Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-30
A UNION OF WHEELMEN
Washington Clubs Form q Federation for
Common Good.
Successful Efforts to Bring Them To-
To Maintain . Track.

Washington will have formed into one Or
ganization, they will have gathered to-
gether in q single rank, and they will be
able to undertake many schemes and to
carry out many projects in a united body
which as individual clubs would have been
out Of the question.
The only wonder, in fact. Is that the move
has not been carried out successfully long
ago. With the many cycling clubs and the
numerous individual wheelmen in this city.
the advantages of some sort Of a union are
80 great and so varied that 1t seems almost
incredible that the uniting of the clubs las
met with SO much opposition or at least in
difference whenever attempted heretofore.
For a number Of years back an organiza-
ton has been spoken of, but it has never
got much farther than that. But now at
length, pressed to 1t almost by necessity.
the clubs have gotten together and agreed
to stand by each other in the furtherance
of certain cycling interests in Washington.
The Washington Road Club made the
first move back in November by appointing
three delegates to a series of meetings to
be held for the purpose Of uniting. and in
vited all the other clubs of the District to
do the same All the clubs responded, with
the exception of the Capital Bicycle Club
and the Victor Cycle Club. The former club
Is mainly social now. however. so that they
were not really counted on in the begin
ming, and in the present list of clubs the
various sections Of the city are very well
represented.
A Consultation Drawn I'D.
The three delegates from the several
clubs have had a number of meetings, and
have now drawn up a constitution and ar
ranged for a method of organization which
seems satisfactory to ALL The clubs at
present in the organization are the Wash
ington Road Club. the Georgetown Cycle
Club. the Arlington Wheelmen, the Carroll
Institute. the Potomac Wheelmen. the Al
tair Cycle Club and the League of Ameri-
resent the strongest and best wheeling or
CARNATIONS of the city. and a union in
which they are all interested Is sure to be
successful and to make itself felt.
According to the constitution drawn up,
the association will be known the Assoc
ciated Cycling Clubs Of Washington. The
temporary officers appointed by the dele
gates are G. w. Bennett, Washington Road
Club. president. and George w. Cook.
Georgetown Cycle Club. secretary. The con-
stitution further provides that the associa-
ton shall be In charge Of a board Of dele
gates. elected by the clubs for one year,
and from which a president. vice president,
secretary and treasurer shall be elected.
Each club numbering over fifty members
Will De entitled 10 TWO QeleSateS ana every
other club to one delegate. This will give
the Washington Road Club, the George
town Cycle Club and the League Of Ameri-
can Wheelmen Of the District two delegates
and the other clubs one representative.
The initiation fee for all clubs afterward
joining shall be s.. Each club having over
nifty members shall pay SO annual dues.
and each other club shall pay SO annual
dues. Besides this each club, IL necessary,
will be liable to an assessment not to ex-
coed the amount Of its annual dues This
constitution has already been adopted by
the Carroll Institute, and will be submitted
to each of the other clubs before February
s. At that time a meeting of all the clubs
that have adopted the constitution will be
held officers will be elected and the organi-
zation will be put on its feet and started
of.
To Maintain n Cycle Track.
The main thing which has led to the final
agreement Of the clubs and the organization
Of them this winter Is the growing desire
for a cycle track. This has been something
which no one club could afford. but which
together will be a simple matter. The need
for just this sort of thing. where races
may be run and practice carried on is great,
and the track will be the first subject con-
sidered by the new association. Two sites
have been offered and considered one at
Tenleytown and one at Brightwood. No
definite terms have been come to as yet,
Out the Brlghtwood track Is considered the
more available, and can be obtained for
somewhere In the neighborhood of $500 a
year. 1t will need surfacing before it can
be used, but otherwise is in suitable condi-
ton. Whether or not a club house will be
erected there. cannot be told so early, but
some sort Of sheds or cover and q grand
stand will be erected at any rate
In aid OF the track fund the Georgetown:
Cycle Club will give fair for one week COM
mencing February L., which is intended to
be very nice thing. Although the George
town folks will get up the fair and make
the arrangements for it, all the other clubs
will lend hand. The Georgetown club will
give two-thirds Of the proceeds, which are
expected to run up to a thousand dollars or
more, to the track fund, while the remain.
der will go to their own club.
The associated cycling clubs of Washing
ton Is something which has long been need
ed and which will unquestionably be of
much value. to the cycling interests OF
Washington. The members say that the
success Of the organization is already as
sured, and that 1t will be no fizzle but an
active and living body. 1t is intended no,
as a means of absorbing the individual
clubs, however, and club rivalry and separ-
ate club interests will remain as ever But
the new organization will be something
under which they can all rally and work
for the large and general interests of the
riders Of the silent steed in Washington,
DON'T AMOUNT TO MUCH.