Morning journal and courier., 1882-06-05
A Notable Gathering.
The New Haven Bicycle Clubs Trip
Chfca

The New Haven Bicycle Clubs Trip to
Chicago.
The members of the New Haven Bicycle
club who were present at the grand meet of
the League of American Wheelmen which has
just closed in Chicago are of one voice in
pronouncing it the best meet in the history
of the wheel. The ten days absence from
home has been one grand round of festivities
The Grip from New York to Chicago was
made on a special sleeper with drawing room
car attached over the picturesque Baltimore
and Ohio road, which passes through the
States of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Della
ware, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Indi-
ann, and finally into Illinois for some distance
on the bank of Lake Michigan. The boys
took turns in riding on the engine along the
banks of the Potomac in passing Harper s
Ferry and Deer Park and some of them found
| it quite exciting and about all they could do
| to hold on IN the limited quarters of the en-
| CINE as they whirled around and from peak
| to peak of the Alleghanies. In one place
| where the mountains are thickest and highest
| the train has to run one hundred and eighty
miles to cover seventy of actual distance, run
ming up and across heavy grades, some of the
time nearly four thousand feet above sea
| level.
| They reached Chicago early Saturday morn
ing, where were found awaiting Commander
Marsden and his New Haven club mates some
twenty Of the Chicago wheemen ready to
escort them to their quarters at the Grand
Pacific Hotel, Wheelmen continued to pour
into Chicago all day Saturday and Sunday
from all parts of the country. Monday
| morning from 8 to 10 all captains of clubs
and unattached wheelmen reported to Com
mander Marsden for orders. At half-past
one in the afternoon several hundred wheel
men followed the commander to Chicago's
celebrated race course, which is mile to the
lap. The several races, which were well
contested, were witnessed by some five thou
sand people. According to the Chicago
papers there were also about two thousand
carriages present. Monday evening several
hundred wheelmen attended Haverly's
Theater in uniform, occupying parquet and
| boxes. Tuesday was the grand day of all.
At half past ten o'clock the bugles along the
| line were sounded to make known the APP
| proach of the commander and staff, who re-
viewed the men as they stood presenting
wheel" In moment more the line marched
in the following order:
Twenty-four mounted police on black horses.
A full band in chariot drawn by six gaily decked
white horses Commander s. A. Marsden
Commanders buglers-F. g. Sargent of Cincinnati,
| and Arb Mreker of chicago.
Commanders staf-D. g. Col man of Capandai-
F hy Of on h Geogss Ray
| OF Nashau, N. H, Fred Benton
of New Haven.
First Division, under command of j. NJ Fairfield OF
sixtyhve clubs, including New Haven club, which
third in line.
| Second Division, under command OF X N Putnam
of New York
| Ffty-fve c1ubssand unattached wheelnen.
| Length of line nearly two miles. The line
of wheel which was over several miles of Chi
cago's celebrated boulevards and principal
| streets, through the South Park, where the
men were reviewed by several prominent
| State and city officials. Crowds of people
| cheered and waved handkerchiefs as the 81
| lent wheels spun along the route, which was
fourteen miles long, but did not fatigue the
riders as the road was in excellent condition.
Refreshments were served in the park and at
the finish. After the parade a picture was
| taken of the men in large group. Next
came the marine bicycle exhibition and race.
In the evening after the business meeting
was over several hundred sturdy knights of
the wheel assembled under the glare of the
electric light in the grand dining hall of the
Grand Pacific Hotel to celebrate the third
annual banquet of the league After the
weight of the festive board had been con-
siderably lessened and the music for a mo-
ment had ceased, Vice Pres. Fairfield, of Chi
cago as master of ceremonies, introduced
Chicago's Mayor, who in a very pleasant
speech welcomed the wheelmen to Chicago,
and promised them the freedom of the city
during their stay and whenever they would
come again.
After drinking the Mayors health, all
standing, Commander Marsden on behalf of
the wheelmen responded and thanked the
Mayor and Chicago for glorious reception,
for the finest meet, the finest para Q and the
finest time ever had in the history of the
L.. A. M. After listening to songs by the
Bicycle Glee club, music by the band and
several other speeches till the banquet hav-
ing run merry length was finally ad-
journed
The New Haven boys on their way home
stopped over one day in Washington, where
they were entertained by the Capital Bicycle
club, taken to all points of interest in the
city and a twenty three miles spin on wheels
in the afternoon was had ia and about Wash
ington. The club was further entertained in
the evening.