Waterbury Democrat., 1901-04-04
WITH THE WHEELMEN.
Important News Tor the Riders of the
 Wheel.

3tg sls sF Fs s lSs
 Boston, April 1.-The supreme court handed down the decision yesterday that wheelmen can hold q town re- responsible for injuries caused by de- fective highways. The decision was made in the case of w. II. Ikenney ys the town of Ipswich, which the plain tiff won in the lower court, but which was carried to the high body on eX- captions filed by the defendants.
 At the time of the accident the plain- tiff was riding upon q bicycle and was thrown from it by its contact with q gully in the way. The exception taken by the defendant was to the refusal of the court to rule that.sif the jury find that at the time of the accident the plaintiff was riding n bicycle in the dark without q lamp, outside the trav- eled part of the highway, such facts will warrant the jury ill determining that the plaintiff was not in the exer- else of due proper caresn
 Tn the charge the jury had been in structed in q general way upon the question of due care, and the court had said that if the plaintiff, although rid ing upon q bicycle, was using the de- gree of care which an ordinarily req sonable man would exercise under the circumstances, including the degree of darkness, the rate of speed and the place where he was riding, then so far as respected the question Of due care he was entitled to recover. No excep- ton was taken to this part of the charge.
 The supreme court says that since this case was tried, it has been de- cided by this court that. bicycle IS not carriage within the meaning of the statute" but adds that 1t is not necessary to decide how far the fact that traveller iYllding upon | bicycle at the time of his Injury may furnish ground for defense in an action of this kind.
 Referring to his one mile ride in 0:57 4-5, Charles M. Murphy said the time would besbeaten this season and that he would accomplish the feat. Murphy's plan is to follow an automo- bile. A maker in HoIyoke is now turning out thirty-aye horse power machine of the gasoline type which will travel the mile in fifty seconds on a level stretch of road. Such q course has been located on Long Island. Just as soon as the auto is completed it will be brought to Long Island. Mur- phy will then start training back of it. This great speed contrivance will be low built on the plan of the Wander bilt White Ghost" and will have wind shields at the rear extending to the rgound. Many who have seen this au- tomobile say that it will undoubtedly do the mile in the time claimed. Mur- phy made an offer last night to ride across the East River bridge from pier to pier on the footpath which is soon to be constructed. Such feat would doubtless be checked by the police.
 The feature of the bicycle races al Panama park, Jacksonville, yesterday was the smashing of the worlds record for motor tandem at two, miles, San ders and Croks beating Vetter and Moshure Time, 2:45 Summaries Half mile (open to aID- Moshure, 6l yards, first; Walthour, scratch, second Caldwell, , yards, third; Brown, Vet ter and Crooks competing. Time, 0:41 2-5. Five mile exhibition-M Michael motor paced. Time, S:27 2-5. Fastest mile, 1:32 3-5. Five mile tandem (mo tor paced) Caldwell and Brown thour, one mile against time-paced mo mile exhibition-Harry Bikes, motor paced. Time, 3:08 2-5.9 Oneanile han dicap {professionaD s Walthour scratch, first; Caldwell, 15 yards, sec ond; Brown, 30 yards, third. Crooks and Moshure also ran.f Time, 2:1012 The racing season promises to pre- sent a peculiar phase with regard tt match races betweenr nfddie distanc,
 men, The field will Hslye charactel similar to that of pugiiism, with meI | who are in this, that or the other clas l looking for each others scalp. Ther, | will be half a dozen men with man l agers and pacing machines going abou the country making challenges. Thi l is q condition that never has been ap l proximated except in 1896, whel Michael was at; his best and all sue l cumbed to him. Eddie McDuffie ha | tied up with Dave Schafer for hi l manager, Oscar Babcock will hay 1 Charley White, and yesterday Arthu 1 Ross announced that he had signet l with Lloyd Barton, the owner of tn l Brockton, Mass, track, and would rid 1 under his management, with two four I horse power motor. tandems for pace | making. Ross is the youngster wh
 first came to light as the winner of tn l IrvingtonrAIilburn race i'll 1899, an, l showed exceptional ability behin, l pace. Besides Ross and the other I mentioned, there will be Michael, Nel l son, tinson, Walthour, Lake and prob
 ably several other pace followers mak I ing q speciality of match races.