Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-07-22
FIRST In The STATE
Grand Rapids Is . Banner
Cycling City.
IT HAS FINE RACING TALENT
And Can Mzks ths Proposed ToasnAmsn
Success II IL w shss--Ns~s
OF the Eos<ls.


pondens and representative or Cychnx,
the acknowledged organ OF cycling IN
Canada, aud = Fepg sssatatiye of Ames
& Frost. cycle manufacturers Of Chi
esgo, a ia the city IA tie interest OF
bola concerns. lie Mas seen ~ the
Morton house IA. nignt BY reporter
tor fHx HERALD aud said:
Tue cycling trade u Michigan 10 N
bad shaps IN consequence Of the action
Of 50 many dealers in placing their
agencies with unreliable persons Port
Huron 10 notable exception 10 this
rule That city has larger per cent
OF whselmen. according 20 is populA-
ti0u than ANY townin Miehizan,l tnink,
but ia Kalamazoo. Jackson, Ann Arbor,
HllisaAle prices are being cut al 70
pieces. la those towns. especially
Kalamazoo, business houses are forced
cat OF the business BY sidewalk agents.
BY that term / mean boys or young
men ~ho secure agencies for certain
Ines OF wheels for the sole purpose OF
receiving ths discount TO Themselves.
Then they have particular friends TO
wnom they give the same discount
they receive, and as natural result,
the wheel business - dsmoralized.
wtthsat Adequate spitsL
"f have a sDeclai grudge against De-
trost for that same reason. That 10 one
OF Lns ~or.t townsIn the state for cut
prices. and tue cause seems To- be that
go D,any young men, popular with the
fraternity. engage VA tho cycling busI-
Ness without adequate capital with
wnicn 10 carry q along. The expenses
are greater IMAM they imagined and
consequently they have TO place their
wheels on the market sc what
ever price they can obtain In
order 90 secure an income, with
wnicn % keep their business going.
As way OF obtaining ready money
they give agencies to boys and the re-
suit i, eat prices all over. That has
killed the business IN Kalamazoo.
Why, Ia that town there are over
twenty wheels represented and only
Que legitimate cycling concern Is IN The
business.
ain Bay City the trade is bad on &C.
count OF bad streets Tnsre Is hardly .
street there that can be ridden on. The
officers or the clubs are energetic fell
lows and 10 Is due TO their push that tho
recent l.. A. w. meet was such = sue
cess One result of the meet 10 that
the trade N that city Is locking up TO
great extent.
"in other towns I have found the
same difficulty - To streets, and oil
over the stAte the curse to the trade 10
the cutting of pr,ces without cause or
reason"
Ia speaking Of Grand Rapids. Mr..
Ross grew enthusiastic. He said:
TINS - without exception the 6rst
city IN the state for cycling. Its streets
are fine, and some of the rides out of
the cry are unusually good. The
dealers here do not complain 30 Bit
terly against the prices being cut, for
SO far ss can asc-rtaln hotn houses
are doing an honorable. strsightfor-
ward business. and that 10 VIVA, they
should do.
Women That Ride Well.
"r have noticed the women cyclists
of the town. Nearly every one seems
IA realize the minutest features of po-
elton and costume, and the dealers
seem 10 try to have every woman's
wheel sold adjusted perfectly before il
leaves the store.
IF the club Is successful in pushiug
forward the race rieet il Is talking Of,
II viii be a grand thing not only for
the club but for the city. The boys will
ff0ck 10 10 and all will have money to
spend aud they Will spend It freely.
tniak the best racing men OF the
country could he persuaded To enter.
but the meet would nave to be exteu-
savsly advertised. Tie boys here seem
T. pull tegsther aud are very snthusl-
astlc.
Then, too, you have fine racing tai
ent in This city. II some OF the boys,
the Rlchmonds. for instance, would
tram properly, .hey would make .
showing that would be enviabie.
They are riding in a good shape now
and ispfedicG they Will 10 heard from"
Mr.. Ross - . we'll known Canadian
wheeInsn having been member OF
the Wanderers of Toronto for ten