Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-03-29
Manager 0sgood Tells Of the
Coligeumn's Advantages.
TRACK >B THE FASTEST
RECORDS WILL PROBABLY BE
BROKEN QUITE FREQUENTLY.
New Bleacher Seats to Be Built
Private Electric Light Plant-Au
the Crack Riders Coming.

Inc great Coliseum, with its phenomenal
| cycle track, will be thrown open to the
amusement and sport-loving public earlier
| than usual this year, in all probability, fol
lowing the example set by the cities farther
| north, which VIII begin operations early
some of them in the middle of April. The
| new manager of the enterprise, Mr.. Whit
| man Osgood, has assumed active charge
| and is fast formulating plans that are in
| tended to make the Coliseum the chief out
| door resort this summer. He believes that
it possesses greater natural advantages
than. any other place, it is on the main
line of the Metropolitan, within a mile and
a half from the center of the city
| and can be. reached for one care fare
and by every car line in the city but one
| Being but fourteen blocks east of the Cap
| itol in a direct line and in the section where
| the city meFges into the country, it offers
| delightful ride past the Capitol and Con-
greSsional Libr Try, around hist ORIG Lincoln
! Park with it's famous emancipation statue
and quick return to the city without fear
| OF a car shortage, as the Metropolitan line
| usually has 100 cars in reserve in the big
depot next to the Coliseum. In speaking OF
| the enterprise today, Mr.. Osgood stated
Cycle Racing Booming.
''The immense impetus given cycle rae
| ing, especially motor following, in other
cities this season will be felt here and /
am preparing to give Washington the best
and most thrilling racing it has ever had
and under more favorable auspices than at
any other track in the country. In the first
place, the Coliseum, owing to the public
spirit and liberality of it's promoters, has
the strongest, finest and fastest track for
cycle racing in the country. That's good
deal to claim, but I'll go beyond that even
and assert without fear of contradiction
that it is now faster by two seconds to a
mile than last season, and, what's more, it
is getting faster all the time. Every one of
these claims is conceded by the cycle ex-
perts all over the country. Ny friend. Mr..
.klosterman. one of the foremost authori-
ties in the country, says he expects that all
the worlds records on six-lap tracks will
be broken at the Coliseum this summer.
No Disappointment.
Under the arrangement effected this
year there will be no difficulty because of
the non-appearance of advertised riders
Those who are advertised for the Coliseum
will be here, and race. too, without ques-
ton. The racers realize the vast increase
in the sport and the number of tracks in
the past few months, and are displaying
commendable willingness to guarantee the
certainty of their end of the game. And
the Coliseum will get only the best of the
talent, as its conjunction with the Balti-
more Tracks 1nSureS It's
share of the small monopoly that will be
maintained by the three tracks working to-
gether. Apart from this, however, the
riders want to come here under the existing
more favorablet conditions, in order to have
a try att breaking some of last seasons
records. s. III
Furthermore, having settled the racing
end, l shall have lighting system that
will not and cannot go out after a race
starts. The Coliseum will control it's own
system Of lighting, and there need be no
fear again that meet will be spoiled or
postponed because the lights fail. The light
1 intend to put in is the one best liked by
the riders. and 1t will furnish another. rea-
son for the increased popularity os the
track.
Increase of Bleacher Seats.
81 shall put in over thousand bleacher'
seats for the general admission spectators
and will try to make them as comfortable
as possible. These seats will command a
superb view of the track and deplete the
crowd in the grass center. These accomo-
dations will encourage gentlemen to bring
their wives and children owing to the
cheapness of the locations, and many who
Will not stand at any price or no price will
be glau to avail themselves of this addition
to the seating. With these seats the track
will be able to accommodate as many as
5000 people, and there will be that many
out there more often than otherwise this
summer l promise.
Il intend to convince Washington that
cycle racing, especially with motors, is
something worth seeing. Why, it's much
more thrilling and dangerous than bull
lighting. and has no brutal or bloody phase
to offend the refined. You'll believe this if
you remember the motor cyclists who were
killed or injured last season. But the Coli
scum had no accidents of this kind last year,
because Of Its safe character and there
will be even less likelihood this year. owing
to the sure lights and to tan bark that will
be placed at the inner rim Of the track.
Track to Be Advertised.
Eve been surprised to find so many peo-
plo in Washington who do not know what
the Coliseum track is or where it is Large
and ever-present advertising will cure all
this, am confident, and soon there'n be no
wjdeawake man, woman or child in Wash
fpgton unable to tell about the Coliseum
The fact that the Coliseum Is at 14th and
East Capitol streets, and that it has in
clined ends as steep and dangerous as the
familiar cycle whlrl will be indelibly i'm
pressed on the public memory AS before.
1t will be operated IN the interest Of honest.
wholesome cycle racing and other outdoor
sports, and 1t will continue to deserve the
patronage Of the ladies and gentlemen of
Washington, quite as much as the horse
racing. l might say, the Coliseum will be
more deserving Of refined patronage as
there will be no gambling, no sale of alco-
hollc drinks and DO quarter given to dis
reputable or Objectionable characters. I
have always. been, and always shall be.
Identified with clean. pure amusement for
Washingtons best people, and the Coliseum
will not be an exception to my principle.
Encouraging Amateurs.
I'm addition to Hall and Champion, the
famous cyclists, now in training at the Coli
scum. expect more within a short time.
and soonlrtthe great track will be full of &C
tivity. Iswaat The Star to tell the amateur
riders that | am ready to meet them at the
track from tore p. m. every day hereafter,
and Will be glad to arrange for their par
ticipationntn, the numerous local events I
am plannings. 1 am going to work to de-
velop theIbest racers Washington has ever
had. They can train here at the track un-
der professional auspices, and I shall en-
courage them In every way. The Coliseum
will be operated on q friendly business
basis and everybody will be treated fairly.
squarely and amicably.
There are many more details to be ar
ranged. and 1asefast as I conclude them I
shall be pleased to put The Star in posses
sion of the information for its legion of
cycle news readers. FsDr it's size washing
ton ought to be and will be the best cycle
sport city In the country, as it's asphalt
streets and beautiful drives fairly swarm
with riders. Look out for the Coliseum
this summer. I intend to turn the tide of