CYCLING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11401, 19 April 1899, Page 3

CYCLING.

I' {By pn.MON, i.v ran Otaoo Witness). I The Lumsden Cycling Club arc also j en the look-out for a site for a track. I - —. The Bruco Cycling Club are about to ; make another effort to secure a piece of land with a' view to tho formation ot a cycling track. Mr E. C. Hino has been appointed a member of the committee vice Mr ,1. M'Leod resigned. ', . Tho second road race of the season under the auspices of the Lumsden Cycling Club was held on Wednesday afternoon, 29th lilt., over a 10-mile course. An interesting finish resulted, thus: G. King (lmin) 1, 0. Davis (scr) 2, J. Crawley (lOmin) 3. As a "take-off" on the action now being taken in Masterton against cyclists riding without lights, a procession of wheelmen paraded the streets the other night currying all the most ridiculous lamps that wero obtainable ; huge street lamps and kerosene liiiß with glass fronts being brought into-re-quisition. Some of the waggish wheelers also carried cow-hells. • Cycling-road racing within the oounty ol Hawcra lids received its death knell. The proposed now by-laws of the Hawera County Council prohibit cyclists riding faster than 10 miles an hour. ! • In the first of a series of bicycle races run under the auspices of the Mabel Cycling Club, the results.were as follows:—Half-mile bicycle race: D. Ogilvio (scr) 1, E. Bridgman (50yds) 2, A. Ogilvie (80yds) 3. Time, lmin 13sec. Three-mile bicycle race: D. Ogilvie (scr) I, E. Bridgman (.00yds) 2, E. Wright (230 yds) 3. Time, 9min. , i . The results of the Championship meet-

I ing of tho League of Victorian Wheelmen, • held on Saturday, April 1, are as follows:— | /-The One-mile-'Gliampioiiship was run ol? in i five heats and'a final, and was won by W. C. Jackson, with D. J. Walker second, and W. |l M'Donald third. In the Five-mile Champion- |' ship 31 riders competed. The race was won } by-W. C. Jackson, with R. W Lewis second, J aiid J. AY Pai-ons third. Time, lliriin 3. I .-ssec.. The Ten-mile Championship brought [ out 28 riders. Tho r.eo was won by lt. H. I Wain., with A. C. Forbes second, and W. I 0. Jackson third. Time, 23inin 55 l-ssec. I Regulations are now ready for enforce--1 ment in Johannesburg affecting bicycle riders. They read as follows:—Each owner or holder of a bicycle for purpose of hire or otherwise, within the jurisdiction ot the Town Council of' Johannesburg, must take out in January of every year a yearly license, for which the sum of 10s per annum must be paid. The new badge is a little melal plate, which will be affixed to the' axle of the front wheel, between the fork and the outside.nut. The inscription is "S.R.J." (Staads Raad, Johannesburg), with a number and the year ' for which the license is taken out. At a meeting of the League of Victorian Wheelmen Executive it was reported that the special committee had inquired into the statement of S. Gordon lo the effect that ho had been offered £50 by a bookmaker to " run dead "in the last L.V.W. Cup. The committee had learned from Gordon the name of the bookmaker, but finding that tlje bookmaker's . address was not known, and could not be discovered, they had decided that nothing could be gained by pursuing the matter any,further. After some discussion this was agreed to. — '■ — Owing to the New Zealand Customs authorities demanding a heavy duty on the £50 worth of gold medals given by the Dunlop Company in connection with the 100 niiles relay road ride, and which were won by the Christchurch team, the big tyre company has decided not to pay the duty asked on the medals, but to have duplicates manufactured in Christchurch instead. The medals specially . manufactured in Melbourne will more than likely be donated again for a similar contest this winter. —— Plucky little Gargurevich, the Vie. racing cyclist, is about to follow the example of Welshman Michael, and forsake the bike for the horse. Gargy, who in his spare time is a clerk in the V.A.T.C. office, has studied out the theory of jockeyship, with the result that he has discovered something—he will not disclose what ■— that knocks Ted Sloan's discovery kite-high. He is having two saddles built for the purpose of testing his theory, and cycling Melb. is now wondering whether Gargy is going to win the next Melbourne Cup seated on the winner's rump' or slung in a basket round his neck. The inventor himself hears these scoffers with a short of contempt, and remarks that one of these days horse-ownors, who think they know everything now, will be going down on all fours asking him to ride for them. Let us hope so. Some horse-owners will look better in that position.—Bulletin. . — ■ —In his report of the annua! Championship meeting of the League of Victorian Wheelmen " Philibuster" in the Australasian has the following account of a- serious accident that happened. The daj' and night's proceedings were just on the verge of closing last Saturday at the Exhibition—it was, in fact, the last lap of the night in the ten-mile championship — when the? onlookers were startled and horrified to see a terrible smash, in which five'men were involved. '"At the eastern end the track is banked steepest to enable the riders to get round the bend whilo going at full speed, each anxious to gain the lead at about 40 3rards further on,, where the home turn has lo be negotiated. This is always the most important point of , a race, and anyone standing outside the ironrailed fence there caii judgo precisely how. terribly exciting and oftentimes dangerous the racing is when a dozen take the corner at oo to 10 miles an hour, all the time leaning over at an angle which makes those who see them for the first time fancy they must over-balance and fall over into the arena. I was standing near this spot in the afternoon when Farley, came down and somersaulted on the track, while leaning over in this way, for his left pedal, which- was attached to an extra long crank, touched the asphalt, with the result noted. How Saturday night's accident occurred no one seems to know exactly. When the hell rang announcing the last lan JBody, Forbes, Corhett, Jackson, and Walne were leading in the order named. A dozen others were tearing along close behind. Body was evidently trying to put in a lap sprint to win, but when the eastern end was reached he had been superseded by Forbes and Jackson, while Walne was coming from behind with a great dash. Suddenly there was a crash, Body was dashed on to the track, and in less time than it takes to tell M'Donald, Lewis, Denning, and Symonds were shot pell-mell right and left across the track. Denning struck the iron fence with his . forehead, gashing himself ■ brribly, and fracturing his right arm. By some miraculous means. Walne scraped past, overhauled the leaders, 12 yards from the , post, and won by half a wheel from Forbes and W. C. Jackson, with Corbett close behind. In the meantime three men lay stunned—Denning, M'Donald, and Lewis. Symonds was pitched yards in falling, and fell-on his back, but he got up quick and lively to avoid being run over, and then stood dazed, while the crowd rushed the arena as the band was playing " God Save the Queen." Dr F. G. Beckett, the league's medical officer, and 'Dr F. W. W. Morton were quickly on the spot, and with the ambulance corps, removed the injured. On Monday all the men \A_re'about again, some of them being covered with lint and bandages, but being in firstfclass health they will soon recover from the injuries. 1 —— The Mexican wheelman lias not yet accepted tbe American knickerbocker, A Western contemporary says that he gathers his wide-bottomed trousers around the ankle with a strap and lets it go at that. He not only retains the picturesque garments which he used to affect, on horseback, but he has them made in still more striking colours—adds a few more bright buttons, a little more gold and silver lace. He keeps his wide-brimmed sugar-loaf hat and decorates it still more lavishly. He does not use drop handle bars: therefore he does not hump over. He rides erect, as lie used to on his horse, head up, shoulders thrown back, and eyes alert for approving feminine glances. He smokes the inevitable cigarette—after he has become sufficiently expert to manage bis machine with one hand. He is no scorcher. He does not boast about his mileage record or indulge in century runs, but he comes out in the cool of the evening and circles around the public square where the band is playing. While Mexico is not exactly a wheelman's paradise, there are plenty of good roads to be found in the country. In the City of Mexico there arc many miles of broad, smooth boulevards, and these make bicycling very popular in the , capital.

At a meeting of the Transvaal Cycling Union, William Martin, of Lowell. TT.S.A.I was questioned regarding a ..no of 35d0l which the League of American Wheelmen alleged was still due. Martin said it had been paid iv Capetown, but he had not the receipt, but he would pay it over again rather than be prevented from racing. The L.A.W. desired thai the fine should be paid to any union affiliated with the International Cyclists' Association, whose official receipt would he a "_ischargc. ~

■ "We have seen trick cyclists almost ad mseam, hut it has been left for Mr Sam Brown to introduce.something really novel in the way of trick cycling. Instead of the safety bicycle, Mr Brown performs his tricks upon a bicycle standing 16ft in height. The wheels of this machine are larger than those of the ordinary safety bicycle, and the machine weighs 1501b. so that the mere effort of piopelling it necessitates great muscular strength. At the Klevksdorp sports recently. Mr Brown startled the South Africans bill's marvellous performances, on this strange mount. He mounted the irrachine dressed in white flannels, with blazer and cap. These he divested himself of while riding up and down in front of the pavilion, and appeared in dark blue lights and a handsomely trimmed jersey. He next went through a variety of tricks which, considering the fact that they were performed at such a high altitude, were both clever and ooriloij.. _.« "t.onnotl behind n_»

saddlo and pedalled with a foot and a hand. Ho laid himself across Iho saddlo and pedalled with his hands and feel, alternately. The handle shaft of his machine projects above the bar, icriiiiuating in a flat sort of handle, and be steered Iho machine'with his teeth by means of Ibis projection and with hands folded behind. Ho then lay on liis back with his feci over the handles, he stood on tiie saddle witli one foot, stood upright and stcored with ono foot, pedalled with one hand while lying flat on the saddle, pedalled with ono foot while steering with bis teeth, steered with teeth while lying fiat on the suddle with arms and-legs outstretched, and did a variety of other, tricks vory neatly and skilfully, never for one moment' losing control of the machine. Needless to say. ho was loudly applauded by the spectators. Tho difficulty of his performance was greatly increased by the greasy nature of the track.— The Cycle. The advent of the cycle in Chili was hailed with joy by the younger inhabitants, hut, unfortunately, this somewhat premature oiilhuciusm has not been able In survive the deplorable condition of Ihe roads. A desperate attempt was made to supply the deficiency hy ihe laying of racing tracks, but they were of such defective construction that the movement has died from lack of support, and. unfortunately, there are no manufacturing firms to offer inducements lo racing men. A 333----metre (1092 ft) track, however, has been constructed at Conception, the third town of the Republic. In Santiago itself not a single motor-car has mado its appearance, and iho few carriages that have been fitted with pneumatic tyres spend most of their time at the repairers with punctures to mend. Slie was riding through the traffic of a city street, and, she was encompassed with dangers. Presently a crisis arrived; a hansom cut across her path and she had to run into the ker)) and dismount in some confusion, after a very narrow escape from a collision. What was her first action on finding herself safely alighted on tho pavement? She felt ber back hair!

• ft is reported that .700 Clicrokees. 3900 Creeks, and 1500 Delaware Indians, who own properly worth half a million dollars. l will leave Viiiila, Indian territory, bound for Mexico. They have bought 2000 bicycles for Hie exodus and 250 waggons.1" The Chcrokees will settle on 500 acres of land purchased near Durango, the Creeks at Guadalajara, and the Dolawares in -The Indians are civil; ised, and many are highly educated and have been engaged in farming. They complain of ill-treatment by the American Government, and assert that constant violation of their treaties and wholesale injustice compel them lo leave the United States and become citizens of the Mexican Republic. Several Cleveland riders (says an American exchange) experienced what thoy described as a "funny snap"- in ap attempt to secure the first century of lliq year, on New Tear's Day. In order to ensuro against darkness on, their return trip, they provided themselves with acetylene lamps.. When it. oame time to light up they found that not a lamp would burn—father surprising, considering the fact that all remembered having, replenished their water and carbide before slarting. ' Shaking disclosed the fact that the water reservoirs were all apparently empty; but, in attempting to fill them, a new mystery arose, for not a reservoir would hold another drop. Then someono discovered that every lamp was frozen solid. Moral:'-In winter, don't put in water until needed. ; -"No, gentlemen, I would not exaggerate even the ' advantage? of my state over others," observed -the league member from California, as lie leaned his wheel against the radiator and drew forth a small flask, which he applied to his olfactory protuberance with evident satisfaction. "No, I'm not a drinking man," he continued, as he noted the glances turned on tho flask. "I was. just taking a little breath of compressed air from the land. of flowers—California air, gentlemen, 'which my state of health requires me to carry with me. If I should tell you' of the life-giving effect this has on me you would not believe it—though. I am the last one who would indulge in wilful misrepresentation." As a very simple illustration of its curative qualities, I need only to mention a .single incident. Three months ago I left .Los Angeles on my wheel for a leisurely trip to the east tp attend the Providence meeting, and while passing through Kansas' I stopped to see an aunt who was ill the last stages of consumption. Well, gentlemen,- as the bunglingservant was rolling my wheel into the halt he accidentally—but most fortunately, as il proved—punctured the tyre, and the air, which had been brought ,from California, escaped into the sick . room. The effect on the patient was magical, for in less than two weeks my aunt was a well woman! Mind, I don't say she was stouter than she ever was before in her life—as some might have ''said who have iio regard for the truth— ■but she was in just as good health as Ti she had never had tho disease. No, gentlemen, we California riders don't claim that our climate raises the dead,", but" -" It. raises some pretty versatile liars," suggested a member from .Maine, who was a prettygood prevaricator himself. "It pains me to confess that such may be the case," repliedV. the' Californian mournfully; "for there aye black sheep in all flocks. But those of us who have the courage to be iionest are trying to atone for the sins' of • these by sticking to the bare, plain truth." And as he strolled off toward the cigar stand it was observed' thai his nose was again thrust to the neck of the flask.'