Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-28
THE CYCLE SHOW.
Some of the Benefits Expected to
Follow.


Follow.
The cycle show closes this evening after
4 run OF ten days. During the period of its
existence it has been a success in other
ways than in the matter Of attendance. BY
the large attendance at each session it has
been clearly demonstrated that Washing
&c is a cycle town in the fullest sense of
tic word, and that there are enough resi-
dents who take lively interest in wheel
ing and wheeling affairs TO support such
great undertaking.
The show came at the opening of sea-
son which gives all promise of being the
greatest cycling year Washington has ever
known Its benefits in this direction are in
Vulnerable. 1t has stimulated the impetus
in favor of the Wheel and it has opened
! the eyes of those who have been decidedly
opposed to the general Introduction of bicy-
. c!es There was time when the wheel
was viewed with distrust by a majority of
people. time when it was considered I'M
ladyiike for girl to be seen in the saddle
Time has worn away these prejudices, and
the success Of the cycle show will tend TO
abolish many of the prejudices which still
exist in the minds of few.
One of the surest signs of the increased
recognition Of bicycling as a business and
pastime Is evident in the business houses of
this city. Within the past month a number
of leading houses have introduced bicycle
departments, where bicycles are not only
sold. but where bicycle suits and all ac-
U
dress, can be obtained. And this recogni-
ton is given by houses which have hereto
fore made speciality of dealing in other
commodities entirely foreign to cycling.
This is another result of the cycle show.
At the show there were over fifty makes
OF wheels represented, and about three hun
dred wneels in all on exhibition, including
the tandem, triplet, sextuplet and tricycle.
This is in addition to the vast amount of
other goods placed on exhibition by those
who deal in goods outside of bicycles, and
from these facts an idea Of the value of
the exhibit can be judged
Probably one Of the best results achieved
by the cycle show is the formation of a
ladies' cycling club. Such club has long
been needed. and has been urged by The
Star on number of occasions. This year
the number Of female riders will in all
probability treble that Of last year, and
this Is saying good dea3 There is no
cycling club in the city at the present time
which admits female riders, or even gives
them a show as honorary members, and
the organization of the ladies' club has
teen made necessary by the force of cir
oumstances, and by that utilization Of feel
ing which is common to tine devotees of
the bicycle.
Though the club has been organized. a
number OF details yet remain to be COM
pieted The organization was started and
worked up by couple of ladies, who have
been using the wheel for seven or eight
years They are we'll known in wheeling
circles, and not only have several centuries
to their credit, but have made the trip from
here to New York by wheel. There is an
attempt to keep the news Of the formation
Of the society a perfect secret and in this
the girls have SO far been successful
In Chicago there was ladies' club or
gan1zed. which started out with the most
brilliant prospects. The club received en-
couragement on every side, and it grew
wonderfully. A club house was rented and
fitted up in good style and used exclusively
by the girls. Dissenson and strife and
Jealousy crept in, and after an existence of
some months the club went under, almost
as quickly as it was formed, and the latest
news of the organization was a filing of a
suit in Chicago court by which one fac
ton asked for an injunction to prevent an
other faction from using the curling irons.
the complexion powder and the powder
l egs. That is about the status of this club
at the present time.
For the Washington club much better
prospects are to be hoped. IT the club
IS organized and managed on a business
Ike basis, there is no reason in the world
why it should not succeed. The success of
such club would refute the saying that
woman can do nothing without the assist
ance of man. So far as can be learned no
runs have been called by the new organiza-
ton, and nothing has been done which
would give publicity. The time is spent in
perfecting an organization. and when this
Is done 1t Is to be hoped that it will be
done good.