Evening star., 1901-05-07
WORK AT COLISEUM PARK
FIFTY CARPENTERS BUSY ON THE
BOWL-SHAPED TRACK,
Will BE First of the Kind Constructed
in This victnity-Arrangem
for the Season.

Coliseum Park at East Capitol and 14th
streets northeast where many exciting mo-
torcycle and bicycle races will be held this
summer. was veritable hive Of industry
this morning. Contractor James L. Par
sons has charge of the construction of the
park. and this morning started fifty car
penters at work on the track. The grand
stand and fences have already been COM
pleted and 1t is expected that the park will
be finished in every detail by the end of
the week.
The entrance to the park is unusually
picturesque and substantial. large pillars
and bracket work being used with decora-
tive effect, the lumber in the court OF
honor at the last Inauguration of President
Mckinley being utilized. Thousands of
electric lights will be strung over and about
the main entrance and buildings. and
very brilliant effect will be secured. ....
Around the track the arc lights will be SO
numerous as to have a daylight effect Re-
ception rooms and ticket offices have been
fitted up on each side Of the main entrance
and every provision has been made for
handling large crowds with comfort and
rapidity.
The grand stand will seat fully 1000 per-
sons, and it is the intention to extend this
structure to accommodate 1900 more
with good seats. Comfortable chairs will
be used instead of the ordinary benches
generally furnished in similar structures.
The track will be of unusual interest as
it will be the first of the kind constructed
in this vicinity. 1t will be bowl-shape six
laps to the mile the turns running up al
most perpendicularly fully twenty-five feet.
while at the sides the pitch is reduced to
about fifteen feet. This construction is nee
essary on account of the great speed of the
motorcycles, which circle the track at al
most mile minute rate.
The opening of the new park will take
place Saturday. May 1s. AS the track will
be completed by next Saturday night. it
ia od hof kos -,n ri I-ad
in Washington yesterday, will train on the
track all next week. Mr.. Elkes is without
peer In the racing world, and during
his training hours thousands Of admirers
of the young man will doubtless go to the
park to witness his daily exercise. While
Mr.. Elkes is training he will have the COM
pany of several ambitious Washington rid
ers and perhaps cyclists of note from out
side cities.
The Coliseum Park track will be in a
circuit comprising Washington. Baltimore
and Philadelphia, and 1t is the intention to
hold races two nights in each week, each
park taking turns at the better dates
These events will have as their chief at
traction the motorcycle races, and in addi-
Elkes, Michael and Cooper. several local
riders Of note will appear, and interesting
matches for rich purses will follow.
In addition to the motorcycle races
there will be two big events pulled off In
the grand circuit of the National Cycle
Association. which controls all the big
racing stars and offers the richest of
purses.
The grand circuit of the National Cycle
Association for the coming season will
probably be arranged to open July and
close September 8. The fine tracks near
New York and Boston will be given the
Sunday dates for the most part, only
three weeks being assigned to this city
and the western tracks.
The professional riders will have to cover
only 1900 miles in travelling during the cir
cult races. The expenses of each man will
run about $500 for the nine weeks unless he
has trainer, which a majority of them do.
To gather an idea as to what gigantic pro-
portions professional bicycle racing has
reached. it may be stated that the purses
offered by the National Cycle Association
in the fifty-siX days during which the diff
ferent events will be pulled off will amount
to fully $4,000. All these events. except on
Sunday, will be championship affairs.