The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-20
M|LLER'S GREAT VICTORY
His Record Will Stand for Years
to Come.
WAS STUBBORNLY FOUGHT
Wonderful Pluck and Endurance Shown
by the Twelve Contestants in the
Great Bicycle Tournament
in San Francisco.


six-day bicycle race ever run ended to-
night at the Mechanics pavilion and
Charles w. Miller, the Chicago grip
man, maintains his position as the long
distance champion Of the world. Con-
trary to the general expectation there
was no sprnting among the leaders
during the evening and the finish of the
contest which has caused much excite
ment in athletic circles was compare
lively tame. No less than six of the
riders beat all previous records and
more miles would have been reeled off
had there been any incentive to do So But
as all OF the men excepting Gimm and
Hale We're separated by distances too
great to overcome in a few hours, the
management decided to end the race
ahead of schedule time, which, however,
was two hours longer than that of any
previous siX-day contest. The famous
events in Madison square garden, New
York, only lasted 142 hours, while the
riders at the Mechanics pavilion con-
tInued their struggle for supremacy for
l43 hours and q minutes
No men ever welcomed the approach
ing close of contest than did the
dozen remaining contestants in the
international six x-day race at Mechan-
les pavilion, when at o'clock tonight
they entered upon the last half dozen
hours of a remarkable test of endur-
ance. Nothing but the nearness of the
finish and the stimulus of cheering
crowd could have kept the men at their
task. Human endurance had reached
the point where reason deserts the
body and total collapse was imminent.
Miller deserves his victory and his rec
ord will probably stand for years to
come. No previous contest has been 50
stubbornly contested from start to
finish, and no similar number of men
have shown such wonderful pluck and
endurance.
Crowds that almost riyalled those in
attendance at the closing hours of the
Madison Square contest last December
remained in the big pavilion through
out Saturday night and Sunday. It
was a noisy but sympathetic and i'm
partial 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 2O00th
mile At half past o'clock this morn
ing Miller was IA hours 10 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 We're repeatedly
charged with energy by an electric bat
terry. and came out to exhaust their
charges in wild sprint.
The fight of the last half dozen hours
has been between Fredericks and
Aaronson for second place. For time
it seemed as if Fredericks would sue
ceed in overhauling the Swedish rider,
but with the assistance of julius pac-
ing Aaronson made game ride
throughout the afternoon and evening"
and at o'clock apparently had second
place to certainty.
Their Minds Disordered.
Gimm went down the line to-day
dropping mile after mile to Aaronson
and Fredericks. Gimm was unable to
overcome his physical weakness. though
he tried hard to do so. Hale was in
hard shape mentally all day. He i'm
asined himself riding to San Jose. His
physical condition was good, however,
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
snairs 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 riders
would increase their speed for few
laps and then drop back into the old
\ rut. Hallucinations haunted the tired
brains of most of the contestants at
frequent intervals. and their vagaries
presented humorous phases that We're
at once grim and pitiable. Fredericks,
the Swiss rider. has had more than his
share of them. AT one time he left the
track, and was some time afterwards
found peering through crack at the
other riders. Upon being urged to re-
turn to his task, the poor fellow de-
| clared he would not go on again while
so many tandems were racing around
| him. The tandems existed only in his
disordered intellect.
They Saw Things.
Late Saturday night Fredericks suf-
fered severe fall. through the careless
ness of an attache of the building in
crossing the track regardless of the ap-
preaching rider. He was thrown vio-
lenty against the row of trainers cook
ing booths and 'Was rendered uncon-
scious for some time. He soon, however,
resumed his weary ride and made the
pace for all the others on the track for.
hours. Barnaby, the Boston rider, has
been most erratic in his actions for sew
eral days. AS a Sprinter he is entitled
to first place among the contestants,
and is always ready for brush. either
with a tandem. during the short dis
tance events or with any one of the
long distance men. He rides like a rec
ord breaker for a few laps and then
probably dlsmOuntS, usually insisting
there is something wrong with his
wheel. At one time he turned around
and rode in the direction opposite to
that which the other riders were travel
ing, saying he was trying to unwind
himself. AT other times Barnaby imag-
ined himself locomotive. and insisted
on having cigar that he nigh puff
smoke as he whirled about the circle
old Man Alberts, too. became lit
tie queer in his mind during the day
and would go no further until he
has incased his hands in a new pair of
kid gloves. When these We're furnished
him by his indulgent trainers he re-
mounted his wheel and pedalled cheer
fully along with his friend Hale. Hale,
by the way, has been riding in splendid
form though at times he became cranky
and made unreasonable requests of mis-
trainers. When Hale took notion to
rest he did SO, regardless of the expos
tulations of his adviser. He seldom