ON THE WHEEL

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 461, 25 May 1899, Page 3

ON THE WHEEL

LBv

Cyclos.]

George Kruger, of South Africa, is being proclaimed the Michael of that country, and is being looked upon as a coming world-beater if he continues to display the remarkable speed which has won him fame in his own country. He is only 17 years of age, and of small stature, but has extraordinary staying power. He judges pace excellently, and follows the multicycle at top speed with great ease. Moreover, he is good at competition and unpaced work, knowing how to use his head. At the championship races in Johannesburgh he won the ten mile open race from a large field of starters in 24min 48sec, the first five miles of which he covered in 12min 13 3-ssec-The African enthusiasts are so confident he can make a showing in any field that they are raising a fund to send him round the world on a racing trip to meet all the top-notchers, and the East will be given a chance to see his work this year.

It has been suggested as a means to minimise the danger of cycle accidents that the part of the railing where danger exists should be protected with rope netting, so that if a spill or smash-up did happen the net would act as a buffer and lessen the chances of serious damages.

The president of the League of American Wheelmen has been voted, an exchange reports, £7OO for his personal expenses for the year. .Recent files to hand from England give particulars of an important judgement by Mr Justice Ridley. It was an action under Lord Campbell’s Act for compensation for the loss of a husband. Last August, it appears, defendant, A. J. Wilson, who is a minor, was riding on the wrong side of the road, and met deceased, Hilton, and another rider named Ander on. The latter blew his whistle, expecting every moment to see Wilson cross to his right side, but instead, Wilson darted in between the two riders and collided violently with Hilton, who fell heavily, and died a few days after from the effects. The defendant, through his counsel, did not deny his blame, and expressed his sorrow, but added that, as a rule, a man should keep to his proper side, but it had been laid down repeatedly that this was not an absolute rule, and circumstances sometimes were held to cover its breach. It was stated that a quantity of loose metal caused Wilson to keep to his wrong side. Had defendant been anything else but a minor, earning only ten shillings per week, he would have had to pay a heavy penalty. The verdict was £5O for the widow and £25 for each of the two children.

Jackson won the Perth Gold Stakes of £25, run over three distances—one, three, and five miles. Jackson was first in each event, and so won the prize easily. His times were : One mile 2min 46sec, and three miles 7min 20 sec ; the time for the five-mile race is not yet to hand. In the three-mile race Beauchamp fell, and caused Walne, Parsons, and McDonald to come to grief. Fortunately the riders all escaped without injury. A cycling enthusiast at Richmond (Victoria) has invented a new tyre. It It is a variation of the old tyre, but in this case the tyre is composed of tennis balls cemented in the slotted rims. The advantages are said to be that no pumping is required, and that one puncture will not render the machine unrideable.

The Dunlop Company draws the attention of all cyclists to the fact that poor imitations of their ’99 tyre have been offered to the public in some quarters as genuine multiplex Dunlop tyres. Cyclists are therefore warned to be on their guard against this imposition, which can be easily frustrated by looking for the company’s trade mark —“ Dunlop’s head” —which is embossed on all genuine Dunlop covers and tubes. Russian ladies are getting their “rights” with a vengeance. The police of that place have issued an edict forbidding the riding of cycles by skirted riders within the bounds of the city. The skirt is considered to be an element of danger, and possibly it is thought to be

a place where bombs“may be concealed, and consequently the Russian police have received orders to take the skirts of all damsels riding bicycles. It is understood that there have been 150,000 applications for positions in the [police force since the issue of the order.

Mr W. J. Farmer has been appointed manager of the Dunlop Tyre Company’s Adelaide depot. The New York Legislature has passed a Bill prohibiting more than fifteen hours riding out of the twenty-four. This measure was framed to discontinue the disgusting six-day races. Mr Frank White, who rode from Perth (W.A.) to Rockhampton (Queensland) and back, 8480 miles, in 152 days, now proposes to pedt'.l right round Australia —Perth to Port Darwin, and home by the overland route.

The London Cyclist publishes the following list of world’s and English records: —World’s: 1 mile, flying start, Imin 31 4-ssec, M. Taylor; 5 miles, standing start, Bmin 22 4-ssec, T. Linton; 10 miles, s s, 17 min 11 l-ssec, T. Linton; 25 miles, s s, 42min 42sec, H. Elkes ; 50 miles, ss, Ihr 32min 13 4-ssec, 0. Huret; 100 miles, s s, 3hrs llmin 1 4-ssec, C. Huret. English : 1 mile, f s, Imin 35 sec, Platt-Betts ; 5 miles, s s, Bmin 47 l-ssec, Chase ; 10 miles, ss, 17min 36sec, Chase ; 25 miles, s s. 44min 46 4-ssec, Chase ; 50 miles, ss, Ihr 34min 45 4-ssec, Palmer; 100 miles, ss, 3hr 24min 41 sec, Gould. 'World’s: 1 hour, 34m 1220yds, H. Elkes; 6 hours, 165 m 1300yds, M. Cordang; 12 hours, 317 m 600yds, M. Cordang; 24 hours, 616 m 340yds, M. Cordang. English : 1 hour, 33m 712yds, Chase. A curious accident occurred at Koroit (Vic.) lately, when a local cyclist was trying to establish a record on a “ home trainer,” which was worked by running an ordinary bicycle on three large wooden rollers. A spectator named Carter was standing by, holding a stop watch, timing the cyclist’s run, when suddenly one of the gear wheels on the trainer broke, portions flying in all directions. Unfortunately one piece struck the watchholder on the hand, breaking one finger, and then cut through the iron roof of the blacksmith’s shop in which the trial was being made. An enterprising Buluwayo rider has planned a trip by bicycle next year through Central Africa to the Paris Exhibition. “My route, as 1 have laid it out.” he writes in a letter from Buluwayo, “ will be by way of Salisbury, Tete, Lake Nyassa, lantyre, Lake Tanganyika, and so to Khartoum; thence by the Nile, and on to Constantinople (perhaps by land), Naples, and Paris. Of course, I shall have a companion with me, and we shall ride as much of the distance on our bicycles as possible. We calculate to be about five months on the trip.”

Martin has quickly recovered from his accident, and on the 6th inst. he rode two seconds at the Yarraville meeting. In the five mile scratch race he was only beaten half a wheel by Forbes in 12min 40sec, with Body a long way off third. Subsequently Martin came out, and, paced by a quad steered by George Carpenter, established a flying start half-mile record for the Footscray track. The American’s time was 57 l-ssec, the last lap (onethird’of a mile) only taking him 37 3-ssec. Martin was in good form, but he could not sustain his brilliant finishing sprints. With a little more time he will be quite himself again. Corbett, who caused the accident to Martin by his “ careless riding,” has been suspended for a month by the League of Victorian Wheelmen, and has been reported to the council of that body with a view to further punishment. The English Cyclist says that the rumour that Jack Green means to come to Australia shortly is incorrect. Green is bound by agreement to remain in England until the end of December. The Dunlop pacers engaged for the English racing season only number a dozen. Motor pacing is responsible for the reduction of the staff.

Michael has decided to go into training again for middle distance races. Lately he has been devoting himself to horseracing. Perhaps he has discovered that the steel steed is the most reliable after all. Three of America’s best riders Sanger, Titus, and Hooper have given up the racing track for good.