Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-07-21

/ best OF the sprlnters. first came into
public notice as a six day rider. Harry
Elkes. another six day contestant and
afterward q star at distance work
paced and unpaced entered last season
Ia q half mile event az Ambrose park
aud finished second, defeating Floyd
mcfarland and Tom Cooper These
occurrences lend color to the belief
that II Michael and Elkes were TO take
20 sprint racing they would be In the
front ranks. and that some OF the long
distance road riders could also become
star track racers.
Although Il was freely predicted be-
fore the beginning Of the outdoor racing
season that many records were destined
10 fan before the autumn leaves made
their appearance once more. yet IL Is
doubtful II the most sanguine would
have dared 90 predict such a wholesale
and radical cutting down Of the records.
The season Is yet young and as the
men get into better form and more
used to following the flying machines
and controlling their mounts at the
sharp curves OF the tracks there Is no
doubt that the figures now on the slate.
which have only been up for a few
days, will have TO be rubbed of In ia
vor OF new ones.
Developments seem to show that mo-
tor pacing IS far more superior 20 hui
man pacing than was supposed, and e
also seems evident that the riders un-
der proper conditions can keep on n
creasing their speed incredibly. Charlie
Murphy demonstrated last summer that
a rider. when not impeded by atmos-
pherloal resistance, can keep up with a
railroad train travelling faster than "a
mile a minute Motor tandems, how
ever. offer very little more protection 70
the rider than those propelled by hu-
man agency, and even when the fact IS
considered that with the new system a
more even pace is preserved and little
or no change Of pacing machines Is nee
essary. the increased speed OF the mon
who follow them Is not sufficiently ex-
planned
The only available suppositlon that Is
al an reasonable IS that the men have
an along been able to follow much fast
er pace than they have been able to get
In fact in former years Il win be re-
membered that in many match races
Jimmy Michael and Harry Elkes were
often heard urging their pacing teams
TO give them a faster gait TO follow.
The experimental stage OF the ma
chimes is practically over. and from now
on there will be fewer breakdowns and
faster speed The inadequate banking
Of the tracks has held down the pace
of the motor cycles TO some extent, but
with better machines and higher bank
lngs the operators viii get holder There
Is one thing. however. which this win
tend TO Increase. and that is the danger
OF accidents In former years when a
man fell those behind were generally
able to go up the bank and thus escape
a collision with him. But when the
pace is almost equal TO that Of loco
motive and tracks are built more and
more In the shape Of a bowl this win
noi be easy or even possible. Again, II
anything happens 10 a machine while
travelling with such frightfu' rapidly
which leaves the guiding hand without
control we are likely to have a repeti-
tlon Of the disaster which took place on
Memorial day at the Waltham track.
This is a phase OF the business which
the riders have been fearing ever since
the devil" machines were introduced,
but they do not care TO talk much about
IL, perhaps from a sort OF fear that
mere mention OF It is likely to bring on
the evil. for the racing cyclists, take
them all in all. are a very superstitious
lot OF fellows
CHARLES Z. EDWARDEs.