The Wheel: Journal of Bicycling, Vol 10, No 10
Articles in this issue
- The editors introduce The Wheel to a projected readership of 100,000, explaining that the paper aims to report important cycling events, notable tours, race meets, new machines, and the trade outlook rather than every local club run.
- Explains the paper's combination subscription plan offering eighteen popular periodicals—including Outing, Harper's, and the Century—alongside The Wheel for the same price charged for the companion publication alone, effectively giving The Wheel free.
- An editorial criticising wheelmen who read only the shared "club copy" rather than subscribing individually, arguing that at one dollar a year cycling papers deserve direct support from the readers and clubs they benefit.
- A comprehensive editorial overview of the L.A.W. annual meeting in Boston, June 1886, noting mixed results: superb weather and fellowship, disappointing national attendance, a rushed and anticlimactic business meeting, and persistent controversy over the makers'-amateur rule that divided the organisation.
- G. E. Weber of Smithville, N.J., wins the Corey Hill bicycle hill-climbing contest in a record 3m. 16 3-5s., defeating C. E. Kluge (Jersey City), Haradon (Springfield), and Crosby (Bangor) on the famous 2,300-foot, 169-foot-high incline on Beacon Street, Boston.
- The Boston Bicycle Club's cycle show at Mechanics' Building opened with music by the Salem Band, trick riding by Lester and Alden, and a three-quarter-mile home-trainer race won by A. W. Porter of Newtown over G. K. Wallace and W. L. Booth of East Orange, N.J.
- Nearly 1,000 people, including about 800 uniformed wheelmen, attended a promenade concert at Music Hall performed by the Boston National Guard Band, with a programme including the Mikado selections, Forge in the Forest, and cornet and piccolo solos.
- A ladies' run of about sixty participants departed the Vendome on Friday morning, led by C.T.C. Chief Consul F. W. Weston on a Sociable with his wife, routing through Longwood, Corey Hill, Brookline, and Chestnut Hill to the Faneuil House.
- Burnham of Newtown wins the Boston Bicycle Club's third annual tricycle road race from Bailey's at South Natick to Beacon Street (about 16½ miles) in 1h. 4m., beating his own record by 6m. 40s.; Danforth of Cambridge is awarded first prize as Burnham was an expelled rider.
- At the L.A.W. Board of Officers meeting Dr. N. M. Beckwith is unanimously re-elected President, T. J. Kirkpatrick elected Vice-President, and Sanford Lawton Treasurer; Secretary-Editor Aaron's report (read by J. A. Wells in Aaron's absence) shows 8,463 members, up 64 percent over 1885, but the Bulletin has cost the League $4,991.40 in two years.
- The L.A.W. general meeting, called 1½ hours late with barely 200 present, voted unanimously to endorse the expulsion of 30 makers' amateurs, defeated Abbot Bassett's motion to abolish the amateur rule entirely, and passed a resolution instructing the Board to restore direct election of officers to the annual meet.
- At the afternoon Board session President Beckwith announced new appointments for Wisconsin, New Hampshire, New York, Indiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Nebraska; a Luscomb motion to reform the Constitution was referred to the Rules and Regulations Committee without endorsement.
- Friday afternoon over a hundred men rode to Echo Bridge under Captain Peck, while the Cycleries evening at Mechanics' Building featured home-trainer mile contests won by Dresser of Hartford in 1m. 35s. and Spencer of Hartford in 1m. 38 4-5s.
- A packed Music Hall audience enjoyed the League minstrel show featuring soloists S. G. Rollins Jr., J. B. Maccabe, T. Frank Murphy, and S. Lawrence, a gymnastic exhibition by German Turners of Boston, a banjo quartette, and P. T. B. Stutson's lecture on "Zoology."
- Chief Marshal Dr. N. M. Beckwith led a parade of 781 riders from clubs across Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and beyond along Commonwealth Avenue through Boston's Back Bay; the Massachusetts B.C. contingent of 374 men took the palm for numbers and appearance.
- Saturday afternoon races at Union Grounds track: A. B. Rich of New York won the L.A.W. bicycle championship in 3m. 26s. over Taylor Boggis (Cleveland) and Rheubottom; H. C. Getchell won the one-mile handicap at 3m. 01 4-5s., beating Weber from scratch; expelled makers' amateurs refused to compete, and Chairman Bassett rejected Kluge's entry without explanation.
- The annual banquet at the Vendome gathered over 100 wheelmen, with Charles E. Pratt as toast-master; President Beckwith sketched League history, and Col. Pope, Abbot Bassett, Stephen Terry, and George T. Wilson (Citizens Club) made remarks, with the Cambridge Quartette performing before midnight.
- An early morning fast run from the Vendome to Brighton and back was won by W. A. Rhodes (Dorchester B.C.) in 44m. 31s.; F. N. Perry of the Massachusetts B.C. collided with a dog in Brighton, fell heavily, and dislocated his arm, which a nearby physician set in a sling.
- Remaining wheelmen took Sunday runs to Nantasket, Lynn, and other points or lounged on the Vendome veranda reading the morning papers; informal touring occupied the rest of the day and the Cleveland B.C.'s June 12th meet at Athletic Park was noted.
- A detailed review of exhibits at Mechanics' Building covering Gormully & Jeffery's Champion ($102.50 roadster), Challenge, Safety, and Ideal lines; Pope Mfg. Co.'s array including the new Springfield roadster (the former Cyclone), Karl Kron's 'X M. Miles' machine, and Rowe's record racer; Overman Wheel Co.'s fifteen Victor bicycles, Foote's anti-header, and Downs' cyclometer; Coventry Machinists' Co.'s Marlboro' Tandem; plus novelties including the New American Tricycle and Yankee Tricycle.
- Monday races at the Lynn Cycle Club's new Glenmere track before an estimated 7,000 spectators: W. A. Rowe won the one-mile scratch in 3:18 2-5 over Kluge and Burnham; the five-mile professional match between John S. Prince and Robert A. Neilson was ridden at a crawling 19:26 4-5 to crowd jeers; the three-mile handicap ended in a crash when Rowe ran into Kluge, bringing down Knapp and Burnham.