Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-21
S O ME- CYCLE CHAT


| whose picture was published in The Star
| last week. is also one of the pioneers
| in what she considers the rational
| cycling dress for ladies' Miss Smith and
| her sisters the costume which in
| their opinions is best adapted for cycling.
| especially when out on The road. Among
the wheelElen they are known as the
''blo' mer girls" and in this style of dress
| they say they can ride with ease and COM
fort. On all-day trips they wear bloom
ers, carrying with them an extra skirt.
| which they use when their destination OF
| the ride Is reached.
| II like the boomers" said Miss Lillian
Smith, "for a number of reasons. 1t Is
easier to ride when they are worn and
| one does not tire, as Is the case when the
! skirt is used, which catches in the wind.
| end which is continually in your way. Es-
pecially for long distances do 1 prefer the
| boomers. Though this style of dress is
wear. yet l hardly think it. will be uni
| versally adopted. at least for some time
| to come. There seems TO be too much OBJ
| lection to them in fact, more than
| there was when women began riding the
wheel. However. it is only a question of
! time. and it may be that others recognizing
| the advantages Of this style Of dress for
| cycling, will come forth and defend it and
| help to make it more general"
Speaking of boomers recalls to mind the
| statement made by a well-known person
| who has, 1t seems, paid particular atten-
ton to the style of dress used by women
| in cycling. This individual, If he can be
| taken as an authority, states that it will
| be only question of a year or SO when
| boomers Will become popular. Every in
| dication points that way. said he and the
| charges made in the cycling costumes for
females during the present season are some-
| thing wonderful. First the ladies came out
| in their long skirts. This was found to be
| too inconvenient and the skirt was abridg-
| ed considerably The process of abridgment
seems to have had unforeseen effect. and to
Keep up appearances 1t became necessary
| for the ladies to wear boomers beneath
! the skirts. Then comes the skirt with the
addition in front which buttons on both
sides from top to bottom. Following this
leggings were discarded and the fair devo-
| tees have adopted the golf stockings. This
| Is radical departure. and together with
| the continual shortening of the skirts
shows the boomers beneath almost as
plainly as though there were skirt at
ALL This being the case 1t seems to me
| to be only question of time when the
| skirt will be discarded entirely, and tre
bloomer girl blossom forth in all her glory.
| When tho circuit closed with the races
| In this city. The Star was the only paper
In the city which stated that Bald and
| Cooper were tie In the matter of points,
| according to the tallies kept by the lead
| ing cycle journals in the country. Though
| this was disputed at the time it has since
| been acknowledged by all that the men
were tie. Since then an effort has been
made to have the two run off series of
| match races to determine the champion
ship for the season of 1896 though at pres
ent it seems as if this result will never
| be attained. When seen in this city both
! OF the men were heartily in favor of hav-
| ing match race. though it seems that
| since then the ardor has cooled.
| Now that the season of hard riding is
practically over the wheelmen are turn
Ing their attention to other matters, and
| some especially to matrimony. Recently
Mr. Herbert Bradbury, a well-known
| Wheelman and formerly member of the
| Georgetown Cycle Club. took unto himself
wife. He and Miss Alice Whiting were
| united at the altar, and after a short but
| pleasant honeymoon have begun house
keeping at 90s 22d street. where they would
| De pleased to see all of their friends. An
other wedding comes Off next Tuesday
! evening. in which the contracting parties
| will be MI. c. l.. Petze and Miss Florence
| Ida Wood. The ceremony will take place at
| the residence of the brides mother Mrs
su sa E. Wood. 1914 Riggs place. at
| Rev. r. S. Wood. a brother Of the bride.
ard Rev DR.. Mackay-Smith pastor of St
Johns Church. After a honeymoon trip
| the couple will take up their residence at
| Go Morris street northeast.
The influence of the bicycle craze is felt
IN IN the public schools, and more especially
| IN the High School. In the four of the
| high schools Of the city special arrange
| ments have been made for the handling
or the wheels Of the students, and this be-
! ing the case 1t is only natural that tho
organization of a club should follow. At
| the Eastern High School there have been
several clubs organized, one Of the most
| important of which is a girls club, Of
which great results are expected good
sized bicycle club has been formed at the
Western High School. while at the Cen
tral High School there are several clubs
The Business High School is not behind
In the matter and several clubs have been.
or will be, organized at that place.
Now is the time when the cyclists begin
TO plan trips tiat will be taken next sea-
| son when the weather opens up we'll
enough to permit touring. A person can
| visit lots of places, in out-of- the-way cor
ners' and thus spend delightful time 1t
! Is only or recent years that touring has
sprung into any great popularity. and from
all indications 1t will next year far ex-
ceed that OF any previous year.
1t Is worthy to note that most of the
touring done by the local wheelmen is in
| western Virginia and Maryland. The seen
cry IN that section Is beautiful. but most
or all the roads are passable This ia a
good deal more than can be said of the
section directly south of Washington. and
from here to Richmond the highway is al
most unreliable, hence the wheelmen take
an entirely different route There ia moth.
Ing so enjoyable as a week or fortnight's
| outing on the wheel The time can be well
spent and well enjoyed. and during a period
OF two weeks complete circuit of the
Shenandoah valley could be made without
any undue exertion.
Stolen Wheels.
During the week the thefts of six wheels
were reported to the police, one for each
day of the week, and an increase over the
number reported for the previous week
The warmer weather is probably respon-
sible for the increase, and the police in
charge of the bicycle thefts have had no
relaxation from work. The list of unror-
Inmates Is as follows:
Bell & Fisher. 1902 1lth street., Ecllpse
bicycle, No. $3.50, stolen from In front of
their house.
|, DR.. ]. H. Metzerott, lilo F street, Ken
sington upright wheel. No. 2,7Oe, stolen
from in front Of the above building.
r. Hawkins. Cpl 8 -2 street northeast,
Monroe bicycle, No. 1881, stolen from in
front Of 337 c street southwest
Sarah A. Green, 40 ID street northeast.
ladies' Wilhelm wheel. stolen from in front
of Congregational Church, 10th ana q
streets.
Frank Halford, 1922 22d street, Eclipse
bicycle. No. 2S,G01. stolen from the Capitol