The San Francisco call., 1899-02-19
FAR AHEAD OF THE RECORD
SENSATIONAL PERFORMANCES
OF ELKES AND MICHAEL.
The Former Rides Five Miles in Mar
velous Time and the "Rare-
bit" Goes a Mile in
1851 1-5.

PEELED themselves around the bicycle track
at Mechanics Pavilion all yesterday, with
agony depicted on their drawn and nag
gard features. To say they were riding
slowly would be true only in a compara-
tive sense, as the leader has covered near
" two hundred miles more than any hu-
man machine has ever travelled in the
same period of time The brutal contest
Is nearly at an end, the allotted time in
which the men are TO ride being up at II
o'clock Tonight
This race, the most brutal that human
ingenuity has up to the present time been
able TO devise, may so down in history as
the last of its kind. The veteran handlers
Of the men say 1t is not likely the per
formance will ever be eQualed, it so out
classes anything ever held before. The
riders in their lucid moments say the
strain has been a cruel one, and that they
have had all they want of the Stx-day
game. The majority of them are mental
and physical wrecks, and 1t will be some
time before they recover from the awful
strain TO which they have subjected
themselves for mere pittance.
The short-distance races which are run
while the track is full of the weary wob-
blers are treat to watch. Harry Elkes
and Michael were the stars last night,
both riding fast exhibitions Elkes rode
nVe miles, each or Whlch was negotiated
at a 1853 clip. Michael reeled off his
fastest mile, going the distance in 1:51 1-5.
The vagaries of the long-distance riders
phases that are at once grim and pitiable.
Poor Fredericks, the Swiss, has had more
than his share of them. Shortly after
8 O'Clock yesterday morning his trainers
missed him from the track and went in
quest of him. They learned that he dis
mounted unobserved and made his way
around through the training quarters and
out to the other side of the track. When
they, tried TO urge him out on the track
he demurred in broken English. When
this was finally translated it was found
that he thought men We're racing about
on tandems and he wanted to wait until
they were through. He was finally con-
WINGED that there was no danger on that
score, and resumed his painful journey.
Last night Fred Carter. an employe in
across the track Just where the collision
occurred the night before between Law
son and Marx. Fredericks was the vic
tim this time. He struck Carter and was
thrown high in the air. He fell head fore
most among a pile OF empty bottles,
continue fcT time, but later on resumed
his wheel.
During the evening Albert became fas-
tidious and demanded a pair of kid gloves
He would not ride unless these were
forthcoming. but once they were produced
ne donned them and went on MS way
happy in possessing them. Barnaby had
q number of bad half-houTs during the
evening. Twice he rode high on the banks
and grasping the rail remained suspended
Once he rode down on the floor and, dis
mounting, started to ride the reverse way
of the track. He wanted TO unwind him
self
Plll1ngton fell asleep on his wheel dur
ing the evening and crashed into Ashing-
er and some trainers who were standing
near the edge of the track Ashinger was
more troubled that hurt. He had just en-
1oyed hearty stand-up luncheon and
the jar settled 1t more rapidly than he
desired. He seemed to enjoy his lunch
con, as he stood at the cooking table for
over half hour helping himself to every
thing in sight with both hands. He
scorned to Sit down, preferring to stand
where he could survey the substantial
spread before him.
A number of the men were presented
with bouquets of flowers and Barnabys
trainers, not 70 be left in the discard
1m3provised Bouquet out of a bunch of
celery. He carried this proudly for some
time before he learned its true charac-
ter. When he did so he ate it.
Harry Elkes, the American champion
middle-dlstance rider, broke the five mile
worlds paced record last evening, follow
Fournier's machine Fournier, by the
way, lessened the weight of his motor
cycle fourteen pounds yesterday, by put
ting on lighter rims and tires: 1t now
weighs 135 pounds. The difference was
noticeable in this increased speed. He
carried Elkes along steadily for each one
Of the five miles at a 1853 clip, the total
time being 9 minutes "a seconds for the
five miles Elkes is in such beautiful con-
dition that Mcfarland will have to look
we'll to himself in their match next We'd
nesday night, at fifteen miles, paced, or
he will be beaten.
Jimmy Michael, the worlds middle-dis-
tance champion, also lowered his mile
record made on the track to Isl Is, paced
same as with Elkes. They are able to
follow almost any pace set for them. and
the faster the Frenchman can go the fast
er will be their time. The people are Won
dering what it will be when Fournier
gets his motor tandem going this week.
Eddie Bald, the champion sprinter, dis
ffr1crt had inns pl nv finn
in the speedy time of :56 2-5 seconds.
Downing and Cotter Of California
showed half a dozen Eastern tandem
teams the way across the tape in a pur-
suit tandem race which was wildly ex-
citing. In the last heat there were three
transforming and Cotter, Stevens and
team started at a different point on the
track, equal distances apart, and the race
was that the team which first caught up
with and passed the other two teams