The Wheel: Journal of Bicycling, Vol 10, No 8
Articles in this issue
- Editorial note urging all members to attend the business meeting at the upcoming L.A.W. Meet in Boston; discusses the contested presidential race between incumbent Dr. N.M. Beckwith and H.E. Ducker of Springfield, and the likelihood that the amateur question will dominate deliberations.
- The editor responds to The Cycle's chairman's invitation to specify the absurdities in the L.A.W. Racing Rules, declining to publish a full critique to spare readers further amateurism debate, while standing by the earlier characterization of the rules as tortuous and over-amended.
- The editor endorses The Bicycle South's proposal for dividing the L.A.W. into geographical divisions but argues the long-term solution is for each state or division to hold its own annual meet and send instructed delegates to a national Board of Officers meeting.
- Full official programme for the 1886 L.A.W. Meet in Boston (May 27–31), listing committee chairmen, rail rates of two cents per mile with free wheel carriage for parties of fifteen or more, wheel storage at Mechanics' Building, the Boston Bicycle Club's cycle show at Mechanic's Hall, tour routes, the parade route marshalled by Dr. Beckwith with the Salem Cadet Band, races at Union Grounds on Dartmouth St., and the Hotel Vendome banquet at $2.50 per head.
- Humorous editorial squib noting that Central Park riding badges costing seventy-five cents can be obtained from the Citizens B.C. janitor at 328 W. 60th St.; the editor jokes the heavy pewter badges also serve as shields against wind, hoodlums, and small-boy missiles.
- Boston correspondent's column on the League Meet's final preparations: W.B. Everett secures a uniform two-cents-a-mile rail rate with free wheel transport for groups, a boom grows for H.E. Ducker's presidential bid after Terry's withdrawal, and the recent mail vote is clarified as having stripped the general membership of all constitutional amendment powers.
- Detailed account of the dispute between H.E. Ducker and Racing Board Chairman Bassett over the suspension of makers' amateurs: Ducker's provisional list of riders employed by Pope Mfg. Co., Overman, and Stoddard Lovering & Co. — including Rowe, Illston, Winans, Hendee, and Westervelt — was used without further investigation to publicly suspend and expel the men.
- Report on the K.C.W.'s closing social evening for about 250 guests, featuring a two-part programme of overtures, recitations by Mr. A. Peverelly, vocal and instrumental solos, and the one-act comedy "A Cup of Tea" with R.F. Hibson and T.B. Hegeman, followed by dancing.
- Department of short cycling news: Hendee rides five miles at Lynn in 15m. 57s.; Dole wins the Amherst College bicycle race in 7m. 57s.; race results from North Shields and Weston-Super-Mare festivals; the Star Wheel Club runs to Ridgeville, Ohio; new professionals declared include R.A. Punnett of Rochester and Fred Russ Cook of San Francisco; Kings County Wheelmen elect ten new members and present drill captain Ed Pettus with a gold club-pin.
- Race report on the 72-hour (12 hours per day) race between Prince and Schock at the Washington Rink, Minneapolis, starting May 10: Prince totalled 1,042 miles against Schock's 1,028, and Prince's 36- and 48-hour splits surpassed previous world records held by C. Terront while his 60-hour tally beat F.J. Lees's prior mark of 852 miles.
- Report on Superintendent Culyer's new rules for wheelmen in Brooklyn's Prospect Park: paths are open during May and October and until noon on Sundays, all riders must wear 50-cent Park badges from the Litchfield Building, and loose stones near the Irving statue path will be cleared.
- Continuing tour diary of Hill, Fairchild, and Fairfax cycling north through the Carolinas and Virginia: legs from Columbus, Georgia through Atlanta, Gainesville, Greenville S.C., and Charlotte (visiting gold mines and King's Mountain healing springs), with Fairfax suffering a broken rear fork near Gaffney requiring a train detour to Charlotte for repairs.
- Report on Harry Corey of the Massachusetts Bicycle Club making the first known ascent of the quarter-mile Locke's Hill in Watertown on his 53-inch Rudge light roadster in 2m. 35s., before a crowd of cyclists; E.P. Burnham and Kirk Corey also attempted the hill.
- Short club and race notes: Long Island Wheelmen and Ilderan W.C. moonlight runs to Coney Island; Citizens B.C. raises annual dues to $30; L.D. Munger mounts 'Nigger' hill in St. Louis; J.W. Powers of Harlem B.C. wins the two-mile handicap at Nassau A.C. games in 7.36 4-5; Lynn track racing prospects ahead of the Memorial Day meet with Hendee clocking 15m. 20 2-5s. and Rowe 15m. 7s. for five miles.
- Brief trade items: Captain Peck expects 125 Massachusetts B.C. men in the L.A.W. parade on his new 55-inch Rudge; Moses Sheriff of Manchester, N.H. has ridden his 54-inch Rudge Light Roadster 5,000 miles since March 1884; Overman Wheel Co. issues a new illustrated Victor catalogue; the American Wheelman commends the Gormully & Jeffery Champion at $102.50 as proof that the era of high bicycle prices is ending.
- Calendar of upcoming cycling events through July 1886, including the L.A.W. Annual Meet in Boston (May 26–28), Lynn Bicycle Club's inaugural race meet (May 31), the Inter-Club contests at Irvington-Llewellyn Park (June 5), the N.Y. and N.J. Inter-Club 25-mile road race at Irvington (June 12), and the Canadian Wheelmen's Association annual meet in Montreal (July 1).
- Official L.A.W. race programme for Boston, May 29, 1886, at Union Grounds, Dartmouth Street: five events including the National Championship mile, Massachusetts State Championship mile (limited to Massachusetts riders), a novice mile, and two invitation races; entries to Abbot Bassett at 22 School St., $1 entrance fee, 50-cent admission.