The Wheel: Journal of Bicycling, Vol 5, No 4
Articles in this issue
- Front-page column of New York club gossip: the Citizens' new C.T.C.-pattern uniform, the winter checker craze at the Ixions, a joint Citizens–Ixions moonlight run to Yonkers where "Blue" carried an injured rider to the station, and a rumoured $1,000 match between Keen and Prince at Washington.
- Short club paragraphs noting the editor reportedly looking into tricycles, the New Haven races' $500 profit, McCormack convalescing after the Citizens' Boston trip, the Podunk Wheel Club's ball, and plans for the Citizens' 20x60 wheel-room and an Ixions concert at Chickering Hall.
- Editorial squibs urging racers Hendee, Corey, Midgley, Frazier and Palmer to study "Mercury's" pace-judging article in this issue, and chiding trainer McMasters for his loud advocacy of Pettus against Pitman.
- The L.A.W. Membership Committee, chaired by S. Terry of Hartford, reports that objections to the applications of J. B. De Golyer and L. J. Thiessen, both of Troy, N.Y., have not been sustained and both candidates should be admitted.
- The Membership Committee finds that Chas. N. Gorton of Philadelphia is a "paid teacher of bicycling" within the meaning of Rule 25 and should not be admitted to the League of American Wheelmen.
- An essay by "Mercury" arguing that pace-setting is a neglected science among American bicyclers; using split-time analysis from the Springfield Tournament's ten-mile championship and college races, the author urges riders to distribute effort evenly rather than starting with a rush or saving everything for the finish.
- A New Haven correspondent (W. H. Eel.) reports that the New Haven Bicycle Club's races smashed several Springfield records and netted the club $500; G. M. Hendee set a one-mile scratch record of 2:50 and a five-mile record of 15:26¾, while W. C. Palmer won the three-mile State Championship in 9:17.
- Club news and fixtures including a Washington, D.C. 100-mile scratch race on October 26th, election of officers at the Cincinnati Bicycle Club (A. A. Bennett, president), and reorganisation of the Fairmount Bicycle Club with Fred'k. C. Dunn as president.
- The League's standing official directory — Board of Officers (President N. M. Beckwith, Cor. Sec. Fred Jenkins), Standing Committees, Chief Consuls, Representatives, and Division Secretaries and Treasurers — together with membership rules and a notice to bicycle clubs on League membership clauses.
- Treasurer W. V. Gilman's notice explaining that duplicated red figures on this year's membership cards resulted from a lithographers' error and count for nothing, the true number being the centre one prefixed by 'D' for the League's fourth year.
- A standing list of railroads that carry bicycles free in baggage cars when accompanied by first-class ticket-holders — among them the Baltimore & Ohio, Grand Trunk and Pennsylvania lines — with a schedule of transportation charges on other roads and the Sound steamers.
- The official published list of League membership applicants (batch No. 41, total 30) grouped by club and division — including New Haven, Pequonnock of Bridgeport, Chicago, Maryland and Ohio division names — open to objection for two weeks.
- Frank A. Egan writes to President Beckwith resigning the chairmanship of the New York Railroad Committee, feeling unable to aid the League to the extent his post of honour warranted.
- President N. Malon Beckwith announces the appointment of M. E. Graves of 207 Broadway to fill the vacancy on the New York State Division Transportation Committee caused by the chairman's resignation.
- Further club news: the Salem Bicycle Club's election of officers (Frank P. Symonds, president) and plans for a dance at Hamilton Hall, and the York (Pa.) Bicycle Club's races at the York County Fair, where Dampman of Chester Co. and Jacob Shirk of Lancaster took prizes before some 12,000 spectators.
- A letter signed "Ninon Neckar" from Philadelphia responds to Col. Sanderson's earlier piece, defending the right of non-League riders to join L.A.W. parades and arguing that the Pennsylvania Division meet committee made an "error of judgment" in initially restricting the parade to League members only.
- A humorous sketch about a poetic bicycler who named his gleaming nickel machine "Brothers, We" and had the motto painted in gold; a collision with a resting goat on a moonlight run to Yonkers wrecked both rider and machine, and by spring a wag had repainted the legend "Bothers me."
- Emil F. Keller of Logansport, Indiana, writes to refute charges that he is a professional; a League member from Dunkirk, N.Y., he explains he helped organise the Indiana State Division, owns an American Club roadster bought from Schuyler, and was not distanced at Peoria but forced to retire after colliding with Mr. Wetzel and breaking his crank.
- H. D. Corey of the Massachusetts Bicycle Club covered 190 9/10 miles in 24 hours (riding time 19 hours 3 minutes), beating Thomas Midgley's record of 179 miles; starting at midnight from Harvard Square with A. D. Claflin, Corey rode to Dedham, Wellesley, Framingham, and Newburyport before completing one of the greatest long-distance runs on record.
- A reprinted essay (Philadelphia Ledger) reflecting on how the bicycle and tricycle are coming to rival the horse, quoting Dr. B. W. Richardson's "Cycling as an Intellectual Pursuit" on cycling's benefits for brain-workers and the dangers of overdoing records.
- The newly formed New Jersey Wheelmen met at Oraton Hall, Newark, on October 15th and elected officers — Walter T. Parsons president, J. S. Duston vice-president — with over thirty names on the roll.
- An editorial on the season's 24-hour distance records: H. D. Corey's 190 9/10 miles and the Lawrence (Mass.) Bicycle Club's Webb and Lacy registering 212 miles, eclipsing Thomas Midgley's earlier 179-mile mark.
- An editorial note bidding farewell to the Springfield Wheelmen's Gazette, whose sixth and last number printed a graceful valedictory and a good account of the tournament, with the hope it will return next year.
- A long signed narrative ("Ariel") of the New York Citizens' Bicycle Club's three-day visit to Boston as guests of the Massachusetts Bicycle Club, with runs to South Natick, Wellesley, Salem and Lexington and President Henry W. Williams's hospitality.