The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-03-22
DERkUh OFFERS
SPEED FOR SALE
Los Angeles Motor Cycle Rider
Passes Out Strong
Line of Con.
by w. o. RISHEL.

The following letter from Los An
geles was received by Iver Redman
yesterday: Yours of 18th inst. at
hand, and l wish to state that as Tor
prizes. We are not out for them, but
as Derkum holds the worlds records
from one TO ten miles, we are out IoI
nothing but the money, as this alone
is all we consider, as the time TOT
prizes is past for him.
we will come TO your circuit lot u
week for $1,000, if you think IL Woulu
make a feature attraction, and then
as we would have only time enough
TO make the east, where we a9 booked
for twenty weeks. il would be impos-
sibIe for US to stay longer than June ..
s'Derkum would ride against any
and all of your records, but not IN
competition, as he stands alone as the
champion motorcycle rider of the
world, and until his time has been
edualled or beaten he will not race
unless a purse of large size is hung up
to pay him to compete for.
Now. if you consider this offer. let
us know at once, as our date book Is
fast nearing its end as to being nm
ished up for the season up to Nov. 10,
1908.
(Signed) b. FAY, Manager
Now wouldn't this jar you? Evil
IDENTIFY Mr.. Derkum thinks he is some
pumpkins in the motorcycle rldlpg-
The above letter is written on litho-
graphed letter head, probably for the
purpose. of impressing rubes around
the country in charge of county fairs
But when Manager Fay sent his junk
into Salt Lake he stepped on hYe
wire in cycling Derkum's letterhead
states he has done a mile in 81 20 on
a straightaway track. Down in Los
Angeles they may think this is a Won
derful performance, but here in salt
Lake those who have seen Gussie
Lawson whirl around an eight-lap
saucer at mile a minute clip don't
think much of the Los Angeles man :
performance Perhaps Derkum never
heard of a motorcycle rider who halls
from Massachusetts by the name of
Curtis. Well this New Englander has
negotiated a mile in 20 2-5 seconds.
Curtis could go over two miles while
Derkum was making his mile. The
Los Angeles man has such reputa-
tiOn that he cannot afford to compete
against any one, las he stands alone. "
There are a few dub motorcycle riders
around salt Lake who don't stand
alone and who win give Derkum a
ride for his life if he cares to tackle
Inc ulZZg WHIT OF Inc saucer TRACK. III
fact. there is plenty of Salt Lake
money which says Gussie Lawson will
give Derkum a lap in every mile and
race him for as big a side bet as he
or Manager Fay care TO put up. Evil
IDENTIFY Manager Fay and Derkum take
themselves seriously, but it will be
we'll for them TO remain close to their
own fireside and steer clear of the
bunch of Indians that make Salt Lake
their home in the good old summer
time.
Both Managers Redman and Chap
man consider the Los Angeles letter
as a joke. In talking to them yester-
day. Redman said if Derkum came
through Salt Lake on his way east tC
fill all these engagements, he might
put on a handicap motor race and give
Derkum the limit, in order that the
Los Angeles man might see what rea
speed is as the other dashed around
him. Manager Chapman said he
would attend the race, and if Derkum
could negotiate the curves without
going over the dome of the Salt Pal
ace, he might consent TO allow Der.
kun to try out the new Saltair track
if he would ride when no one wa:
around TO be killed.