The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-18
OUT FOR CENTURIES.
Many Local Bicyclists
Attempted to Ride
100 Miles.
ONLY A FEW WERE SUCCESSFUL.
The Dust Of Country Roads
MARRIED the Pleas
ure.
ONLY A FEW WERE SUCCESSFUL.

Worcester bicycHsts had a craze for
century riding yesterday and many at
tempted to cover 100 miles during the
day. Many accomplished what they set
out to 90, but others fell by the way
side. The latter We're lamentably in the
majority. Riders could be seen through
out the later hours of the day vending
their lonely way back to their homes
in this city in various stages of fatigue.
The weather could not have been bet
ter suited for bicycling and the riders
who never seem to get a surfeit of rid
ing during the season were delighted
with the prospects of covering miles of
country roads. The air was cool with a
slight breeze that allowed a rider to cut
out a fast clip and still not feel heated
The roads were in perfect shape and
the only thing that lacked a perfect
days riding was the dust, which was
binding,
-Four members of the Vernon Bicycle
club made a brave endeavor to lower
the record for the big triangle Boston,
Providence and this city, but that was
as far as they got. No records came
their way. The party included Lieut..
Frank Benoit on a single, and Welch
and Couture on tandem, and Lieut..
Henry Mitchell. The principal reason
for the lamentable failure was the poor
going and the many accidents that be-
fell the riders. Henry Mitchell was the
only man to pull through over the en-
tire course. He met with several acct
dents and was in worse shape than any
of his club mates, but he held pluckily
to his task and eventually covered the
distance of $50 miles well under the II
hours. the time the party had set out
to do. 1t took him longer to get over the
road, but his actual riding time was well
under the record for the distance.
The party left the rooms of the Yer
non Bicycle club on Green street at 6
o'clock. George S. Harris, who repre-
scented the Metropolitan wheelmen of
Boston, started with the boys but went
direct to Providence while the Vernon
squad continued TO Boston. All went
well till the party reached Westboro,
where the first mishap of the day oc-
CURED. The boys had hit up q fast clip
and made that town in 50 minutes. Just
/, as the boys struck the outskirts Of the
town, Mitchelps rear tire went up with
a bang. He hustled around the town in
a vain endeavor to locate a repair shop.
After wasting about 21a hours he had
his tire fixed and he then set out to
overhaul his club mates. who had pro-
ceeded along without him Ill luck
seemed to follow him, for when he
struck Newton he got another puncture
in the forward wheel, which delayed
him about a half-hour before he could
get it repaired.
1t was about 12 o'clock when he rode
into Boston, and after taking dinner at
the United States hotel, he proceeded
out Washington street to Forest hills
l., T1y.r Iof+ -
ton at 1.30 o'clock and arrived in Provi-
dence without further mishap at
o'clock. He RECALLED himself at the
Newman house and continued his lone
quest for a record, leaving Providence
at $40 o'clock. Darkness overlook him
on the road, but that did not phase the
Vernon man, and he continued his
weary way, arriving in this city at $50
o'clock.
A picked squad from the fastest men
Of the Century Cycle club went to Bos-
ton yesterday, and all returned vithin
the time limit but Billy Rabideau.
The party was under command of Capt.
John F. Brown and included NJ. j. Wha-
len, William Rabideau, Edward Downs.
Herbert Gazette, George Gle and
George, Linton. The boys left the club
room at 6.10 o'clock. They hit up a re-
markably fast clip and arrived in Bos-
ton after riding hours and As minutes
reaching there at 500 The only mishap
that occurred during the run to Boston
was the inability of Billy Rabdeau to
hold his mount when seorching down
the long hill just outside Natick. He
was thrown twice, but did not sustain
any damages. The boys stopped at the
CALIFORNIAN hotel and after dinner paid
visit to Del Nye, member of the
club. Who is now in Somerville. They
returned from somerville and left Bos-
ton Tor home at 2.30 O'Clock. At New
TON Downs valve stem burst and he
took the train for Worcester Gazette
Rabideau and Gle quit at South Fra
mingham to call on friends Rabideau
remained over till midnight. Capt
Brown, Whalen and Linton stuck tc
their task and rode into this city ar
irving at $50 o'clock. Those who die
not go on the run were content wifi
riding on the boulevard.
Capt. Ralph c. White led SQUAD Of
the Worcester Cycle Club men to Web
ster. The squad numbered IA men. al
scorchers. and they made record fin,
coming and going.
capt. j. F. Bergstrom, with 20 rider,
from the Viking Cycle Club, went Il
princeton to view the ruins of the no
tel that was burned to the ground ther,
recently. They returned early in tn,
afternoon The boys are to engage II
all kinds Of athletics this fall. and al
ready are making preparations for tn,
base ball game to be played at the ova
Saturday with the Newport Bicycl,
Club. Manager Arvid Svenson is get
ting his colts into shape, and they ar,
playing fast game. Victor Ekberg
who has had considerable experience il
the game Of basket ball, is to hay,
charge OF the candidates for that team
1t is Manager Ekberg's intention Il
have the fastest basket ball team In tn,
Associated Cycle clubs this winter. Ed
die Goggin is to coach the foot bal
eleven Which is being organized.
Three members Of the Newport Bicy
Gle Club went to Paxton They were
2. H Sibley, G. S. Mcintosh ana II
G. Barnard
The prize run that the club was Il
hold yesterday from Webster to thi,
CITY, has been postponed on account o.
the poor condition Of the road to Web
ster. The committee in charge of III,
run viii select some other course whicl
viii remain a secret until Sunday Th,
match race between Mcnamara AND
Lockwood will be ridden Sunday owe,
the same course that the run Is TO h,
held.
The initial social of the Newports vii
be held at Terpsichorean hall oct 10
SERMnM EnR nNhgNr-~