The Wheel: Journal of Bicycling, Vol 12, No 1
Articles in this issue
- The editors defend L.A.W. President Beckwith against allegations of taking commissions on League outfits from Browning, King & Co., report the removal of Messrs. Wells and Aaron from their Pennsylvania Division offices, and describe the League Uniform Committee's progress in awarding a contract for dark-brown cloth at $2.92 per yard to a New York firm.
- The Coventry Machinists' Co., Ltd. issues a denial of rumors that they intend to withdraw their United States agency, assuring customers that any new arrangements aim to extend their trade and that "Club" machines will remain available.
- The Kings County Wheelmen held their sixth annual dinner at Dilliard's with members in uniform around trophies including the N.Y. & N.J. Road Racing Association cup and the Harlem Wheelmen's cup; Captain Bridgman announced the first club run on April 16, ending at the Brooklyn Academy of Music for Thomas Stevens's lecture.
- A humorous cycling tale in which the "Limit Man" rides his aging Spaulding light roadster "Old Spaul" along the Erie Canal tow-path between Fonda and Canajoharie, causing a startled canal mule to topple into the water and prompting the irate Commander of the boat to hurl insults; the three miles to Canajoharie are covered in seventeen minutes flat.
- Riders A. R. B. Wyse, W. C. Goulding, and T. D. Dickson offer differing advice on climbing hills on an ordinary bicycle, from rushing the grade with weight over the handles to riding at an easy pace and saving strength for the top; Spurrier's Tourist's Guide is also quoted.
- Editor N. L. Collamer (St. Cloud Building, Washington, D.C.) reviews Maryland Division L.A.W. election politics, noting contests between the Capitals and Cycles clubs for Chief Consul, and welcomes the new Washington paper Wheel News appearing April 1; a notice solicits correspondents from the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, and Kentucky.
- Washington correspondent reports that H. B. Hardy was elected Vice-President and E. Baltzley Secretary-Treasurer of the District Division L.A.W.; the Capital Club ran to Sligo and the Cycle Club to Cabin John's Bridge; a boycott is called on a Colesville store that ordered wheelmen off its premises while they were drinking from the well.
- The Maryland Division L.A.W. voted 32–31 to include races in a May–June gala and placed Chief Consul Bartlett in charge of a large organizing committee; the Maryland Bicycle Club's fifth annual banquet at their Mt. Royal Avenue house was attended by 76 members, with J. K. Bartlett, Jr. heading the regular ticket for re-election.
- The Westminster Cycling Ramblers completed their first run of the 1887 season on March 13—a six-mile ride to Carrollton over a hard pike—and held their annual election, choosing B. F. Crouse as President, J. H. Cunningham as Secretary-Treasurer, and blue and pink as club colors.
- The Memphis Cycle Club has fitted up a club-room above the Oak Hall clothing store, and a new twenty-two-member organization to be known as the Bluff City Wheelmen was organized with D. A. McOmber as President; one correspondent also reports using his bicycle to inspect two cotton plantations twice daily.
- Arkansas cyclists are preparing for a race meet on the Pine Bluff Track on April 19 where Davison and Band of Little Rock will contest the state championship; three Capital City riders covered forty-six miles of dirt road to Pine Bluff in eight hours, met eight miles out by Lawrence O. Knox.
- The San Francisco Bicycle Club's century run on March 13 via the San Bruno road saw H. C. Finkler as the sole finisher of 100 miles after most members trained home from San Jose; Welch and Mohrig of the League Meet Committee visited Santa Cruz, where they found asphalt streets, a free one-mile track, and pledged prizes, but hotel accommodation for July remains uncertain.
- The Illinois Club elected Furgeson as Secretary after Griffith resigned to move to California; bicycle trade is booming with Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. now handling the Royal Mail; Geo. Kluge and Ehlert are rated dangerous in the upcoming Pullman Handicap, and an Indiana Road Map compiled by C. C. Irvin draws high praise.
- Correspondent Albert reports on continuing tensions following the Kings County Wheelmen election dispute and a contested attempt to leave the Long Island Wheelmen without L.A.W. board representation; the Ilderan B.C. is pushing toward fifty members, and the Calumet Club's injured member is recovering after treatment by Dr. Brush of the Brooklyn Bicycle Club.
- Correspondent Felix lists the regular and opposition tickets for the Brooklyn Bicycle Club elections, with supporters of the opposition objecting to the substitution of long-serving members Potter and Jones as trustees by Blood and Homan, who have neither served the club nor mastered wheeling; Potter chairs the State Division's Rights and Privileges Committee.
- Correspondent L. B. G. notes the arrival of the Victor Light Roadster and the expected New Rapid handled by Grant Bell, making seven wheel makes competing in Minneapolis against only four in 1886; he also debates Karl Kron's criticisms of the C.T.C. and comments on Eastern League controversies that have stirred little interest in Minnesota.
- Correspondent 5678 from New Jersey corrects Bulletin errors about the N.J. Cycling and Athletic Association stock sale, disputes whether Fred Jenkins will manage the Roseville track again, and argues that the loss of 272 out of 953 New Jersey L.A.W. members demands a more energetic new Board.
- The Allegheny Cyclers are pushing to secure a quarter-mile cinder track at the Pittsburgh Baseball Club's grounds, which seats 3,500; correspondent Keystone endorses George A. Jessup for Chief Consul and T. H. Wright for Representative of the Pennsylvania Division L.A.W., and notes the Traction Bill will bring asphalt paving over nearly six miles of city streets.
- Arthur James Wilson's committee report exonerates H. E. Ducker and the Springfield Bicycle Club from charges of misrepresentation over promises of English amateur riders at the Springfield Tournament, but finds that English trade firms were wrong to make bargains they could not fulfill, fostering what the paper terms "fraudulent amateurism."
- Technical description of the Facile geared bicycle and the new Facile Tricycle for 1887: the bicycle uses a Sun and Planet gear (37 and 18 teeth) to make the driving-wheel turn one and a half revolutions per crank stroke, while the tricycle's central-driving wheel and armchair handle-bar arrangement make it primarily a ladies' machine weighing forty-six pounds at $150 imported to order.
- The Brooklyn Bicycle Club's Roads Improvement Committee—F. B. Jones, A. B. Barkman, and F. B. Hawkins—reports that Fulton Street in the 26th Ward is held by the Jamaica Turnpike Co. in litigation with the city, with $500,000 appropriated for Belgian-block paving; Isaac B. Potter will lobby the Mayor for macadam instead when the suit is decided.
- St. Louis correspondent reports that W. M. Brewster is the expected Chief Consul and Alley Stewart is traveling to Chicago to recruit Burley Ayers to write the League meet programme; Hendee will not enter the road race due to his contract with the Springfield Roadster people, but McCune will test the machine on the De Soto Hills on April 3.
- Correspondent Toiler reports the Albany Wheelmen's March 15 annual election (C. S. Shanks, President; Henry Gallien, Sec.-Treas. re-elected) with membership grown from seven to forty-three; W. B. Everett & Co.'s new Apollo Safety created a favorable impression, and the Ridgefield Athletic Association plans wheel events at a Decoration Day Field Day.
- Short miscellany column: the Lynn Club plans a May 30 race meet; Thomas Stevens lectures at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on April 16 with organized parties from ten clubs attending; professionals T. M. Hardwick and E. N. Bullock have entered the St. Louis Hundred Miles Road Race; cycling results from Australia include Con Dwyer winning five miles in 17m. 18 4-5s. and Fred Wood winning the three-mile event.
- Correspondent V.P.E. recounts a nocturnal railway side-path ride from Portsmouth, Virginia, through the burning Dismal Swamps to Suffolk with companions D. and B., enduring falls, two miles of pushing through sand, a locked hotel at 4 a.m., and overnight shelter with railway section hands before breakfasting twice and exploring Suffolk.
- Isaac B. Potter, Chairman of the New York State Division L.A.W. Rights and Privileges Committee, is introducing a five-section bill declaring bicycles and tricycles legal carriages with equal road rights, prohibiting authorities from excluding cyclists from public roads open to pleasure carriages; the full bill text is printed and petition blanks are being distributed to all State Division members.
- The Citizens' Club announces a handicap pool tournament open to members beginning April 2 with a 50-cent entry fee, welcomes back member Phil MacScorcher Fontaine from Philadelphia, plans a Ladies' Reception to close the social season, and reports that the Club has reserved 100 seats for the Thomas Stevens lecture at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.