The Wheel: Journal of Bicycling, Vol 13, No 8
Articles in this issue
- The first meeting of the season of the Board of Officers of the Massachusetts Division of the L.A.W. was held at the Boston Bicycle Club on St. James avenue, with 16 of 20 members present including Chief Consul Hayes and Secretary Sanford Lawton of Springfield; discussions centred on a forthcoming road-book of Massachusetts routes compiled by Hayes and his hundred assistants, a committee to campaign for macadamized roads, and another to enforce the guide-board posting law.
- Reports a six-day race at Edinburgh managed by Senator Morgan, ridden eight hours a day, in which Lumsden won by half a wheel from Dubois, with Parkes third and Morgan fourth; the field also included Battensby, Robb, Hawker, Woodside, and Howell, and over ten thousand spectators attended the final night.
- Burley B. Ayres of St. Louis describes the tactics of a hare-and-hounds bicycle chase for a committee planning a Thanksgiving Day event, explaining how to handicap touring roadsters (hares) against crack racers (hounds) so all arrive at the Pullman destination together, with a good dinner at journey's end as the chief attraction.
- A Baltimore correspondent signing as "Ralph" urges the Maryland Division L.A.W. committee to decide whether to host the next annual League Meet, arguing that proximity to Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington guarantees a large attendance, and proposing a Chesapeake excursion as an affordable alternative to an expensive banquet.
- W. I. Wilhelm of Reading, Pennsylvania, writes to editor F. P. Prial to say that The Wheel's classified advertising is the cheapest and most effective he has ever used, having sold everything he advertised through it.
- A column of short cycling news items covering Hartford Wheel Club elections (L. A. Tracy, President), the Pennsylvania Club's resignation from the League, the collapse of the Lynn Cycle Track Association (to be auctioned), controversy over rider Kluge in the Inter-Club road race involving Pope Mfg. Co. support, a six-day Cowboys vs. Bicyclists race in London's Agricultural Hall won by the cowboys by 2 miles and 335 yards, the Rutherford Wheelmen's Club five-mile race won by E. W. Dean Jr. in 20m. 5s., and the Missouri Division's winter entertainment programme.
- A New Orleans correspondent reports that the city will hold a Thanksgiving Day handicap road race to West End (5¾ miles) after the railroad president agreed to furnish a medal and a train as a moving grandstand; also describes the New Orleans Bicycle Club's "Smoker" entertainment on Baronne Street, featuring piano by Louis Blake, recitation by H. C. Brinker, and harmonica playing by Chas. Porter.
- Trade-news column covering rumoured plans for Gormully & Jeffery to open a New York branch, H. B. Smith Machine Company's redesigned and lighter Star for 1888, Overman Wheel Company's plan to manufacture its own tricycles and safeties, the King Wheel Co.'s new manufacturing arrangements with a New England company, and Pope Mfg. Co.'s intended Rover-type safety and acquisition of Stoddard, Lovering & Co. to produce a wheel to be called the Rudge.
- Charles E. Whitten of Merrill & Whitten cycle dealers, Lynn, has built a patented 53-inch roadster combining a Star-style small-front-wheel layout with a crank-and-lever mechanism giving 30 inches of foot travel the power of 38 inches on an ordinary crank machine; it weighs 37 pounds with ball bearings all round and is on exhibition at 6 Andrew Street, Lynn.
- A light travel letter signed C. H. K. (dated Ludlow, Vermont, October 29) recounting comic incidents from a recent journey: a spelling puzzle at a Chicago hotel, overheard wedding-party wordplay on a train, and a meeting with a Southern cyclist who posed a conundrum about Washington wheelmen and the Louisiana State Lottery.
- Describes a new tricycle invented by Frederick White of Worcester, on exhibition at 61 State Street, Boston, featuring 40-inch drive wheels, roller bearings throughout, and a cable-and-friction-clutch drive with pedals running in V-grooves rather than cranks, eliminating dead centres and allowing the rider to vary stroke length from one to eighteen inches; planned for the market the following spring.
- A touring essay signed "Free Lance" describing an autumn tandem bicycle ride through Surrey lanes from the Caterham Valley over Kenley Common, up to White-Hill (where Roman camp earthworks are visible), and down through Bletchingley and Merstham to the Brighton road, evoking hedgerow scenery, fox-hounds, and village characters along the way.
- An essay by "Benedict" (reprinted from the C.T.C. Gazette, Bournemouth) arguing that cycling is not more popular with women because manufacturers have neglected proper saddle design, oil guards, and dress protection, and because agents send ladies out on ill-fitted machines with long cranks; the author and his wife regularly tour 20–40 miles a day on a tandem and affirm that cycling is safe and healthy for women.
- A Minneapolis correspondent reports that the L.A.W. Pointer of Oshkosh will serve as Minnesota's cycling organ, that professionals including Whittaker have gathered at the Washington Rink for anticipated indoor record attempts, and that the Turf Club plans to build a bicycle track within its new trotting track; also recalls seeing trick-rider Maltby perform at a Northampton club ball four years earlier.
- Reports on the N.C.U. quarterly Council meeting in London on 27 October, with 87 delegates, at which Robert Todd resigned as Secretary after five years and was elected Vice-President, Finlay Macrae was elected Secretary at £125 per annum, and a motion by Mr. Sturmey (seconded by M. Hartung) to create a special racing board of experienced riders was defeated 44 to 51.
- A touring narrative by L.A.W. no. 2,449 following a bicycle route through the hill country of West Jersey from Mountain View through Stanhope, Waterloo, Hackettstown, Great Meadows, Oxford, and the Pequest valley, describing road surfaces, the Morris Canal towpath, iron furnaces, and the Musconetcong and Raritan watersheds before a loose bolt forces resort to the train near Dover.
- S. F. Edge and G. L. Morris rode a tandem tricycle 100 miles on 25 October in 6h. 57m. 32s., beating the previous record by 9m. 18s., while E. Hale on a solo tricycle finished in 7h. 11m., beating Miles' record by 35 minutes.
- The City Council of Anna, Illinois repealed on 8 November an ordinance forbidding bicycle riding in city streets, ending the pending case against Charles P. Goodman.