Newspaper Page Text
r ii . if x BICYCLE SENSATION. Out in Pricos Makoa Makora and Buyers Think. Tlic IIiicIiik Worlil (Jnrilliier SIumvh Wonderful Speed, Hut l.ncUn Heart .Mlulutcl niitl IjOniui Matched. Special Chicago Letter. A big sensation was created not only in trade circles, but among the entire cycling public by a reduction of $25 in tho price of the best-known make of bicycles in America July 1. This move carries all the more weight be cause the manufacturers of this ma chine, who are notorious for their con- ARTHUR GARDINER. (The Star at tho Chicago Meet.) iservatism, have always insisted that a thoroughly good bicycle was worth the $100 price and have rigidly maintained that figure regardless of the price cut ting that has been indulged in by other makers. The announcement was a oig surprise to the trade, for, although many manufacturers and dealers thought this concern would lower its prices at the beginning of the present season, it was generally supposed that after the prices had been upheld for more than half the season no cut would be made until next year. The move, Iherelore, which is a very radical. one for this company, which has for many years held the reputation of being the dictator iu the bicycle business, has .set ull the other makers to guessing and wondering what may be the cnuse of the reduction. Some assert that the jncdium-grade bicycles at popular prices have made great inroads in this concern's business and that with a large stock of unsalable high-grade machines on hand this late in the sea son tho management had become alarmed and decided to lower the price as a last resort. Others prophesy that the concern has perfected a chainless bicycle model which will be manufac tured in large numbers and pushed next season as a leader at $100. Whatever the cause of the reduction jnay be, it will probably have a some what demoralizing effect on the trade this summer, although most of the large makers assert positively that they will make no attempt to meet the cut this year. It will have the effect, however, of driving a number of the Kinall and weaker concerns out of the business and thus leave it on n firmer basis, and will also end the inllated price evil, for with the very best makes helling at $75 there will bo no excuse for building bicycles to list at $100 and sell for what can be got for them. The purchaser has long been aware of the fact that the average bicycle listed at $100 could lie bought for almost any price above 20 per cent, of its list price. Nevertheless, he will welcome the time when all bicycles sell for just what they are worth and retail at one price to all. The maker will be glad to see that time also, since one of the peculiar phes of the cycle trade has been that all club members, racing men, and a long list of people with "pulls" have systemat ically "worked" the makers for bicycles for nothing or at cost price. It is generally conceded among the trade that the price of high-grade chain bicycles will be only $75 next year, and that a number of chainless wheels will be put on the market at $100. A chainless machine is a deli cate and rather impractical piece of mechanism, however, and it remains to be seen whether or not it will retain popularity more than a season or two. Arthur Gardiner's victory at Chicago July 5 over the best Held of crackajacks that has faced the starter at any race meet this year seems not to have sur prised any of the well-posted racing en thusiasts very much. They are well aware that the Chicago lad had the re quisite speed to beat the best man of the track, but assert that he lacks the heart to run a hotly-contested race, lie would rather tack into somebody's rear wheel and finish second than go out and light for first, lie is a beautiful rider and can follow the fastest pace in good style, having held a number of American paced records, but his friends are anxious to see him win competitive races, and believe that by tfce exercise of determination and courage he will soon uttuiu the high po w sition his speed entitles him to occupy. In the national circuit meet, under tho auspices of the Chicago cycling club, Gardit.er defeated Haiti Cooper and Kiser, upon whom nil eyes have been turned this year, and John S Johnson and L D. Cubanue in the mile open race, and won the two-mile handicap from scratch, defeating A. D. Kennedy, Al. Weinig, Tracy Holmes, 11. 11. Wood ami Bert Leslie. In the third-mile event he ran second to Cooper, with Da Id third no mean performance. Karl Penbody, of the Chicago Cycling club, has won proud title of "amateur king oT the west." ills record last year and this has been quite remarkable, and it is his ambition this season to eclipse Arthur A. Zimmerman's most brilliant record of 101 prizes in one season. Last year I'eabody scored more than 50 firsts, and already this year has won more than 25 of the races iu which ho started. He has been following tho Michigan circuit, where he won the mile open events day after day with strange regularity. He began the sea son iu New Orleans, where he defeated Irving A. i'owell, the fastest amateur of the east, who has been creating quite a sensation. On the national circuit at Springfield and Undue Pedbody has not done so well, hnviug been defeated several times by C. 11. McCarthy, tho amateur crack of St. Louis, just enough times to even up old scores, and F. J. Morse and Chnrles Muss and others in handicap races. These defeats are un doubtedly due to overwork and poor form, and Karl is resting for a week or two to recuperate. Only the toughest campaigners enn follow a circuit stead ily, racing every two out of three days or oftener, and keep iu good form right along. I'eabody is a graduate of the Uimersity of Chicago, and is only 21 years old. He is an amateur of tho purest stamp, as he succeeded in con vincing the racing board, his lather be ing abundantly able to let him travel all oer the west. A match race for the largest purse eer made in America has been ar ranged between James Michael and Lu cien Lesna, the French racing' man who lauded iu San Francisco last month lrom Australia, where he broke ull tho lecords lrom two to 1C0 miles. Tho contest will take place on the Charles River park track iu Uostou, and will be for a purse of $2,000 put up by the management, and a side bet of $250, making $2,500 in all. The event will be paced with multicycles, and the dis tance will be set at 33 miles, iu order that the hour record of the world, which now stands at32'i miles, made by J. W. Stocks in England recently, may be broken. Unless some accident oc curs it is confidently expected that the American record of 27 miles 1,0'JO yards, held by Michael, will be beaten, since both contestants are recognized leaders at middle distance work be hind big machines. The date lor tho match has not been settled, but will probably be set lor some time in early August, as Lesna (pronounced Leuna) needs some weeks lor training and conditioning after nearly two mouths of traveling. Lesna cannot speak a word of Eng lish, but his manager, M. Pognon, sport- LUCIEN LESNA. (Famous French Middle Distance Rider.) ing manager of the Gladiator company of Paris, talks very entertainingly of their experiences in Australia, which country neither of them likes very much. Management of racing league affairs there Is very poor and visiting racing men are not treated with much courtesy. M. Pognon considers Les iia's victory in the Australian cycle derby his best performance in the An tipodes. In that race he defeated Mar tin, the American; Megsoii, the Aus tralian champion; Green, of England, and Walne and Porte, two of the fastest Australian riders. Another victory was the defeat of a picked team chang ing every mile, while Lesna rode tho entire distance of 25 miles alone, cov ering It in -14:32 1-5, considerably under two minutes to the mile. In his rec ord trials he cut tho figures for 100 miles to 3:54:54, which is much under the existing American record. H W PBUUY At the Suimhoru. She was heart-broken. "My beautiful bathing suit Is abso lutely ruined," she moaned. "How did it happen?" asked her mother, anxiously. "I accidentally got it wU"-ChicRffo Post, i A GREAT SPEED AT SEA. Mnrlito A re tilt pc tit re Pi-oiiiIncn to He Il(VUllltlOlll7'll, A recent trial of the little vessel called the Turbiuia has attracted great atten tion from experts, not only on account of her uma.lng registered speed of "33 miles an hour" over a rough course, but also from the novelty of the method sf propulsion, the lightness of machin ery, the absence of vibration and other notable features. At a recent meeting of the shipbuilding section of the in stitute of civil engineers in London, Mr. Thornycroft, whose name Is well known in connection with the develop ment of the modern type of water tube boilers, congratulated Charles Algernon Parsons, the designer of the Turbiuia, upon her wonderful record, and at the same time he pointed out reasons why the very extraordinary speed attained, as compared with the torpedo-boat de stioyers heretofore the speediest boats constructed was more remark able even than appeared at first sight. I'rof. Ewiug, of Cambridge, who spent a week upon the vessel and made many tests and experiments in regard to speed, water and fuel consumption, etc., gave some very interesting infor mation. The absence of complicated machinery (there being no reciprocat ing parts' as in ordinal- engines) made the duty of the engineer very easy: 'In fact," he says, "there was nothing but a steam stop valve and a reversing valve that had to be handled." In 20 seconds after starting from a state of rest the steam turbine engines were working at a rate equivalent to a speed of 28 knots; of course, this did no mean that the ship responded instant ly, and got under such headway in that brief time. When asked about vibration the pro fessor replied that it did not exist "hu did not mean a comparative quietude: but the phrase should be understood in its literal sense. Even at the highest speed there was no vibration nothing more than a hum from the fan, which was driven directly from the centrnl propeller shaft." The professor said that he had gone into this investigation with a certain degree of skepticism; but that the trials had been entirely .successful throughout, and he could now point to nothing that would form a set-off against the obvious advantage; which were possessed by the turbine as a marine motor. These are very strong expressions, es pecially when we reflect that they art not sensational interviews, given through the intermediary of a reportei having, perhaps, a penchant for inject ing adjectives into his notes, but are deliberate statements of experts made in the presence of critics full competent to detect any flaw and tc demolish any untenable claim. They indicate that a most important experi mental departure has been made in the method of propulsion of steam vessels which will probably exert a far-reach ing influence in the future development of steam navigation. Iu conclusion, it may be explainet that the Turbiuia is not propelled bt ejecting streams of water from hei stern, as some one described not Ioiif ago; but steam is projected with grea force against the blades of a stean turbine wheel, somewhat resembling an ordinary electric fan inclosed in t tight case. This wheel rotates witl great speed, and is attached directly tc the shaft which drives the propeller There are actually three turbines coupled to three shafts. The absence of vibration is presumably due, in pari at least, to the fact that there are n reciprocating movements as iu an or dinary engine, but a continuous rota tion iu one direction only, except whet going astern. Philadelphia Record. AIiinUii Imlliiiin In IIiinIiicnn, The missionary may have buildcd bet ter than he knew. Several Indians acting in the spirit of emulation, hu( started stores of their own, and ir some instances carry a stock of $G,00t to $10,000. There are six stores of this description on their islands. Thesi educated Indians have arrived at tin. conclusion that there is money iu com inercial life, and have decided to coin peti with Mr. Duncan and his Portland capitalists. Mr. Duncan lias met this competition, first by selling flour at $1.25 a sack and then raisingdoek rates to three dollars a ton upon all goods not landed for his store. The Indians ha e determined to build a dock of their own, and have announced that they will complete it this summer and allow any one to land there who wishes to. This is no idle boast, as they have plenty of money and can pay cash for woik they don't do themselves. Educational and religious movements on the islands are being overshadowed by commercial matters. Rich free-milling quart, has been found, and the Indians hope be fore long to have stamp mills at work. Alaska Miner. A I'oHer. Sunday School Teacher (to the class) You have read that God made the world in six days. Now whut did lie do on the eeventh? The Class He rested. Teacher Quite right. Bobbie (whose mother had told him that he must work in the garden the next week) Please may 1 ask a ques tion? Teacher Certainly. Bobbie After God had rested on the seventh day, did He do anything tha ,uext week? Yellow Kid Maguzine. Tho Kxpluiint Ion. Mr. Newwcd (with suppressed emo tion) The last time I went to the club and came home late, I found you asleep, and in your sleep you murmured: "Come to-morrow night as usual, my darling; my husband will be away." Now, madam, I have remained at home every night since, but have been un able to Identify my rival, and I de mand an explanation. Pretty Wife (fondly) I wasn't asleep. N. Y. Weekly. I IIC MAD A CIIOIUU. Hired Boy Kin I go llshin' thisafter noon? Farmer No; but be a good boy, an' work hnrd, 'n mebbu next week you kin go to a funeral. Hired Boy Kin Igotoyour'n? Up-to-Dato. 11 In AilviiiitrtKC The animals ran n friendly raco Ono day before tho fall. Tho giraffe, ho won by Just a nock, And yot ho distanced them all. Chicago Trlbuno. Gi.Ae f " THE CROWNING OUTRAGE. WITH THE FORMATION OF A COMBINATION TO CONTROL THE OUTPUX AND PRICE OF PEANUTS DISAPPEARS THE LAST VESTIOE OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE. Need of Caution. Mrs. Mclnty An' phut did til' doc ther soy was the matter wld y'r eye, Patsy? Smull Son He say-ed thurwuBsome foreign substance iu it, Mrs. Mclnty (with an "I told you so" air) Now, maybe ye'll kape -iway from thim Oitaliaus. N. Y. Weekly. From Aiionruiio!. Aruison That's Muggins. Ho was pretty badly hurt In a fight the other day. De Manising Where? "On the West side." "lie walks as if he'd been hurtn lit tle on the eust side, too." Chicago Tribune. No Temptation. She Don't you think it Ib inappro priate to have applause in church? lie IL'in. I never considered tlint question. There is never any occasion for applause lu our church. N. Y. World. Hot IliiHy Heiinoii. "Are you doing much these days?" asked Mr. Game Rooster of Mrs. Ban tam Bonn. "Well, I should cackle," replied the Intelligent fowl. Louisville Courter Journal. The Mummer Honeymoon, Harry Now, darling Julia, we are really and truly one one forever. Julia Of course, dear Harry but when it comes to ice cream, don't you think we had better order two plates? Detroit Free Press. IMimIiIiik the Argument. Jack Isn't it ridiculous, women be ing so afraid of mice? Puss Yes, and isn't it ridiculous, men who are afraid of nothing being so afraid of women who arc ao afraid of juice? N. Y. Truth. Tlic Old, Old .Story. "i know 1 play chess very poorly," snid thu young womnn, moving her knight to the wrong square, "but 1 lovo to learn." "1 wonder," replied the young man, preparing to mate lu three moves, "If. you could learn to lovel" Her answer was very soft and gen tle, but it broke up the game at once. Chicago Tribune. I'rnfenilotint IMennniitrlrn, "When 1 sang in Denver last," said (he soprano, "1 moved tho whole vast audience to tears." "Indeed," returned the contralto. "Your voice must have been a little worse than usual that night." That, of course, was tho beginning of a feud that made all kinds of trouble for operatic managers and a long-suffering public Chicago Post. Never Totichcil Hint. Parke Row I didn't know Spungor ly's address, so I sent a letter to him to the Bon Ton cafe; he's always there, and It's mighty strange 1 get no an swer. Phil Space Heavens, man! Didn't you know that all tho mall that way goes to the cashier's desk? N. Y, Truth. She Ohjcutcri. "Yes," said Mrs. Parvcnuc, aB tho maid retired from the room, "she is my new maid. Her namo Is Marie." The new maid turned suddenly. "None o' that," she exclaimed. "Don't you spring any Eyc-tnllan names on me, fer I won't stand it." Chicago Post. Ill lllrth AKltlimt Him. Trivvct Why don't you go into pol itics, Dicer? Dicer It's of no use, Trlvvet. ITav iug been born in England, I have no hope of either becoming president or of getting on the police force. Loulsvlllu Courier Journal. Cookery. ' "I nin told your wifo would rather cook than eat." The other man glanced ncrvousl over his shoulder. They were alone. "What she cooks, yes," ho replied, Id a hoarse whisper. Detroit Journal. Oiiurlit to lie KfTectlve. Ilojack The curutivo powers of mu sic are being tried on the insane. Tomdik It ought to be effective la the cuse of persons who have been driven crazy by piano and cornet prac tice on the homeopathic theory. Louis ville Courier-Journal. NOT "Bridget, why don't yon light the gas in the kitchen?" "Sure, iiiuni, the only matches I could find wuz parlor matches." K, Y. Journal. i C z v i TIIH IMUIIT KIND. Aceoiiimoiliitliu;, "Don't blow out the wan," the placard read. So Reunon, to be polite, Juat let It alone, Jumped Into hod, And burned the khh all nlKhl. Chlcutfu Tlmes-Kerald.