The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-22
NEWS OF THE WHEELMEN.
FINE OLD HILL CHOSEN FOR THE
HILL CLIMBING COETkBI.

with the fast pedallers OF the track for thl,
VIII he truer test Of sturdlness and ability. SC
lar as general wheeling is concerned than
ths best record on the track. 1t Is the
test OF the road rider and the tourist
and 1t ia recognized that the speed m erchants
OF the track do not class with the tourists and
could not travel with the hardy long distance
riders In trip over hill and dale and roads OF
| all kinds. In England great store IL set on hill
| climbing contests because OF the value OF the
TEST over here the value is recognized by the
experts and the simon pure sportsmen who a
few years ago promoted the climbing contests
between the Kings County Wheelmen and the
| New Jersey clubs. Tho trouble with these
contests In this country is that they are not
suinciently spectacular to draw crowd The
| men cannot be seen throughout the contest
| unless one climbs with them. Notwithstanding
this damper to the popularity OF the matches
| they are held annually and are OF absorbing
| interest to those who love wheels and true
| sport. The hill that the clubmen will climb is
ono that winds up the mountain side. 1t does
not look hard. but not one in thousand riders
essay to ride 1t after going few hundred yards
from the base. Only a few men are known to
have elm bed from the bottom to the top OF it.
| All tho kinks and tricks in connection with
pedalling up hill come out In such trials as tho
one proposed BY the New York clubmen. and
| instructive than a race on a track. A oompeti-
| ton OF the kind demonstrates the respective
| virtues OF the backward and forward positions
This year the race will have an added interest.
because OF there being few chainless wheels
In 1t against the many chain machines.
Frank Waller. the six-day rider who seems
| to have no objection to the eobriquet OF Old
Dutch" tells of an incident OF the lighter
touches OF the racing game. His wife and nine-
year>old daughter were sitting close to tho
| track while he was toiling about behind a pac-
ing machine. The crowd in the stands were
divided as to favorites. and each man in the
race had his fancy. As Waller passed the
stand on one OF the laps he heard a cry Of. go
t. putehl We need the money" He thought
that 1t was his little daughter. '' -"
Says a cycist who has recently become an
automobilst: There is as much II not more
yehce as ade Bicycle Sa@e
had several lively adventures and have dam
nnss IF avcd BY reao
motor car as there is in bicycle and II you
think that as eutomohiling becomes more
popular there will DO schools OF Instruction
concerns that have started into tho motor car
bSFnd o o"t By Of aes Hi he Rlo eyo
tries to drive his machine through atone walls
and make 1t climb trees and according, to re:
the fashionable set at Newport are going
through SIMILAR evolutions with the motor
as whip ia national, has been taking Lessons
for some time. but when ehe essayed her first
the 'qrossways" she miscaleulated. The eau auto
mobile started up the front steps and being
bars between the aXle nearly 1puhlo1
Mrs. Fish was lightly bruised. but the mac hine
bed hat, to = 60 to the shop, Joseph widener Of
up against a wooden partition with a bounce
The machine then dartsd AGAINST sliding
door and tore hole in it that looked as II a
Neither Widener nor the machine was much
Injured. which Ia a circumstance Greatlyllke
the tremendous crashes and remarkable
escapes OF cycling novices. Oliver Belmont
while racing recently had half dozen spoEes
torn ont by, collision. and Col. John Jacob
turned somersault. has adopted a steam We
system Ia FoXhall Keene. who has imported a
French gasolene carriage OF the largest and
fastest type.
Two riders. through tho fundamentally OF
their pneumatic tires. picked up yesterday
ples OF tacks that seem to represent the acme
Of ingenuity in some bicycle hater. Perhaps
Sas hs @
the impression made npon the cyclists who ex.
tSsStsd them t from their tires and the odd
especially designed to puncturo tires, II such
baye done better, They were, SO out that
howsvsr Dropped they would roll over On their
hre The hssa
ately long and slender. with very sharp point.
The idee that That they Tsrs made to
agRravation Of the victims. but that they were
east for that purn9ss alone is almost GER
many others have: why is It that such things
60 on indefinitely while there 10 a law against
1t. without single arrest ever being made"
mile n lsss than a minute ON g, a straiehtaway
Sssy nTi: L e
sEaf ss S SpsS IL ls
a milo IN minute on an ordinary circular
t EbS b0 His FTed Burns says Muir
II track can be found on which the turns will
permit that speed. According to calculations
viii be necessary to hold motor cycle gong az
at mile 2 minute; There p NO track in this
S%% Cst. OIL Niof'n' Is no" turning toward the
n pnkkako 10 De u DIT OF
wag uttered recently some sarcastic truths
concerning tho daily doings OF railroad oom-
panies with bicycles. A wheelman aliRhted
from a train after hia Wheel had been unloaded
from the baggage car and trundled to the
baggage room, He went with his check to
claim It,, The baggage man took his check,
removed the corresponding tag from the wheai
and waited for the owner TO remove. it from its
place against the wall. The wheelman stood
aRhast in content lation Of a bicycle that un-
doubtedly was his, but which had been battered
about until It looked like the flag end OF q
cheap job lot.
Look at that WHEEL" exclaimed the owner.
Il have been looking at IT," was the dry re-.
spo n Of the baggage room man; Il win
We'll. what OF that1 What thsn?" said the
owner.
The baggage room wag replied: We'll. sir.
that Is all / can do. | will report It TO the
station agent. the station agent will report Il
to the general passenger agent tho general
passenger agent will report it to the master OF
baggage. the master OF baggage will report il
e the claim department. then it will go before
the directors and in a few years. sir. you will
receive a call from the counsel Of the com
pany asking you what proof you have
that the wheel was not In the same condition
whom put aboard the train. 1t Is the regular