The Elbert County tribune., 1908-07-09
94JJlNo TizE MEJJAoE

lay race which is to be pulled on by
the " NJ c. A. boys between New
York city in the east and Chicago In
the west Two thousand trained, fleet
footed runners each In turn catching
on the fly the message sent by Mayor
Mcclellan of the eastern city and
speeding it on its westward journey.
The entrants for the race have been
carefully selected from the neetest
gymnasiums of the Young Mems Chris
tian associations of New York and
Chicago. and by those of the numerous
other branches OF the association
which line the l.000-mile route.
II will be race against time. con-
test between the flying feet of the
young athletes and the fugitive hours.
But although the race is against time
there will be the zest of keen rivalry
TO spur the racers on. An automobile
carrying official timekepers will follow
the racers over the entire route. max
ing careful record of the speed Of each
relay. Besides this individual rivalry
.hesc IS the rivalry of the numerous
associations each hoping that as a
body its champions will show n higher
average than the others.
The direct mail route to Chicago is
300 miles. The more winding highways
that the boys will traverse is estimated
at 1000 miles. There will be nearly
1000 boys in the race and It is expect
ed that It will be run well within five
days.
The start will be made from the city
.t ~.
the morning of July Is. There the
speediest runner of the Twenty-third
street branch OF the Young Mems
Christian association will receive from
Mayor Mcclellan message addressed
to Mayor Busse of Chicago. The mes
sage will be inclosed in silver tube.
The starter will give the signal. and
the youth will sprint up Broadway. fol-
lowed by the automobile which is TO
accompany the racers to Chicago.
The route will be up Broadway. and
at a half-mile from the starting point
the bearer of the silver tube will toss
1t to the fleetfooted youngster await
Ing him there. and he in turn will set
a flying pace to the next half-mile
point where another eager youth will
snatch the tube and after his half-mile
race will pass 1t to the next in the re-
lay line So 1t will go day and night
until the tube. which by the time it
has reached Chicago will have passed
through nearly 1000 hands. In deiiy-
sred to the mayor of that city.
owing to the continuous course of
training which our boys undergo" said
Mr.. A. A. Jameson. boys work director
of the Twenty-third street branch OF
the Young Mems Christian association,
New York city, "it would be quite pos
sible for us to pull this race of in a
week. We have extended the time of
the start. however. because Of neces-
sary road arrangements and the ap-
pointment of district superintendent.
Our tryouts have revealed the fact
that the boys average speed is about
24S for every half mile. Making al
lowances for possible bad weather and
poor roads. 1t is expected that the av.
erage speed of the race of 1000 miles
or more will be about mile In eight
minutes. When you come to consider
that the age limit OF the contestants Is
lis years, and as the majority OF
these will not be over is years old, the
plan becomes a significant test In ath
letics. The time have mentioned will
undoubtedly be improved, and by
rough calculation we assume that the
race will be run in five days. The
first part of the race will be from city
hall. New York city. to city hall, Yonk
ers. a boy being stationed at that dis
tance for every half mile. We average
a distance from New York to Yonkers
at 1S miles, which will be covered by
25 or 80 of our New York city boys.
"The schedule OF our course from
New York to Buffalo will be as fol
lows: New York to Yonkers. Ossining
Newburg, Poughkeepsie. Rhinebeck
Catskill, Hudson. Albany, Troy, Schen
ectady. Johnstown. Little Falls. Utica
Rom., Syracuse. Auburn, Geneva, Ca
nandaigua. Rochester, Batavia, Buffa
10. The western division of the race
will be in charge of Mr.. NJ. ID. Crackel
director of the West Side Boys club o
the Young MEMS Christian association
of Cleveland, o., who will direct tn,
course from his town to the city hal
in Chicago. Mr.. Crackel deserves tn,
credit of being the originator of thil
plan, as the outcome of the cross-coun
try race he organized among his boyl
from Cleveland TO Erie. Each DO.
will wear the athletic dress OF tn,
Young Mems Christian association
and will stand ready at his post t.
take the message from the hand OF tn,
BOY who has just finished his half mil,
and dart off with 1t at full speed. Al
automobile will accompany each run
ner with an official timekeeper, win
will register his time. In this automo
ollie there will also be a relief runner
.ipo IN case of accident will JUMP ou