The San Francisco call., 1906-10-14

San Francisco-members Of the
Olympic Club all-who pride
themselves on the fact that
.teirs is the most difficult cross-coun-
try run in the world. The band is
known to fame as the Dipsea Indians,
and is composed of those members Of
the club who have proved that they
have a real liking and ability for hard
hill work. 1t is 3 limited organization
with membership mark set at forty.
and the initiation ceremonies are
unique. Old Indian lore has been ran
sacked to furnish precedents. and the
woods where the initiation OF new
members takes place are full of queer
sights and sounds. The quarters of the
band were originally at Dipsea, hence
the name-but now the Indians are re-
joicing over comfortable w1gwam IN
American style at Willow Camp. The
running course is seven miles long and
is over steep and suddenly rising
ground with half mile of sand work
before the goal is reached
The race itself is the outcome OF
private race run in 1905 by Albert
CoEey and William Boaz. Coney was
the winner, he having covered the dis
tance in two hours and five minutes.
About this time James E. Sullivan v1s-
tied the coast, and while here spoke
TO the local athletes of the wonderful
running and staying powers OF the
Huckleberry Indians, rousing the Cal
ffornia runners to enthusiasm and
emulation. This suggested to Coney
the idea of a race course over the Lone
Tree trail He gave a dinner at his
home to discuss the possibilities with
the otner members of the club, with
the result that they then and there
formed themselves into the band OF
= arcf ffrr1
for their first race. This took place
last fall and 1t was conceded that If
the distance of seven miles were COW
cred in one hour and twenty-five min
utes 1t would be remarkable feat,
and several wagers were laid that 1T
could not be done. but, to the immense
surprise of every one, the distance was
covered in one hour and four minutes
This was accomplished by the irish
runner, Cornelius Connolly
Surveying Lone Tree Trail.
So many discussions have taken
place over the height of the different
hills and mountains traversed in the
course that it was decided three weeks
ago to have the Lone Tree trail sur
yeyed. For this purpose a party,
headed by Steve Herrick, left the city
on September 23 bound for Mill VAL
ley. Here they were joined by Dr.
William Harrington, who said In an
offhand way that he had just slipped
over the trail from the other end to
bring some instruments which he
thought might be needed 1t had
rained all night, and the track was
covered with mud. In fact, the anna
teur surveyors were none TOO eager
to press on. When the doctor found
this out he bade the party good-by
and set off at a sharp trot on the re-
turn Journey as cheerfully as ff he
were merely going around the corner.
The doctors attitude toward his feat.
regarding it simply as pleasant
morning diversion, so impressed the
recreant party that they unanimously
decided to make the survey the fol-
lowing Sunday.
This was done The start was made
from Mill Valley at S:25 a. m In the
party was Steve Herrick with bicycle
to which was attached q cyclometer.
Some one else had brought an aneroid
barometer, and with these, instruments
the altitude of every point of the trail
and the distances between points were
ascertained. Record observations were
taken every tenth of mile, making
seventy in all. In the party besides
Steve Herrick was scribe, a photog-
rapher and Steve's cousin, whom he
had inveigled into nice morning 1aunt
over the hills.
Beginning at Mill Natiey tne course
leads over the road for a third of a
mile at a gradual raise; passing the
old mill and going over the bridge to
the three-tenths point 1t was found
that they had ascended about 100 feet
At this place they took a spur OF
Tamalpais and hit the Dipsea trail In
the next quarter of a mile there was
a rise of 450 feet. and drop Of a
hundred in the next tenth. From this
point to the mile and a tenth mark
the course lay over a stubbIefeld that
was as slippery as ice. and those of
the party who wore only walking shoes
found it almost impossible to keep
their feet. Thence the trail led along
fence and over the crest to where
it passed under barbed wire. For