they are waiting for this to happen,
they can, of course, be entertained and
instructed by reading the advertise
ments.
The Sydney (AustraIia) cycle track
has been lighted in a novel way by
means of inverted arc lights Fifty-cne
arc lights and seventy incandeseents
are placed around the track at inter
walls of thirty-five feet, the lamps being
inverted with the reflectors immedi-
ately over the arc. There are absolute
ly no shadows cast and leading cyclists
are of the opinion that it is safer to
ride at night under this light than by
daylight And yet Sacramento's over
cautious cyclists fear the proposition to
have an electric light meet over Agri-
cultural Park course, when there is lots
of sport and some money in it, if the
c. C. W. will take it up.
Mcfarland is coming West to pro-
mote cycle races in San Francisco. San
Jose, Sacramento and Los Angeles. He
brings some newly discovered sprinters
with him and a trio of motor cycle
pacing machines.
Fred Yorke Wolseley, a brother of
the commander-in-c chief of the British
army, has invented a sheep-shearing
machine connected to a bicycle. so that
the wheelman supplies the motive pow
er With the pedals. 1t is intended spe-
cially for the great distances of Aus
tralia. The shearer travels on his wheel
to the spot, and, then, transforming his
bicycle into a shearing machine, dis
poses of the flock at the rate of one
head in four minutes.
The French Government numbers
automobile vehicles, the owners of
which are instructed that in the event
OF france being engaged in war they
must be Immediately rushed to the
nearest military depot for the use of
the army. The maximum rate of speed
in cities is also prescribed. and the
urban driver is compelled to go through
a course of preliminary training before
he obtains his certificate of competence.
On the day of his trial he drives up a
steep road planted with dummy fig
ures representing pedestrians crossing
the roadway, nursegirls out with their
charges, wagons, bicyclists and the
usual impediments of public highway.
If he knocks any of them over it is ac-
cepted as evidence that he is not a safe
driver, and he gets no license Paris
now swarms with these vehicles, which
are also multiplying in all the larger
cities of France where the days Of the
cab and omnibus horse, erewhile long
in the land, seem numbered
The entire signal corps of the Con-
necticut National Guard, consisting of
forty-one men, has been equipped with
chainless bicycles The first section
have their wheels geared to 81 Lieu
tenant Smell preferring that gean for
his men. The wheels for the balance
of the men are geared to - The sig
nal corps was formerly equipped with
chain bicycles, but experience has
shown the chainless to be much better
adapted for military purposes
ITyoIicJ ,~o o;,,o ,7;1o,,ec
ing the racing situation. says: Just as
. in England the thinnest Of thin lines
divides the amateur from the profess
sional, so it is found on the Continent.
But the same old farce is still per-
severed in, and championships are pro-
NOTED for the different classes With
the object, presumably, of increasing
interest among competitors and adding
glamour to the title of champion, it has
been the custom to include a race be-
tween the mile amateur champion and
the mile professional champion at
these international gatherings. These
have invariably been failures. At Co
logne, Protin and Banker both claimed
the honor; at Copenhagen Reynolds
rode a milk and water race against
Bourillon, while at Vienna last year
Banker refused to turn out against
Albert, the winner of the amateur
championship. No better success was
associated with this years meeting in
Canada, for we read that Major Tay-
lor, probably the fastest man in Amer
ica at the present moment, refused to
turn out against Summersgil. unless
he was paid. This the officials refused
to do, and SO the Yorkshireman rode
over and can now claim the one mile
championship of the world. which un-