Springfield and Holyoke Bicycle Directory and Riders' Hand Book
Contents
- The title page of the Fourth Annual Edition of the Springfield Bicycle Directory and Riders' Hand Book, copyright 1894 by Henry D. Taylor, publisher, of Springfield, Mass.
- Reprints Chapter 93 of the General Statutes of Massachusetts on the law of the road, setting out the rules for travelers meeting and passing one another with carriages and other vehicles (keeping to the right of the middle when meeting, passing to the left), the penalty for offenders, and the time limits for bringing complaints and damage actions.
- A legal discussion arguing that a bicycle is a carriage under the law, citing dictionary definitions, common-law court decisions in America and England, and named cases and ordinances, and concluding that the general laws governing travel on the public highways apply equally to wheelmen.
- Prints the Springfield city ordinance regulating the use of bicycles on the public streets: an eight-miles-an-hour speed limit within a mile of the City Hall, a compulsory bell that must be sounded to warn anyone in danger of collision, and the penalty for violations.
- Sets out Article III, Road Rules, from the bylaws of the Springfield Bicycle Club, numbered points covering attention to others' rights, caution near horses, the raised hand as a cautionary signal, passing to the right and overtaking on the left, and avoiding sidewalks, followed by an essay on the courtesy of the road that argues a wheelman should be a gentleman first.
- Describes popular short rides out of Springfield, giving directions, distances from Court Square and notes on road quality, beginning with the St. James Avenue Dry Bridge over the Boston and Albany railroad, where riders gather about half past seven to watch the fast express pull up the grade.
- Describes Forest Park as the most popular Sunday ride, with the road lined with wheels all day, noting that coasting and scorching are forbidden and the roads full of sharp curves, and giving the recommended route there along with longer trips to Mt. Tom, the Southwick Ponds via Westfield, and Mt. Holyoke.
- Lays out the route from Springfield to Hartford by the east side of the Connecticut river, with turn-by-turn directions, distances and notes on side paths, recommending the detour through Crooked Lane and Suffield to avoid the sandy pull this side of Enfield Bridge, and advising riders to go out on the east side and return on the west.
- A side excursion to the old Newgate Prison at East Granby, Conn., reached across the South End Bridge and down the river road by way of Agawam Center, described as one of the pleasantest places accessible to wheelmen.
- Describes the ride from Springfield to Monson by way of Palmer, out the Boston road between Spectacle and Nine Mile ponds, warning of two and three-quarter miles of sand beyond North Wilbraham and recommending the watering tank half a mile past the station for a drink.
- The main alphabetical directory of Springfield riders, from Abbott and Abraham through to Yando and York, giving each rider's name, street address, and the make and factory number of the machine ridden — Victor, Warwick, Columbia, Waverly, Cleveland, Silver King, Rambler and others.
- A short directory of Brightwood riders, among them M. W. Gleason of Moore Avenue and the Willard and Ware couples, each listed with the make of machine owned.
- A directory of West Springfield riders including the Bagg family of Riverdale, the Fairbankses of Bosworth Street and several Merrick addresses, giving names, addresses and the make and number of each machine.
- A short list of Agawam riders — Charles F. Barden, Lewis Brown, E. E. Campbell, Charles Dean, H. A. Oliver and E. J. Smith — with the Victor Flyer, Union, Victor and Warwick machines they ride.
- A two-name entry for Mittineague, listing Wallace H. Brown and William T. Mabury of Hampden Street, both riding Waverly machines.
- A directory of Indian Orchard riders with the make of machine each owns, printed alongside H. A. Lakin's Westfield bicycle-repairing advertisement.
- A directory of Ludlow riders, from Theophilus Abare and the Rev. E. P. Allen through the Craw and Elphinstone families, listing each person's name together with the make of bicycle ridden.
- A directory of Wilbraham riders including Herbert Bosworth, the McGuires and Miss Florence Miller, on Hartford, Warwick, Columbia and Victoria machines.
- A directory of North Wilbraham riders — the Andrews, Cutler and King families among them — with makes including Eclipse, Warwick, Silver King, Crescent, Century Columbia and Keating.
- A three-name Belchertown list: Harry Bowen on a Warwick, Harold F. Shaw on a Victor Flyer and E. Lyman Warden on a Hickory.
- A directory of Warren riders, including John J. Barry of Main Street, the Campbells, the Hortons of School Street and Kenelm Winslow Bacon, most of them mounted on Victor Flyers.
- A three-name West Warren list: Robert Carry on a Meacham, Edmund Foster of Summer Street on a Victor Flyer and James Grant Jr. of 59 Main on a Victor D.
- A directory of Palmer riders, among them the Chandler and Fiske families, listing Eagle, Rambler, Warwick, Rochester, Columbia, Lovell and Western Wheel Works machines.
- A directory of Ware riders including Dr. Adolphe A. Auger and Dr. Albert A. Etienne of 107 Main Street and the Henrichon brothers, with Cleveland, Columbia, Rambler, Victor and Warwick machines.
- A directory of Southwick riders — Charles M. Arnold, J. Henry Clagg, Geo. M. Delaney of the Southwick hotel, the Fletchers and the Rising brothers — on Envoy, Lovell, Eclipse, Victor, Warwick and Nonpareil wheels.
- A directory of East Longmeadow riders including the Kennedy and Peterson brothers and Miss Maybelle Maine, with Credenda, Victor, King of Scorchers, Victoria, Warwick and Waverly machines.
- A directory of Longmeadow riders, among them the Burt and Baer brothers, the Rev. S. G. Barnes and the Emersons, on Victor Flyer, Columbia, Keating, Warwick, Silver King and Rob Roy machines.
- A directory of Thompsonville, Conn., riders from Horace L. Abbe onward, including the Wilsons, the Youngs and W. G. Wiseman, listing Columbia, Victor, Hartford, Keating, Warwick and Sylph machines.
- A directory of Suffield, Connecticut riders, largely the Adams, Allen, Austin and Bartlett families, on Hartford, Stearns, Gendron, Columbia, Credenda, Warwick and Rapid Traveler machines.
- A two-name West Suffield list: William Orr on a Hartford and Herbert Root on a Columbia ordinary.
- A two-name Milford, Connecticut list: Chas Lovell Bush on a Victor C and Wm B. Bush on a Victor.
- A directory of Chicopee riders from C. H. Adams of Fairview Avenue onward, giving addresses and machines including Spalding, Victor Racer, Mystery, Credenda, Tyrant, Warwick and Special New Mail.
- A directory of Chicopee Falls riders, including the Bird, Bogardus, Curry and Fisk families, listing Spalding, Victor Flyer, Credenda, Victoria, Road King, Referee, Rambler and Overman machines.
- A directory of Holyoke riders from John Aitkin onward, giving street addresses and machines including Raleigh, Rambler, Keating, Majestic, Warwick, Columbia, Star and Tuxedo.
- A directory of Elmwood riders, several of them connected with C. H. Baush & Sons, listing South Street and Harrison Avenue addresses and Keating, Victor, Nonpareil and Juno machines.
- A short Willimansett list: Louis E. J. Bobsin on a Syracuse Empire and John H. Breck on a Warwick.
- A directory of South Hadley Falls riders including the Buchanans of Box 345, the Gerrys and the Whites, on Rambler, Victor, Victoria, Warwick, Union P. D. Q., Crescent Scorcher, Columbia, Juno and Majestic machines.
- A two-name South Hadley list: Annie Jenkins of Hadley on a Victor and Miss Mabel I. Percival of the College on a Warwick.
- A four-name Southampton list — Edgar R. Loomis, Arthur G. Howland, Arthur L. Witherell and David A. Chatfield — all riding Victors.
- A directory of Westfield riders from William Ahern onward, including the Bancrofts, Barneses, Bartletts and Blakes, listing Warwick, Victor, Victoria, Credenda, Falcon, Premier, Columbia, Fowler and League Chainless machines.
- A short Huntington list, several of the riders at Crescent Mills and Highland Mills, on Victor, Credenda and Victoria machines.
- A two-name Fairfield list: Abe Cosby on a Syracuse and Lee E. West on a Victor D.
- A directory of riders at Marlboro, New Hampshire, including Miss Nellie Aldrich, the Wizewell brothers and the Woodses, on Victor, Envoy, Lovell, Warwick, Keating and Columbia machines.
- A catch-all list of out-of-district riders, from Wm. R. Clark at the American House in Boston and H. B. Eltonhead of Newark to C. A. Myers and W. P. Distler of Peoria, Illinois, each with address and machine.
- The roster of the Springfield Bicycle Club, organized May 6, 1881 and incorporated January 23, 1884, giving its officers (President D. Edward Miller, Vice President Fred H. Weston, Secretary Arthur S. Haskins, Treasurer L. H. Adams) and its resident, non-resident and life members, the last including H. E. Ducker and George H. Hendee.
- The roster of the Massasoit Cycle Club, incorporated April 1, 1894, with its officers (President Stephen P. Burns, Vice President Geo. H. Wing, Secretary Frank W. S. King, Treasurer C. P. Grossman) and its resident and non-resident members.
- The officers of the Armory Hill Y. M. C. A. Bicycle Club: President W. Leroy Pease, Vice President Charles Elmer, Secretary and Treasurer G. H. Duckworth, Captain C. H. Jennings and Lieutenant H. W. Shoes.
- The officers and members of the Springfield Ladies' Cycle Club, headed by President Miss A. I. Richardson of 21 Clarendon, with Captain Miss Jenny C. Heath of 259 Hancock, listing each member with her street address.
- The Holyoke Bicycle Club at Rooms 235 High Street, membership limited to 75, with President Henry King, Secretary and Treasurer Peter Gordon and Captain H. H. Whitney, followed by the full member list.
- The Thompsonville Y. M. C. A. Bicycle Club roster, with President W. N. Keeler, Captain Henry Ball, Bugler Louis Wilson and Color Bearer Stewart Young, followed by its members.
- A supplementary list of Springfield riders received too late for the main alphabetical directory, beginning with Patrick C. Comans of Washington Street.