The herald., 1895-06-30
A Chicago Club Dresses in
KniCkerbOCkers When
Out Wheeling
TALKS WITH THE OFFICERS
They Tell Why the Club Prefers the
New Style of Dress and Also
Relate Some OF Their
Experiences

| The Knickerbocker Cycling club of Chi
cago has attained prominence as an or
ganization of won EN- who have discard
ed skirts when riding bicycles and adopt
ed knickerbockers and leggings instead.
There are some fifty members of the
| club, which as yet demands no fees nor
dues and boasts no officers. The presid-
ing genius is Mrs. K. B. Cornell, at whose
home the club was first organized with
some twenty members.
| Mrs. Cornell is slender. energetic
woman, devoted to her home and bicycle.
81 have always ridden in knickerbock-
ers, " said Mrs. Cornell in reply to ques-
ton as to her views to reporter OF the
Times Herald. because l consider them
much more suitable and modest than a
skirt which blows about. When I am out
for run wear full suit OF woolen un-
derwear, CATERS and kickerbockers of
mems suiting, loose blouse and jacket.
Even in these hot days L have been per.
fectly comfortable. l ride a nineteen
round wheel, and enjoy every bit of an
eight, sixteen or thirty-two mile run,
Last Sunday the club made thirty.two
miles. We were entertained at the house
of member on the West Side. We have
three West Side members The other
are South Side women, one dentist.
two physicians and three connected with
the University of Chicago. There are
two honorary memberships. n. ].
Boardman of New York and Mrs. Marion
Dwherin of Musekgon. Each member is
entitled to guest or escort on trip.
The Knickerbocker is pre-eminently a
family club. 1t is one of Its. especial aims
to afford recreation to all members of a
family. My tive boys and their father
are always with us OH long runs. In
fact, athe club has!adopted Freddy, who
IS years Old as mascot, and his older
brother, Benton, is to be bugler when we
81 made my first knickerbockers my
SELF" replied Mrs. Cornell to an inquiry.
II propped my wheel upright before a
looking glass, and SO made them look
well either when L was sitting on my
wheel or standing on my feet. By the
make it plain to the people of Chicago
that there are literally no boomers
worn on bicycles. Boomers are drawn
IN at the ankle. So are Turkish trous-
ers. but knickerbockers. loose or tight
fitting. come only to the knee.
"You will be surprised perhaps to know
that l have never taken century run.
and never expect to do so. In fact, l am
cautious in the extreme. When / hear
an electric car bell ring give the car oil
the possible room. | mount from a
curbstone when | can find one. In the
country | always have ar escort, and he
helps me to mount | cannot be laid up
from an accident, because my boys need
me all the time. My only mishap occur
red last Sunday, when screw punctured
my tire and l rode a mile and half on
the wooden rim. We always rest good
deal on the club runs, and SO avoid over
exeItion.
1--WE will.proabbly go to Pullman Sun
day. We always meet at the Washington
Park Casino, sometimes in the morning
and sometimes in the afternoon, for our
trips. If possible we shall make the trip
during the summer by boat Saturday
night to some point in sMichigan. then
day OF wheeling and RETURN Sunday night
by boat. If it is not feasible for all the
club to take these runs, some of us will.
Or we will ride north on our wheels Sun
day morning as far as desirable and re-
turn by train that night.
1T is curious that the disagreeable re-
marks made to u.s." continued Mrs. Cor
nell, r1edltatively. "are not from men.
but from boys and women-well dressed
women, too Once in the park Twas rid
ing quietly on my wheel when / passed
couple walking. The woman was holding
the mans hand and his arm was about
her waist. She caught sight of me and
exclaimed How scandalous. l agreed
with her in sentiment, but from a differ
ent standpoint. OF course the mbers of
the Knickerbocker club use their wheels
for amusement and want to ride in the
most comfortable fashion. Where the
wheel is used simply for transportation,
that is quite another matter. We are by
no means a collection of eccentrics, but
simply womenn IL no WANT good time with
the tewest drawbacks. We intend to eX-
tend sympathetic aid to each other in
every friendly fashion. and incid .ntally
we may educate the public. | get letters
OF inquiry as to our costume from various
states and am astonished at the interest
felt in what seems to me matter of SIM
pie common sense. The only uncommon
thing about our bicycling club is that it
is composed exclusively of women. and is,
thus far, the only organization of that
kind in Chicago. The other women bicy-
cling clubs are auxiliary to clubs of men.
Finally. our emblem is two crossed ma
tional flags upon our caps. On Decora-
tion day we wore flags upon our wheels.
/ was asked if it was not q desecraton of
the flag, but 1 responded that puttir
flag over saloon seemed worse to me. l
think as patriotic citizens we are entitled
to carry the flag"