The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-22
Two Thousand Y. nj. G., A. From
Gotham to Chicago.
Carry a Message From Mayor OF
One City to the Other.
IN HALF MILE RUNS.
The Distance 1000 Miles and
the Start July 10.
Schedule Takes in Buffalo,
Cleveland and Toledo.

New York June 22.-Two thousand
Y. NJ. c. A. boys will take part in the
1000 mile relay race from New York
to Chicago. This will require of each
only one-half mile runs. Y. NJ. C. A.
men in the various places along the
route will be called upon to furnish
their quota of contestants The races
will be agadinst time, but there will
be the zest of keen rivalry to spur the
race on.
An automobile carrying official
timekeepers will follow the racers
over the entire route, making careful
record of the speed of each relay. Be
sides this individual rivalry there is
the rivalry of the numerous associa-
tions, each hoping that as body its
champions will show a higher average
than the others.
The direct mail route to Chicago is
900 miles. The more winding high
ways that the boys will traverse is
estimated at 1000 miles. There will
be nearly 1000 boys in the race and
it is expected that it will be run well
within five days.
The start will be made from the
city hall of New York at o'clock on
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 ad-
dressed to Mayor Busse of Chicago.
The message will be inclosed in a sill
yer tube. The starter will give the
signal, and the youth will sprint up
Broadway. followed by the automobile
which is to accompany the racers to
Chicago.
The route will be up Broadway and
at half-mile from the starting point
the bearer of the silver tube will toss
1t to the f1eet-footed youngster await
ing him there and he in turn will set
flying pace to the next half nile
point, where another eager youth will
snatch the tube and after his half
mile race will pass it to the next in
the relay line. So it will go day and
night until the tube. which by the time
1t has reached Chicago. Will have pass
ed through nearly 2.00e hands, is de-
livered to the mayor of that city.
lowing to the continuous course of
training which our boys undergo" said
A. A. Jameson, boys work director of
the Twenty-third street branch of the
Young Mems Christian association, at
would be quite possible for US to pull
this race off in week. We have ex-
tended the time of the start, however,
because of necessary road arrange
ments and the appointment of district
superintendent. Our tryouts have re-
Nedleu the TACT Inat the boys average
speed Is about 2:48 for every half
mile. Making allowances for possible
bad weather and poor roads, it is ex-
| pected that the average speed of the
race of 1000 miles or more will be
about a Esile in eight minutes When
you come to consider that the age linn
it of the contestants is IS years old,
and as the majority of these will not
be over Is years old, the plan becomes
a significant test in athletics The time
l 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
VIII be from city hall, New York city
to city hall. Yonkers, a boy being sta
! toned at that distance for every hall
| mile. We average a distance from
New York to Yonkers at Is miles
while will be covered by 25 or 80 OF
! our New York boys
| THE schedule of our course from
New York to Buffalo will be as fol-
lows: New York to Yonkers, Ossining