The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-17
TALK OF HAPPY CYCLISTS.
REMISIsCFNCEs OF EARLY CLUBS
OF WHEEKMEN IN NEW YORK.

water Gap for sundsy-Tho Spread o.
bicycling.
For tho first time in many weeks the wheels
lave had a little rest during the last few days,
May has been playing hot and cold with the
happy cyclists. She started out Monday with
n blisterlng heat and kept II MP Tuesday. Then
Wednesday pressed into service n small'sized
rsle which had considerable chilliness IN II
inter the hot weather. IL also blew the dust
up In clouds. and the whole army OF enthu-
aiasts, from one end OF Greater New York to
the other. set to thinking. II 10 a pretty well
established fact that the ~cycllsts' ideal land is
one where they have o twelve months dry sea
son with no dust: but they haven't found out
where such a region exists with roads good
enough TO suit them, and when the fine sand
and dust filled their threats and kept them
from seeing ten feet ahead Of thom. they called
20 mind the horrible pictures of "a sand storm
In the desert" that every one remembers In
the second steps, In geography, and lonRed for
rain for themselves as much as trey ever
longed for IL for the natives In the picture.
And they got II. too.
Thursday brought some OF the showers That
April positively refused TO have anything to do
with, and in the afternoon when the sun came
out, and was a-shining its brightest, men. wo-
men, and children turned out on their wheels.
The air had a balmy freshness in II. and while
Lne uuHL ~ uOb bulhN NV obshNN =
dubbed mud. which was all in favor Of the
yheelers, still IL was settled enough to make
wheeling simply perfect.
Now, II Friday and Saturday will only
bring showery mornings and sunshiny after
moons. Sunday will be the best day we've had
ret" they said TO ono another. for the show
ers will settle the dust and the sunshine will
dry the mud"
One thing is certain, dust or no dust, q clear
Sunday will bring out everybody who rides on
wheels, for the cyclists have all made their
plans for to-day's runs.
Quite n number Of men and women were dis
cussing this. that. and the otner club run
which has been planned for to-day in an acad-
envy up town. when one of the pioneer wheel
men Of the city, still a young man, spoke up.
saying:
"well, well. WELT This does seem too queer,
10 hear every one OF you talking about a differ
emit club. Why, l remember so well when there
wasn't but one bicycle club here. and that
wasn't fifteen years ago either. Soon another
sprang up and then q third was organized but
the number remained at a standstill for a long
time"
Ibid you belong to any of them2" asked n girl.
YES. indeed" he answered. II was one of
the charter members of the Citizens Club"
what kind Of club was that" asked q young
fellow.
1.-THE old New York Club was the first organ
lied and that was about 81, I think. The
membership consisted for the most part OF
boys and u few men who ran the club and kept
>hem straight, for you must bear In mind In
those days most men and all OF the women
thought that bicycle riding was a very devil
ish sport. Then In 's2. about the time the
Citizens Club was organized, the Ixion Club
was first heard of. 1t had a very small men,
hurship bpunyer The Cftizena' WINS the cluh
The membership was entirely composed of
business and professional men of the city.
did you have a club housef''
avenue and sixtieth street. We started out
with fifty members. which was something mar
t isal9uS local an ' rspsts aaSs. 4 TSo f fate p 5s a NJ more M'
was the first President, and at that
time was one of the Board of Governors Of the
OF the l.. A. W.. which office he held for three
terms. That was considered a very great
position. DR.. Beckwith was known every
where In the city and In a great many places
six feet six and rode a sixty-three inch high
wheel, upon which he sat as straight as a die.
He led all OF the club runs and was an i'm
I'VE stayed in the Fifth avenue club house
until we outErew our quarters. One Of the
one. story house on the north side of Fifty
eighth street. near Eighth avenue. for a club
uouct. i uhu u lTOlIdk0 U 90 IttL uIu u
depth of $50, and for convenience and acces-
sibility has never been surpassed as a SIN all
We're ali around the gallery. which was
by winding stairs. The opening night
there will long be remembered by old timers.
:. 8 course, ladies were present at this open
Ladies'" he exclaimed with a laugh. why.
then ladies were hardly ever heard to raise
e9sil e n9iHss or ePo his a Wheel Geiipef N Shv We t hSd s soo IA;
dies but we had some fine boxing and singing
bowl bow SDs We stayed at a this I Cub mao house G Until pu 'sal
and ell the time the membership was steadily
growing. Finally we didn't have room enough
less those who were eager to get in. so Richard
who can be seen riding to-day on a
time and moved the members. $50 strong, to
the the he house rs in in West Si1tisth street; now a
were very popular with the club. We didn't
talk much about runs, but planned a sunday
s tSST or S sn Af fs : ,Ss b. tour a.r and dyo one q g., the "a;
as y promises to be this season. We went In
parties Of ten and fifteen. and we had some
wn "Th hers Va fhtlp Fontaine. an sngrsysr.
sidered an extraordinary feat. He was a very
ssrSaT the &Sn nif RRasSt Of tSe 9 Ss dsn Win yE,w% who soS aisi
70 his cost. Many a road hog"wa had 'em in
those days. too-learned from core experience
al ssa veil ip1 a : = S was nsr q boxer boxer Of no mean ability
@AA hlbf tl III
dozen myself that he cleaned up. He'sin
Eens are here now. Then there were Ned
Blue, an artist on Puck. who used to give us
some hits with his funny pen, and Knight l..
Glapp. who was known as the Pride OF River:
side because he always looked so trim and
swell and up to date when riding. {. X.
Alley was our brag fancy rider. He was a
great trickster, and, as an amateur, could not
be excelled on the high wheel. H., McCor.
mick was the great racing man of the club,
and made wonderful records that would call
forth Kisses and sneers In these record. smash
Ing times, but they were greater, compara-
lively. in those days than the records that are
as a club champion and local fast man. lie is
quite an athlete, and was one Of the pioneer
cyclists In this country. To-day he is as en-
shnsiSstic over the sport as Of old, and is con.
epicuous In the n. y. A. G. Cycle Club. Fred.
trick q, Burne was another expert. and so was
|chn, L; Gulick, the present secretary of the
Der. too.
lie was the Rev. Mckee Brown, ID. D.,
now rector of ST. Mary's Episcopal Church.
and was one OF our best tourists. DR.. Brown
rarely. missed a club meeting. One OF our
tHvorIte tours was TO TarrytowI and back, a
into consideration the high wheels with thar