Sept. 3O. THE

CYCLING.BITS OF RACING HEWS.

Wheeler looks fat. Wknler has turned the $3000 mark in bis

winnings, Amateurism Professionalism gone a mas-

queraijiug. Schofield has bad his wheel equipped with

wooden rtius. Chrutchurch, New Zealand, is to bar* a

cement track. The Crown Prince of Prussia is an expert

pedal pusher. Schofield is rounding into Ma true form

very fsgt now. Windle is getting ready to garner his usual

tall crop of records. Does the announcer's profession represent a

vocation or a calling? Wheeler sails Out. 14 for France, seeking

new worlds to conquer. Sanger is the only foreigner at present who

holds an English record. Courage in a racer is a hardy plant. It

thrivei on heaps of sand. Stocks affords great stocks of surplus copy

for English racing iteuis. The stogie souvenir at Wheeling wai both

original and appropriate. Tommy Relph is being made much of by

the English wheel papers. Schofield races with his feet laced in shoos

which are made fast to the pedels. Everybody bat the undertaker baa admira­

tion for the racer who never says die. Zimmerman intends to win one hundred

firsts before he quits racing this season. Bananas are said to be th» most perfect

food possible for long distance racing men. Philadelphia's Associated Cycle Clubs netted

about $485 on their race meet laat Saturday. "Six yards of tripe" figured as a prize on

the programme of a recent Western race meet. Crooker has recovered enough from his

broken collar bone to once more enter the races. It is an open question at present whether

Zim or Sanger will draw the most money at a gate.

In racing a practical interpretation of the Golden Rule Is: "Do others before they do you." It is reported that Sanger declines to meet

Zimmerman in a match raee in Chicago next month. It is the racer who is always getting ieft in

handicaps who blows the most about his rights in them.

Sanger will probably be found next year upon awheel the color of whose rim* was for­ merly blue. »

Andre is the name of a brand of cigarettes, to called in honor of the winner of the Paris- Brussels race.

Fische, the winner of the Berlin-Vienna race, is to appear on the stage as the hero of a cycling drama. It looks now as though the amateur ques­

tion would be satisfactorily settled about the 29th of next February.

The Brooklyn Eagle on Sunday printed a picture of Price, claiming it was a likeness of Wheeler. Such is fame!

The lavender suit ornamented with a golden star which Wheeler races in constitutes the Savannah Wheelmen's racing colors.

The employment of racing men as "sales­ men" will not be as fashionable with the trade next season as it has been in ones gone by.

Did you ever notice that in every quartet of racing cracks there are always four riders who think the other three can't race a little bit.

That 280 mile road record claimed by a Washington rider, is under investigation, allege- ments being made that it exhales a fish-like odor.

An advertisement of an English race meet reads like a circus advertisement when It save: "Concert and dance to follow. Tickets, twelve cents."

A German cycling paper thinks the winner ot a "ladies'" race worthy ot a picture because he rode 1000yds. in the wonderful time of 2m. 22 4-5s.

The editor of a wheel paper who filled out his census report in the portion of it set apart for "occupation," with "wheelwrite," WBJ a merry dog.

Hess has a numerous following among bis countrymen, and whenever he races the grand stand holds a number of enthusiasts "rooting" for Carl to win.

Santa Rosa, Cal., cyclists are contemplating the building of a quarter-mile track in conjunc­ tion with the new bone track which is to be built in that city. Next year the makers will do away with,

to a great extent, the employment of racing men on the path to advertise and ride their cer­ tain make of wheel.

Uncovered chains have had their day abroad; how long will it be until wheelmen in America awake to the necessity and eaie of chain and gear cases? No less than six matches between N. C. A.

riders are now being argued over by the riders who have different opiniona regarding each other's racing abilities.

Sanger, who has seen SohoSeld ride at his best, tninkf the Englishman, once back to his true form, eould give the best man ia_the N. C. A. a winning argument.

The benefit which the N. C. A. give to the relief committee of the Trade and Labor Unions of New York on Oct. 7 will close the Associa­ tion's schedule for the season.

The Manchester (England) Athletio Club bas arrested and had fined four bookmakers who were making books on cycle races on the track of the Athletio Association.

Chief Consul Mott will advocate at the next meeting of the L. A. W. that racing men be required to sign a contract when they make en­ gagements to run at different tracks.

Freddy's first composition on the seasons: "Thare is 5 seezons 2 Evry year spring summer ortum winter and fawl but as for Me gimme de racin leeion for My money evry time."

Schofield save the way to tell when a racing man is doing his best is to watch his eye and the muscles of bis calf. Intense strain show first and plainest there, says the Englishman. The N. C. A. will have a big fair oirouit

next season, Mt. Holly's success at professional racing having opened the other fair managers' eyes to the drawing possibilities of cash racing.

George M. Adams, a sixteen year old boy, last week put the ''Southern record for the mile," whatever that is, to 2.19 3-5, so we are informed by a Jacksonville, Fla., corresoondent.

Heuman states that the N. C. A. men race harder than the amateurs, and be baa been up against the beet of them. If ever th*re was an exact/ao eimile of Zimmerman Heuman is the one. > It is not often that a dead heat is the re­

sult of a 100 mile road race, but this actually happened in connection with the annual road competition promoted by an English club last week.

John Draper, of Spokane, not of Philadel­ phia, has just lowered the Pacific Coast ten mile record from 31.05 to 30.21$. The Philadelphia John could go to sleep and ride ten miles in that time.

The five miles professional championship of Wales was run last week for $130 and was won In 14m. 30s. N. C. A. riders would have a picnio winning Welch money if this is a championship figure.

On* hundred yard sprints are a pleasing Australian racing diversion. Spectators who want sharp, short and exciting racing certainly ought to find in these dashei the filling of a long felt want on their part.

Shades of Cortis 1 Last Sunday week in Paris, Mdlle. Dutrieux, with pacemakers, cov­ ered 19 miles, 980 yards ia the hour, easily beating the previous best standing to the credit of a member of the fair sex.

Wheeler and Sobofleld had quite a heated argument after the r»oe» at Mt. Holly on

Thursday. It is possible that a match may grow out of the difference of opinion these men bold regarding each others speed.

"Didn't you tell me that if I lent yon my wheel to ride in the races to-day that yon would be so grateful for the favor that you would share your last dollar with me?" "I certainly did, old man; and I will when I get to it."

Berlo finds the company a bit too fast for him to have a first mortgage on fecond money as he formerly did in N. C. A. races. Peter was smart enough to get into the game when it was good, and much softer than it is now. In England the tire makers art fighting it out

among themselves in the columns of the wheel press as to what tire Zim and Tyler won on in Chicago. According to laat reports the Palmer people seem to have the beat of the argument.

A veterinary surgeon, who, we are told, has "critically inspected" Shorland's legs (for what purpose is not stated), has given it as his pro­ fessional opinion that the said Shorland has "the legs of a thoroughbred." Well, what if he has? It is said that profits of the amateur are con­

siderably leisened by the recent cut in prices. Instead of getting $100 in cash for the wheel h» wins, as he formerly did, the amateur con­ siders himself lucky if he bags $50 for it now- idays. Too many of the statements made by pre­

judiced critics of the N. C. A. are too much kangarood over the fence of prevarication and Nancy-hanked through the woods of equivoca­ tion to be accepted as facts by any fair-minded reader.

Sohofield has a special room in the Whit- worth works in which no one but himself is ad­ mitted. In this department many of the clever parts of the Whitworth have been worked out by the racer, who is as clever a mechanic as he is a racing man.

Mr. C. M. Murphy, who was expelled by the Racing Board, applied for reinstatement at the special meeting of the League in Buffalo, but the president ruled that the question could not come before a special meeting called for another purpose.

Jack Prince intends going for records on Herne Hill. He baa caught on with the 11 um­ ber people and is in consequence in good hands. An interview published in another column shows that Jack has forgotten none of his press- working knowledge. At the Rosedale Athletic Grounds, Toronto,

Can., on Saturday evening, W. A. Rhodes, of Chicago, broke the Canadian records for one, two, three, four and five miles. His riding was applauded by the largest crowd that ever wit­ nessed similar sport.

A French wheel paper contains any num­ ber of advertisements like the following: "A young man of 17, cyclist, would like to be put into communication with a good firm who would be willing to provide him with all the necessa­ ries for cycle racing."

Percy M. Harris, who one year ago for­ sook a cycling salesmanship to be a broker in Wall street, has made during the past twelve months over $25.000 at the game of buying and Belling stocks. Harris rides in a hansom now, and only swears at cyclers when they get in his

ay. Osmond and Meintjes have made hosts of

friends in America. Gentlemen and sportsmen, both, it has indeed been a pleasure to have them with us. England never sent to America two representatives who did their country and themselves more credit than these two gentle- mon have.

In a recent race meet held under L. A. W. rules at Romeo, Mich., two Detroit riders oolided at the quarter pole and fell. After the race they protested because the referee did not call the rest of the riders back and start the race over again. What a kicker the gentle amateur is sometimes!

At the last meeting of the New York Metro­ politan Association of Cycling Clubs the idea of establishing a race meet for contests between members of the various callings and professions was discussed. The idea met with approval, and a committee was appointed to make arrange­ ments for the event.

Friday morning all the racers who had won prizes in Baltimore that were represented on the score card by a cash value were taken by the MaryUnd Club promoters to stores, where they selected their own prizes and carried them away. They were highly pleased at this man­ ner of disposing of that matter.

An English exchange has made the horri­ ble discovery that "professionalism is creeping into road racing." Our brethren across the ocean are lucky; for years in America it has passed bevond the "creeping" stage and boldly stalks through the entry list of every rood raca of any prominence in this country.

At the race meet of the Toronto Wanderers, on Saturday, W. A. Rhodes fouled another rider named Young, and promptly notified the referee of having done so, explaining that it was an ac­ cident on his part. By this unusual proceeding Rhodes lost a race but gained in its place a host of i'rionds by his sportsman-like action.

A London paper asks: "Who are the two young ladies who ride their bicycles through the busy city each day?" If the writer of that item ever visited Buffalo, Washington or Philadel­ phia and saw the hundreds of wheelwomen there he would probably issue an extra, and ask who were the few ladies he saw who did not ride. "It will be interesting to see how the ama­

teur cycling papers reconcile their predictions of the failure of the cash prize association with the fact that it is still doing business at the old stand." Philadelphia Record. Reconcile, eh? They won't attempt any such thing; they are content to predict, fail and then keep on "root­ ing."

A ton of steel made up into hairsprings when in watches is worth twelve and one-h&lf times the value of the same weight in gold. We commend this fact to those promotors of ama­ teur race meets in search of something new and valuable with which to tempt the surfeited ama­ teur to favor them with hia presence upon their tracks. "I lost $25 on Takem yesterday. He slipped

his pedal before be had gone ten yards, and then he quit." "That's nothing! I had my pocket picked this morning of $50 and ohased the thief for twenty minutes without catching him." "Well, you are better off than I am. You at least got a run for your money, and I didn't."

What peculiar names these South African cracks have! We are informed that with Mientjes away Papenfus is the best man in South Africa. At a recent meeting at Cape Colony this same Papenfus won a rather novel race, which was over a distance of three miles, and in which a fresh rider was put ap against him at each mile.

Some of the N. C. A. riders need a guard­ ian. One of them at the Mount Hotly Fair was so certain that he could beat a three-card monte man at the gambler's own game that he bet the gentleman $50 and his diamond ring that he could pick out the winning card. Strange to relate, the gambler now has a diamond ring and what is left of the racer's $50. In the Paris to liruxelles race, Andre is said

to have ridden fourteen machines and five differ­ ent kinds of tires, on purpose that no maker should claim his ride as an advertisement. The "doubting Thomases" declare that Andre did this so as to get pay from nineteen different sources in place of the usual two the wheel maker and the tire manufacturer.

In an effort to arrange a date to fill In the race postponed in Philadelphia on account of rain, the local franchise holders made a proposi­ tion to hold the N. C. A. races in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Bicycle Club's meet on Saturday. While the club was in favor of the plan, sanction from the League could not be ob­ tained, so the proposed deal fell through.

"In Holland the road racing men ride in path racing costume. The appearance of such lightly clad youths on their highways has so shacked the steady going old Dutch farmers and villagers, whose refinement of manners is, of course, notorious more or less that in several cases the magistrates have had to forbid the races being run." Canadian Wneelmtn.

The dressing room gossips declare .that the diamond which sparkles on the finger of one of the N. C. A. racers was the gift of a Brooklyn society lady, who became smitten with the

racer's appwrance upon the track in one of the races before the base ball audience at Eastern Park. Crack racers now run star actors a close ran* for first honors in th» masher's stakes. If a Dutoh racer slips his pedal in a trial heat

he if allowed to compete in the final if he does not get a place in the trial. Dutchmen most be more honest than most racing men, for if they are not there would be no need at all for-trials, since as soon as your foxv racing m»n found he was beaten in one h« would conveniently slip a pedal and thus be sore of a try in the final.

"The hard racin? of the National Cycling Asfooiation, the squarest yet seen in this eouu- try, bas produced an intense {rivalry among the men. As a result two matches are now as good as made., one between Harry Wheeler and J. W. Sohofield, and the other between A. B. Rich and Charley Kluge. The first is for $2000 and the other for $100 a side." Philadelphia Record.

—"Walter ganger's bicycles won in races are now being offered for sale. The wheels were traded by Walter to his brother for diamonds." Milwaukee Journal. Isn't that nice? So Walter traded all the wheels he bas won to his brother for diamonds, eh? Well, it was time the "brother" was worked in the amateur fake, "mama" and "papa" have been there for some time.

Racing men are great mashers of the fair lex. Ollie Bernhart is one of the greatest of these mashers. Ollie started in a race in Sandusky on Saturday and would have won his event had not he mashed a young lady so seri­ ously that it knocked him off his wheel. The young lady leaned too far over the fence and as Ollie was passing he ran in'.o her and was thrown.

"We have not yet taken up the role of "press lady insulter," and God forbid we ever should, but wo would advise ladies who ride cycles, and are therefore more than usually brought before their fellow creatures, to be care­ ful when they use peroxide to see that enough is used to make one uniform golden blend of the hair." Wheeling. Zim and Wheeler should cut this bit of good advice out and paste it in their hats. The New York Time* makes public the fol­

lowing hitherto unknown fact: "Ilowell is the professional champion of both America and Eng­ land. He won his American title in a match against Rowe >t Springfield in 1S35, and he gained the English honors last year." This leaves Jack Prince, "the champion of the world," and Harry Whteler both out of consideration when the Times dishes out its profeiaional cham­ pionships. Why?

Mouth-breathing and the rapidity and pres­ sure with which large quantities of air are forced into the larynx the trap-door of the windpipe are said to be the primary cause of catarrhal laryngitis. Those racing men who therefore wish to avoid the disease should remember the old adage and "keep their mouths shut" as much as possible. In these days of licenses and racing boards the foregoing is good advice to follow literally and figuratively.

The receiver of the old Manhattan Athletio Club has a scheme to beat the deadheads who frequent the hig iron bridge and cover the big bluffs known as "Deadhead Hill." He proposes to shut off their point of vantage by means of big canvas screens. It would have been many a dollar in the coffers of the N. C. A. treasury if Mr. Fretdman had have put up his canvas screens earlier in the season, as many spectators of the races viewed them from the hill free, in­ stead ot from the grand stand for pay.

The bottle was ever the bane of good racing. A French paper affords an excellent example of this In explaining the reason of Lacaille'b poor showing iu tlie recent Paris-Brussels race. It appears that a friend of the Scotchman's gave him two bottles to carry with him, one contain­ ing beef tea for tho nourishment of the inner man, and one eau-de-Cologne for the refresh­ ment of the outer. Lacaille decided to have some beef tea at Meaux, uncorked one of the bottles, and hastily swallowed the eau-de-Co­ logne!

There will be one race meet in Washington this season, and although the races may not re­ cord Zimmertnan's or Johnson's time, the affair will be interesting as well as amusing. Satur­ day afternoon is the time fixed on for the event, amd although the programme has not yet been completed it is likely that there will be indi­ vidual races, a team race and a relay. The riders are all boys under eighteen years old and they comprise portions of the messenger service of the two evening papers issued in Wash­ ington.

Bicycling baa become so universal that riders are more numerous and the public in­ terest is increased with every convert to wheel­ ing for recreation. When the ordinary reached its limit of speed bicycle tournaments lost in public interest. That machine was unpractical for general use, and when it was no longer novel its speed trials failed to draw. When the safety came into use people wanted to learn its possi­ bilities, and these hav* not yet been carried to their limit. So there is atill room for tourna­ ments.

When the Racing Board says that it "thinks" some of the cracks make money out of their amateurism, but that the Board is not positive enough to warrant it in expelling the cracks, it recalls the episode of Flaherty's hat. Flaherty wore bis new four-dollar hat to the Finnerty's wake and put it on the chair beside him. One-eye! Widow Riley came in and put fourteen stone of beef, blood and bone square atop of it. "Misther Flaherty, I belave I've sot on your bat." "Bolave it? Ye know doin well ye have!"

Here is quite an admission for a Western paper to make. Says the Pneumatic: "It is a noticeable fact that the whole Eastern contin­ gent of riders are much more gentlemanly in their behavior on and off the track than the Western men. That the West has no such men at all would not be right to assert, but the ma­ jority of our racing men, I believe, can learn much from the Eastern riders who have been on the cirsuit. Not only from their correct man­ ners in genera], but their sportsmanlike style of riding in races."

An English exchange says: "Cycling seems a strange 'sleep compeller,' but yet it is the surest antidote to insomnia we have heard of. Sleep over a stile and all the other remedies known to our grandfathers aren't in it. If you suffer from sleeplessness rise up in the dead of night, have a few miles'scorch and then tumble into bed. You'll probably be wrapped in sound slumber before you can get your clothes off." If this be true, it may explain why the crack racers always seam to goto sleep in a race where head-work tactics are introduced.

A novel team race was run off at Sheffield, England, recently,underjthe auspices of the Y.M. C. A. Cycling Club. The race was contested by teams of cyolists, walkers and runnerx, the for­ mer having to ride ten miles, the walkers three milM, and the runners five miles. Three of the oycliits just managed to squeeze home in front of the walkers. Tbe cyclist who finished first in the race was 1m. 5s. in advance of the nearest walker. His full time was 26m. 25 2-3s. The score at the finish was cyclists, 13 points; walkers, 28 points, and the runners 41 points.

"The fall meeting of the National Cycling Association, better known as the cash prize league, held at Eastern Park yesterday after- noen, was one of the most successful from a racing standpoint y«t given in this vicinity. The card presented deserved a much larger at­ tendance. Nearly every event, of which there were five on the programme, wai close and ex­ citing, and the few enthusiasts who braved the threatening weather left the grounds more en­ thusiastic than ever over the beauties of the sport." New York Preti.

—"In Belgium they have a neat way of get­ ting round the cash prize difficulty. Winners receive checks with which they can purchase any object to the amount it represents, and the club promoting the race cash the check on pre­ sentation. We see one inconvenience or ad­ vantage in the system; it is this: Suppose the bolder of the check said to the dealer in clocks or plated goods, "Here's a check for £5, give me £ 3 cash and it's yours." Wheeling. Some day the tinkerers of the amateur law will learn there is no half-way place between ama­ teurism and professionalism. In a recent raca one of the men went to

Kanask'a and informed the Milwaukee lad that his wheel must be loose in some way, because iu the race just run he had heard a suspicious

clanking of metal every time he drew near to Kanaaka. The rider from Milwaukee laughed, and when he got dressed to go hojiie the myste­ rious clank was explained by Kanaska's dump­ ing a hindful of silver dollars from one racing shoe and the removal of a wad of billa from the other. Dressing rooms and banks were evi­ dently not regarded with favor by the speedy youngster from the shores of Lake Michigan.

Lumsden, the old six-day professional, is reported to have done a very fine performance from Kdinburgh to Liverpool, breaking Carlisle's record by 48tn. Before the performance is ac­ cepted as being correct it might be as well if someone ooulil see his proofs and check them, as some of bis times between places are cer­ tainly marvellous. For instance, to Galashiels, 33 miles, his time is given as Ih. S3m., which, to those knowing the road, seems an utter im­ possibility. His other times seem equally fast, and considering the fact that be bad little pacing there seems, among local cyclists, an in­ clination to doubt the ride.

"From present Indications it is quite evident that the cash prize league on its ne xt circuit, if it ever reaches Milwaukee, will find quite a a number of well-known riders ready to fall into line. There are not a few now riding about the city under the head of amateurs who have qualified openly as professionals in the matter of selling prizea or offering them for sale. The Racing Board just at present would find Milwaukee a very profitable field in which to operate." Milwaukee Journal. Tbe N. C. A. will reach Milwaukee again early next sea­ son, and if it bas another rider as good as Ka­ naska promises to be, the Association will b« only too glad to welcome him.

The most reliable way of measuring a road course If, according to the Cycle Record, to count the revolutions of the pedals. In prac­ tice there are exactly 324 revolutions of the pedals of a full-blown pneumatic, geared to 63, to a mile. Two men should count, to check each other, and a third should be provided with three pebbles, one of which he will put in his pocket every time the counters call out 100 revolutions. This will save confusion as to how many hundreds have been called. At every mile a dismount should he made and a descrip­ tion noted of any landmark, or the distance in yards from the nearest available. Two English professionals now in America

are claiming that they have been refused license to race in N. C. A. events because of a grievance they allege the secretary of the Association has against them. These statements are unwar- wanted by facts. The Englishmen have not been refused license, and the "personal grudge" they allege the secretary has against them amounts to nothing, since that official has not even a vote on the granting of any license. The applications of these two men will belaid before the Governing Board for action, and its decision will be final whether the secretary likes it or not. If the gentlemen are adjudged worthy of license it will be granted them, if it is decided that they are not worthy of same, license will be withheld, bluffing and mistaternenU to the contrary notwithstanding.

"Most of the great racers technically violate the present rules by being in the employ, sub rosa, of the manufacturers, and this is tacitly known by the racing authorities. Such sub­ terfuges are used, however, that the present discipline cannot reach them. They cannot well be declared professionals without trial, and conviction being dependent on proof and not on suspicion, the present rules have proven a failure, besides teaching the men to act a lie and livt a deceit which is winked at. The racing men are honest if the League will per­ mit them to be, anil at the February mooting of the National Assembly it is now afmost certain the Racing Board will be authorized to cut away from the present contracted lines and per­ mit the racing men to live by their chosen pro­ fession, for that, indeed, is simply what it is, and wbat it should be to attain the best results." Baltimore Netos.

—From a recent article in the Century Maga- xine, it would appear that the Sultan nf Mo­ rocco is in keen sympathy with the encourage­ ment of cycling for women. When not engaged with the sterner duties of state, he spends his leisure in tbe shady groves of Lallah Auiina, a palace he owns just outside Fez, on the bank of the River of Pearls. Here in his harem are some eighteen hundred wives, or "gazelles" this number being the smallest number ever quoted, the current estimate standing at fifty thousand. It is said that the Sultan finds re­ laxation in picking out a dozen of bis prettiest wives and making them race on the bicycles presented to him by the French Government, What the ladies think of the sport thus kindly provided for them is not stated, but there is little doubt that their picturesque mode of dress offers no obstacle to their exercise on diamond framed wheels. Here's an amateur after our own heart.

Your French racing man is as freaky as a woman. Recently Corre started in an effort to beat Shorland's twenty-four hour record. In the nineteenth hour, without any warning, he suddenly dismounted and flung his machine violently to the ground, declaring that it was impossible to break the record. For a long time he refused to listen to the entreaties of his friends, who wanted him to continue in any case, so that the public, who expected to turn up in large numbers during the afternoon, might not be disappointed. The offer of a glass of champagne was disdainfully rejected, and a request was made for "an onion fried in butter" strange sustenance for a record breaker! At length, by dint of an application of a cold shower, he waa persuaded to continue, but only at a very moderate paje. Shortly after 2 o'clock be declared bis fixed determination of discon­ tinuing his ride, in spite of all entreaties to the contrary. After making a furious sprint round the track he got off for good and refused to budge another inch.

They don't understand "head-work" in Augusta, Ga., evidently, since the Chronicle treats of the matter editorially as follows: "Every race should be a race from start to fin­ ish, and riders should not be allowed to plod through the first part of each contest, and con­ fine the race practically to the last one or t*o laps. Riders who cannot keep up a racing gait from beginning to end should not enter any but the abort dashes, and if all break down, then It will be just as exciting to see the struggle for victory among tbe tired toilers at the finish as it was to see the first few laps while they were fresh and making fa*t time. In the next races we would suggest that the race begin from the word fro, instead of the riders tracking each other around at a slow pace until the last lap. In the mile race let the pace be hot from the first, and then the man with the best speed and wind will win. The last lap may be the slowest in?tead,0f tho fastest, as is now the rule, but it will be just as hard fought, and all the more interesting."

Much discussion has arisen as to the effect of the bicycle sulky on the speed of trotters and pacers, and experts have placed the figure representing the reduction of records through its use at from three to six seconds. It is con­ ceded by every one tbat the wonderful time made this year, as compared with performances by the best horses in 1S92, cannot be attributed to improvement in the animals. The progres­ sion has been too marked to admit of such a hypothesis. On the Grand Circuit tracks in 1892 the number oi heats was 272 and the average time was 2.19 35-100. This year 338 beats have been contested and tbe average time is 2.16 46-100, showing a difference ot 2.86 seconds. The most careful estimate based on these statistics indicate four aeonndi as about tbe difference in speed in favor of the new atyle sulky, which figure holds true at the tracks not in the Grand Circuit last year, or where tbe the bicycle was used so sligbtly as to amount to nothing. It is also noticeable that the reduc­ tion of the best record since the introduction of the "bike" is exactly Ji seconds.

SUBSCRIBER, Atlanta. A. A. Zimmerman, J. 8. Johnson and Willie Windle are amateurs. Billy" Murphy, of Brooklyn, also is one. His brother "Caarl," however, has been declared a professional by the L. A. W. for accepting a check for $15 for riding in a home-trainer "race" at the Cycle Show in Philadelphia last winter. Zimmerman ia universally conceded to be the best all-round racing man in the world, and as «uoh has a bettor claim upon the title of "champion amateur rider of the world" than any otter rider. Ziiumeruiaa r»oei under L.

MEASURE THE QUALITY OF

COLUMBIASSt^,, :-4*-*&

tb? Bicycle* of tb* Whole World

ai)d tbey will Stat)d atjy Test.

The reputation enjoyed by COLUMBIA BI- C YCLES has been well earned. The first Ameri­ can bicycle built was a COL/ UMBIA. That bicycle was built as well as the means at hand would per­ mit, and from the first to the last, with constantly increasing experience and facilities, our effort has been to build every COLUMBIA BICYCLE as nearly right in design, construction, finish, and quality of materials as possible, regardless of ex­ pense, until today they not only lead in America, but enjoy the proud distinction of being abso­ lutely the standard bicycles of the world.

POPEBOSTON,

NEW YORK,

co,CHICAGO,

HARTFORD.

NOTHING BETTER FOR TOURING.NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J., Aug. 4,1893.

HARTFORD CYCLE Co., Hartford, Conn.Gentlemen : I enclose you a clipping from a local newspaper re­

lating to the splendid record of my Hartford safety and the Colum­ bia tires with which it is fitted, in particular.

I have ridden my wheel 2363 miles and, with the exception of a few minor items, it has cost me nothing for repairs, and the wheel looks to-day as good as when purchased a year ago.

As I recall some of the trips taken in the mountain section of the State, the durability and staunchness of the Hartford wheel is more forcibly brought to my mind. Yours sincerely,

GEO. W. VAN VECUTEN.

|ttfi

THE HARTFORD CYCLE CO.,HARTFORD, CONN.

$600 IN PURSESWII/I, BE RACED FOR

Under National Cycling Association RulesAt Manhattan Field, New York, Oct. 7.

No. I ONE MILE OPEN, purse $100, divided, $50, $25, $15, $10. No. 2 ONE MILE HANDICAP, purse $125, divided, $60, $30, $20, $10, $5. No. 3 TWO MILE HANDICAP, purse $125, divided, $60, $30, $20, $10, $5. No. 4 FIVE MILE HANDICAP, purse $150, divided, $70, $30, $25, $15, $10. No. 5 ONE MILE CONSOLATION, purse $50, divided, $20, $15, $10, $5. No. 6 ONE MILE SCRATCH, open only to Labor Union members who hava

never won in any N. C. A. race, purse $50, divided, $20, $15, $10, $5.

ENTRANCES, ONE DOLLAR EACH EVENT, CLOSE ON OCT. 4 TO . .A.. UG--A.3W. Secretary 3NT. C. ^\..,.SOUTH THIRD ST., PHILADELPHIA, PA.

A. W. rulei when in America and nnder N. C. U. rules when in countries controlled bj the English association. Your request of *'how to distinguish the difference between professionals and amateurs" ia too difficult for us to answer. Broadly, the difference between amateur and professional lays in the former riding for sport purely, while the latter races for the money he makes out of his speed. The actual difference between the modern amateur and the profes­ sional is something no man can define. THB SPORTING LIFE is devoted to base ball and bi­ cycling chiefly to the professional side of the eports named.

"It may not be known," snys the Baltimore News, "that mo«t of the prominent manufactur­ ers of bicyoles have, as a part of their adver­ tising:, a corps of racing men whom they send around the circuit to push their wheels to the front in all races. Then they insert in their ad­ vertisements all through tbe season how many firsts, seoonds and thirds have been won on their special machines. Nearly all the prominent racing men are in the control of these com­ panies, and in charge of one man, who is sent around as Commander-in-chief of the party. An expert trainer accompanies the men, who grooms them after exercise and keeps their rac­ ing wheels properly adjusted and io order. The cycles in use by the party, and extra ones for emergencies and accidents, are carried around in huge trunks, upholstered and fitted out in the finest style. The men are cared for as carefully as Nancy Hanks and kept as keenly on edge by systematic training. The teams work together as far as pace-making and mance ivring are con­ cerned, but all are left free for tbe spurt at the finish, as thb prizes are given to the winners. In this way the racing teams of the manu­ facturers bave an advantage over the racer who is for himself alone, but sometimes the unit by good head-work, and speed in bddition, beats out the whole combination, a» did the local racer."

"After all," remarked one of the oldest and best riders in the city, speaking of a recent nt- teuipt at a twenty-four-hour road record, "what is to be gained by such a record? When the bicycle was invented it was supposed to be for the pleasure of riders and not an instrument to extinguish life and break down tbe system by hard riding, such ai a twenty-four-hour record breaking trip must be. Instead of taking pleasant rides through the country, enjoying the fresh air and benefitting their health, tbey arc riding in the night air at a break-neck speed, over-heating th«u>selves and rendering them-

DON'T BE DECEIVED,and you will if you buy one of the so-called reduced-price- rattle-traps that ate being ad­ vertised by manufacturers of no standing in the community.

THE CREDENDA Sells at S1.5.OO.

It is the best bicycle in Amer­ ica to-day for the price. The Credenda is guaranteed. We sell it. That's the guarantee. Send for Catalogue.

A.G.Spaldiiuj&Bros.Chicago. New York. Philadelphia.

elves liable to a period of iickness. Then, too, the manner in whioh the records are being madei< questionable, In the first place the exact distance of the road should be known and timers representing different interests should be on hand. Even then in the excitement and confusion a mistake is possible and such mis­ takes always benefit the rider. If there is to be a genuine test of the question why does not tbe rider ftart from a given noint and ride to a point, say two hundred miles distant and then return as far as he can before the expiration "f bis time? In that way he could register at the other end of the route and could bave two or three riders stationed on the road to ride over the last fifty miles stretch or less and then no one could question the correctness of the record. Until that is done there will always be somt doubt about records made over a short gtretoh because of itt goud condition for riding."