The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-02
NEWS OF THE WHEELMEN.
DEALERS SBOT moran TO 4 hEC-
IFSSEIL ISSTE LfST NIGHE

Bright Outlook for Road Riding To-Day go
The L.. 4. w. aud the Racing Question
Growth Of wheeling In south Africa
Instructive Experience Of II scorcher.
Again yesterday the night OF blcycles In
6ocks and files on every good road signalIzed
the breaking up Of the long winter. Cyclists
may be expected to-day to furnish an Easter
parade that for quantity and variety will max 9
tho procession on the sidewalks seem almost
Q tride. without rain oil roads viii lie found
passable.
Some idea OF how low trading.in prices will
range on second hand wheels this year may
he CLEANED from the quotations made public
BY ono Of the leading agents. On The best
hlRh-class wheels the maximum limit Will be
6l2. aud such wheels must he OF last years
make and in eXcsllcnt condition. The prices
range from this figure to 81. which is tho min
imum. Second hand wheels will not be ac-
cepted in exchange FOR chain,ess models. but
the latter must be paid for in cash. On all
other models trades are allowed. "he agency
In question has placed orders for twenty
chainless wheels. for which cash has been raid.
Officials OF the J.. A. W. Racing Board assert
that they are IN receipt OF . great number OF
applications for sanctions and also that the
amateurs who were disciplined are writing
Qhlly, Bdyluh tflhe lu6y ndNO b0cu tHo CEIOI VI
their ways and desire TO be reinstated. It Is
further stated that the amateurs who. have
ask I'D 10 be tax on back have In most cases said
that when they entered In the outlaw races
they did 80 because they believed the repre-
sensations made that the League was going to
give up racing control. As no names are
mentioned by the League officials and.as no
bulletin has beon issued by Chairman Gerlach
giving definite facts. It Is Impossible to tell In
what proportions the amateurs are repsnting.
One difficulty that confronts the Racing Board
10 that most OF the amateurs who rode In the
outlaw" races were not suspended. but were
made professionals. The only way amateur
status can be restored in such cases. according
to the L.. A. w. constitution. Is By action Of the
National Assent bly, that meets once a year. 1t
has been foreshadowed. though. hat Chair
man Gerlach may not only receive the profess
SIGNALS under SUSPENSION and remit their fines.
but may decide that the Racing Board should
reconsider and revise Its DEGREES OF profession
alism.
such intentions have been repeatedly i'm
puted to the Racing Board. and It's members do
not, deny them; but. seek 70 defend the plan
mistakes 1t Is the duty Of tho present one 10
re ctify them. One OF the. amateurs profess
FEabcoSk Of tthis, city, 4 reporter Of TIE Sun
met BabcOck recently and questioned. him
concerning his plans for the umnGr Bah;
will go outlaw: y Babcock gave as, his rea-
son Tor this incllna,ion that he thouSht the y;
and better prizes Tor the amateurs. Incident,
ally he remarked: Il have heard a great deal
El SS,y 1 nor heard Ree d al nny dte eaS heVe ss aHs sgee any of
what II proposes 10 do"
1t 10 on the rrize issue that the y. c. A. tasss
its largest hopes Of winning the light for race
control. Identified with the, new organiza-
ton are severa! prom9ters who have the capt
q IA md fhA III Z ~ .1D - tIg an In 10
laDtic Athletic Association, which has leased
the Manhattan beach track, and Nate SAILS.
he believers n the idea that big stakes draw
h naiHs wtIl 9 Hs s, a. 3m WGi~s r x,Ij t ieF Fh wh Lisv tas
purse ever offered for II bicycle race In this
country, II is, said that, the promoters u
Ia q imllar fashion. and Driles 81 this kind. the
Nc. A. officials, say wi h, a confident smile.
will cause even the men who have returned to
the big money OF the OUTLAWS
by the ubiquitous hicvcic within the las couple
Of years. The hordeI towns Of Cape Colony.
now have bicycle clubs OF their own, In Ma.
tai there are three uativ" clubs. These met
with strong ,nrrusition from, the European
population when they wern first established,
but the. prejudice has worn away. and the Ma
tai kafir, as far as the Li"ycie is concerned. Is
now on on equal plane with the whites OF the
colony, The native Africans of The border
towns. have for many years taken a share in all
branches Of athletics. but It IS only recently
that they have taken M cycling. The first ma
tive who had the nerve to ride.throuRh Ora |
Jamestown on a wheel appeared about eighteen
caused a little later by his second appearance.
iouit~iess.knickers:ani fancy:hose. This time
he was accom- panied by a native woman. The
population turned out 70 follow the pair aud
the newspapers devoted columns to the sub
Ject,
The South. African native Is Of a thrifty turn
when the fever struck the race most OF them |
were sulhGiently provided with, funds TO pur-
fGs'e the ESO Ses Sh tSat t ssu cf be obtained AIN Tu, ss t ass
covered with regret and monetary loss, He
machines which he thought he could unload
on the unsophisticated natives. but they would
n a shed and shook The dust OF the town from
his feet. In Iululand. also tho wheel has
caught on. The missionaries and the ma
thanked for, this, He rode into the country
trading stores. and mission stations or in- |
sisted on stocking them W. with con.ign m ents
few, would grow. His Judgment proved correct
A. JohannssburG the situation Is different.
the streets awhsel has been too:strong to be |
easily overcome; Several months ago, =
gouplo VI uuubuhilS drluR n hulTS a steInpte0 10
the cycle among their brethren, but
q policeman knocked-both the 'darkies" OF
their wheels and took the machines 70 the
charge office. and the Kaflrs OF the place were
given to understand that cycling was not for
them. but for their "better.."
Tho spring. cycle show for dealers at the |
Grand Central Palace closed last night. and by |
all except the disappointed visitors, who want |
ed the brilliant. lighting. lavish decorations. |
broad, scope Of exhibits and wealth OF souve-
that go with a national cycleishow. It was
pronounced a succe 81. The managers OF the |
show did not calculate to mako il a competi- |
tor OF the big shows. 1t was projected for retail
ere aud buyers as an EXPERIMENTAL substitute tor |
the opening day. OF the dealers. 1t is known
that Q great many refrained from exhibiting |
At the show because they feared 1t would te a
failure. but as the managers declare that they
have made money and the exhibitors who par
ticipated Ray that they have done several times |
tho amount OF busin ess necessary TO pay tho
expense. thSre 10 little doubt that those
who were shy this year will be present next
spring; The entertainments given, at the
show did much to hold the crowd. and several |
nights they, were alone worth tho admission
price. which, by the way. was frequently eriti- |
cised as being double what 1t should have
been. A number OF the exhibitors said that IL
the admission had been. one-half there would
have been three times the crowd. As It was,