Evening star., 1895-07-24
One to Be Located on the Conduit
Road.
4 COMPANY TO BE ORGANIZED
Proposed Establishment of a Fine
Racing Track.
THE CLUB HOUSE PLAN

A local enterprise. in which a larger
number of Washingtonians are personally
interested than almost any other that
could be undertaken, is now approaching
q stage of satisfactory development and
gives every promise of soon becoming q
reality.
A company Is being organized for the
purpose of purchasing a tract of land on
the Conduit road, one mile and a quarter
from Georgetown, which will be as speedily
as possible transformed into the finest and
best-appointed bicycle park in the world.
The property consists of a twenty-acre lot,
owned by Jacob P. Clark. and is situated
directly opposite the distributing reser-
voir. An option has been secured and the
promoters are confident Of being able to
form a syndicate with an abundance of
capital to prosecute the work.
On a Fav0rite Road.
The Conduit road is already favorite
thoroughfare for wheelmen when going to
and from Cabin John bridge, and the site
selected for the park is considered very
desirable and convenient one. In order to
make the location even more advantageous
and accessible an extension of the Great
Falls electric railway win be built. so that
visitors in the city and those preferring to
leave their wheels at home can be accom-
mOdated with rapl0 transit IdcliitleS.
While all the plans for the park have rot
as yet been completed, 1t Ia said the inten-
tion Is to have the best race track that
science and money can construct. For TINS
purpose the entire twenty acres OF land
VIII he leveled and gone over with steam
rollers until no vestige of inevenness or
instability remains. The racing course
will be a regulation one-third-mile track,
that length having been decided after long
and exhaustive experimenting to be the
best adapted for bicycle contests. The
cost of construction, IL cemented, will be
about $1,000, and 5000 without cement.
Every precaution will be taken to make
the track perfectly safe and especially
fitted for rapid work. A grand stand VIII
be erected for the convenience OF specta-
tors.
A Club House.
A feature Of the park will be club
house, where refreshments will be served
and shelter can be had during sudden
storms. 1t Is expected that the revenues
derived from this source will in q large
measure contribute to the necessary ex-
penses for maintaining the rark and pay
ing interest on the capital invested. there
by reducing to Il minimum the amount to |
be paid by those who wish to enjoy the !
privileges Of the park. The plan of selling |
membership tickets, in tie mariner atlorted !
by gymnasiums and other athletic clubs, |
will probably be selected as the most equit- !
able method of distributing the benefits |
and equalizing the assessments. An illus |
tration of bicycle park where the refresh |
ment privileges pay all tile expenses Of |
maintenance, thus o5viatng the necessity |
of collecting usage or membership ices, Is |
found in the Claremont Club at New York |
This is operated entirely on the club house !
plan. and is regarded of the most |
successful organizations for whee1men in
the country. The receipts derived from the
sale of refreshments are sufficient 10 relieve
those enjoying its benefits from the pay
ment of any assessments.
il ofQ1 hat tha ad la
track will be the most perfect IN the world |
The courses at Louisville. Ky. and Wal
than, Mass, are now considered by capable |
judges the best in the United States.
Although 1t Is almost impossible to per-
ceive how bicycling could be made more |
popular In Washington, it is believed the
arrangement of park and construc tion of
perfect track will not only stimulate, but
materially add to the comforts Of wheeling
in this city. 1t Is also a certainty that not
only large numbers of professionals, but
an equal proportion of amateurs will be at
tracted here for the purpose of making a
personal record on a track that will, with
out dispute, be fully equal to any other In
existence.
LIE Droit Park Wheelmen.
For some time past the young men of lie
Droit Park have shown considerable inter-
est in cycling affairs, and the result Is that
now, undoubtedly. more riders of the wheel
can be counted there than in any other sec
tion Of equal size in the city. Long coun-
try runs have frequently been made but
up to Monday evening no organization had
existed among the riders. That evening the
residence of Mr.. Doyle. on Harewood ave-
nue.. was the scene of a meeting of large
number Of the young wheelmen, the out
come of which was the organization of a
club under the name of LIE Droit Park
Wheelmen. The result of the election of
officers is follows: William Doyle, cap
tain; w. w. Matchett lieutenant, and
Frank A. Burger, secretary. Another meet !
ing will be held at an early date, when the
first club run will probably be mapped