The Wheel: Journal of Bicycling, Vol 12, No 14
Articles in this issue
- The editor congratulates Isaac B. Potter and George R. Bidwell for engineering the Bicycle Bill's passage through the New York Legislature, and warns 'Mac Scorchers' against reckless riding in Central Park now that Governor Hill has signed it.
- Governor David B. Hill signs the act introduced by the L.A.W. Rights and Privileges Committee on June 25, 1887, declaring bicycles and tricycles legal carriages on all New York public highways and nullifying prior prohibitory municipal ordinances; full legislative text included.
- The Herald and Tribune editorialize in favor of the new Bicycle Bill, arguing cyclists have equal right to public roads as horse-drawn carriages; Park Board president Crimmins says strict speed and conduct regulations will be required.
- G. R. Bidwell, Chief Consul of the New York Division L.A.W., telegraphs Governor Hill on June 27, 1887 to thank him on behalf of New York State wheelmen for signing the Bicycle Bill.
- New Jersey correspondent 'Jonah' previews the N.J. State Division meet at Orange on July 4, reports on 15-year-old H. L. Powers debuting at the K.C.W. meet, covers the Passaic County Wheelmen's 3,000-mile medal contest (D. W. Romaine leading with 1,080 miles), and notes a curious oversized saddle-bicycle sent to the office.
- Correspondent 'Dixey' reports on his sparring match with 'Callie' of The Athlete over wheel-size boasts, the planned Tryon cup road race in September drawing all Philadelphia clubs, and the Germantown and Philadelphia clubs' limited interest in the Wilkesbarre meet.
- Correspondent 'Norb' covers Ohio and Kentucky cycling: the Carthage Fair Grounds races postponed to July 2 (Avondale Bicycle Club), the Stanford Wheel Club's ambitious July 2 race programme, farmer Yates' $75 damage claim against Covington wheelmen, and Cincinnati cyclists' blocked access to Eden Park.
- Karl Kron writes from West Springfield, Mass. reporting that 280 copies of 'Ten Thousand Miles on a Bicycle' have been shipped to Melbourne, Sydney, Tasmania, and Auckland, with only 3,003 of 6,200 books manufactured; he expects to leave for New York on June 30.
- Pope Manufacturing's motion for injunction against Gormully & Jeffery in the Northern District of Illinois is withdrawn after presentation; Judge Gresham sets the four cases for hearing the second Monday of October, with each side given a month to prepare testimony.
- T. G. Smith describes the nickel-operated 'Tutti Frutti' Automatic Seller vending machine now being placed in New York bicycle and athletic club rooms, endorsed by Prof. Doremus as beneficial for cyclists' parched throats and digestion.
- G. P. Mills rode fifty miles on June 10 in 3h. 7m. 24s., improving the record by 1m. 40 2-5s. despite a collision early in the race and a strong headwind; Mills believes he can cover fifty miles in three hours.
- Boston-area correspondent 'Stylus' covers the Gloucester Wanderers (19 members), the Warren Wheel Club's North Shore three-day run to Gloucester, Brookline Cycle Club's July 4th parade and races, the anticipated Lynn meet featuring Rowe, McCurdy, Neilson, and C. E. Whitten, and road-hog incidents including dealer W. W. Stall's hickory-spoke retaliation.
- Correspondent 'Milo' reports on J. H. Robertson winning the M.A.A. three-mile bicycle race at the spring games, the failed Cote des Neiges hill-climbing contest won only by boy Bertie Lane on a 34-inch wheel, the Victoria Rifles bicycle corps at the Jubilee Review, and Montreal's planned delegation to the C.W.A. meet at Brantford with Robertson and E. P. Baird.
- Minnesota's state cycling tour, started June 23 from St. Paul with seven riders, was abandoned after rain at Minneapolis; Grant Bell won the one-mile professional race at Mitchell, D.T. in 3m. 19 1-5s. before losing the five-mile to Healy on a slipped pedal; the Springfield Roadster and Light New Rapid have arrived in Minneapolis.
- George W. Nellis Jr. narrates cycling west through Illinois and Iowa: terrible sandy roads near Colona, being genuinely lost on the prairie near Glendon at dusk, finding the cyclists' paradise of Grinnell (75 riders in a town of 3,000), and grinding through mud and Iowa thunderstorms to Des Moines and Avoca.
- Capt. A. D. Peck Jr. and Lt. M. Burr of the Massachusetts Bicycle Club plan an 18-day, approximately 350-mile tour from Boston to Washington, D.C., stopping on Long Island, in Brooklyn (hosted by Harlem Wheelmen's W. H. DeGraaf), Newark, Orange, Trenton, Philadelphia, and Wilmington before returning by steamer via Norfolk and Baltimore.
- Full results of the Kings County Wheelmen's annual summer race at Brooklyn Grounds: 15-year-old H. L. Powers ('Little Powers') upsets scratch man A. B. Rich in the one-mile handicap (3m. 02 1-5s.) and wins the half-mile boys' race, while Rich wins the five-mile N.Y. State Division L.A.W. championship in 17m. 19s. over J. W. Powers Jr.
- Preview of the New Jersey State Division meet and races at the Oranges on July 4: a short parade through principal streets, dinner for 250 at Music Hall, and a full programme of races; visiting wheelmen directed to report at Orange Wanderers headquarters at Brick Church.
- Veteran racer Will R. Pitman proposes constructing a one-third mile cinder track inside Jerome Park's driving circle, arguing that a club combination could stage meetings rivalling Hartford's well-managed tournaments; 'Veteran No. Two' notes Springfield's tournament prospects are dim without Henry Ducker.
- Short items: Brookline's July 4th meet; Rowe challenging McCurdy to a three-mile handicap; Henry E. Ducker joining Gies & Co. in Buffalo; California Division threatening to secede from L.A.W. over proxies and racing board decisions; Medinger breaking the kilometre record in Frankfurt (1m. 35 4-5s.); Howell beating Woodside in their 10-mile Coventry match (29m. 42 1-5s.); event lists for the Lynn and New Hampshire Division meets.
- R. Howell lowers the English professional mile record at Coventry on June 10, riding in 2m. 35 1-5s. paced by Battensby and Birt before 500-600 spectators; The Cyclist's H. Sturmey and seven watches confirm the time, with quarter-splits of 40s., 1m. 18 1-5s., and 1m. 56 1-5s.
- New Jersey Wheelmen announce that club committees will be stationed at depots to escort visiting clubs to headquarters for the July 4 State meet; club secretaries asked to notify C. Dennison at 880 Broad St., Newark, of route and expected arrival time.
- A comic verse letter from T. C. S. ('Tommy' Smith of the Citizens Club) to W. H. DeGraaf of the Harlem Wheelmen accepting the invitation to join their July 4th run to Philadelphia — 'Xo scorching, mind thee, sure but slow, / 'Tis thus we'll forge ahead.'
- Wheelmen of Cooperstown organize the Pathfinder Club (named from J. Fenimore Cooper's novel), electing E. Sliter captain, W. S. Russell secretary, and E. Ayres treasurer; club runs are planned and a race series on a new track is expected in September.
- T. R. Marriott attempts 300 miles in 24 hours at Crystal Palace track, London, on June 8, stopping at 150 miles but setting new records at every milestone from 100 to 150, reaching 150 miles in 11h. 58m. 4 2-5s.
- The Springfield Bicycle Club tenders a farewell reception to president Henry E. Ducker on his departure for Buffalo, voting him a life member; the secretary's letter credits Ducker as the sole architect of the club's world-wide reputation as 'the bicycle club par excellence.'
- Brief notes: Ives retired from path racing; Woodside sets 2-mile record at 5m. 32 4-5s.; Rowe challenges McCurdy to a 3-mile handicap; C. W. Brown's 100-mile tricycle road record (7h. 54m. 10s.); Orange Wanderers 5-mile handicap won by French in 18m. 38 3-5s.; W. A. Illston calls Rowe 'undoubtedly the best cyclist I have ever seen.'
- Alert: E. L. Whitney rented a 52-inch Expert Columbia (No. 10,502) from Pope Manufacturing Co. at 291 Wabash Avenue, Chicago, under pretence of watching a baseball game and has not returned it; information to be sent to manager R. D. Garden.
- Wm. Woodside sets new 3-, 4-, and 5-mile professional records at Alexandra Park, London, on June 13, riding 5 miles in 14m. 20 1-5s., breaking records previously held by Lees at 3 and 4 miles and his own at 5.
- Ralph Temple rides a standing-start quarter-mile in 37 1-5s. at Alexandra Park, London, on June 27, 1887, setting the new professional record at that distance.