Evening star., 1897-12-04

Charles River. Mass. track, Springfield
Mass. track. Pleasure Beach. Conn, track
Bunalo. n. ", track, Newark. Nj, track,
Asoury Grove, N. j., track. Willow Grove
track, Philadelphia: Fountain Ferry track
Kentucky, and the track in this city Accord
Ing to the dates arranged, the grand circuit
dates are mostly for early spring and fall
In most cases two dates have been set one
at the beginning of the racing season and
the other near the close, though in some
instances no dates have been arranged at
all. Locally the dates are for June cS and
October 6.
This is the time of the year to gather
greens for the decoration of the house for
the winter season. The greens are easily
ottainable. and the decorations will be all
Inc more enjoyed when secured by your
self. generally with the attending pleasure
of the trip. At this time the frost has
turned the leaves of some of the smaller
SHRUBS very pretty color. Evergrcens in
profusion can be collected near the city.
Holly serves well for indoor decorations.
but it is an evergreen that is comparatively
scarce in the vicinity of Washington--that
is, in the immediate locality. The chances
are that more of the evergreen can now be
found than at any other time. The color
ed people living in the surrounding coun-
try viii collect the holly and bring IL 10
market to sell. The cyclist. by taking i'm
mediate steps, might be able to secure
much more now than he POSSIBLY could
week or so before Christmas. Further out
from the city, ten or twelve miles one
ought to be able to find plenty of holly
growing wild that can be secured merely
for the trouble of cutting. The evergreen
known as crows foot also be found in
the woods surrounding the city. though the
ordinary person must not expect the vine
to be growing in such profusion as it is Of
fered in strings at the different markets by
the colored people. They collect the small
pieces and wind them together. making the
pretty appearance when offered for sale.
afS lr hn lpaN NpG I'M
colored prettiiy by the magic hand of Jack
Frost.
The reported announc ement of the practi-
cal reinstatement of Fred. Sims will be
received with pleasure by good many
w: sningtonians WHO are acquainted with
him. 1t will be remembered that a short
tine ago Sims Was suspended for n period
Of nearly year, his time not expiring
Until some time near next August 1t is
now given out that Chairman Mott has
given the rider permission to enter match
races. but far track competition
events are concerned the suspension re-
ms ins in effect. Ii is stated that Sims
contemplates middle distance riding. think
ing that lie has good show for such style
of riding. Heretofore his energies have
been devoted to sprint races. in which he
showed up in good form. That he is capa-
hle of riding much longer distances has
leen demonstrated. and at ore time Sims
held the worlds record for several dis
tances under ten miles He will imme-
dia ;ely train for such distances he
thinks will best suit him. and during the
winter will arrange for match events with
Eddie McDuftie. Frank Starbuck. Fred
Titus and perhaps Jimmie Michael and
otner rlddle-distance men of more or less
renown. His Washington friends wish
him all success possible in his new field
of racing, as it is the belief OF many that
Sims has been a much maligned man, with
out due cause.
In an article on the Future of Bicycles"
me Daily Mail of London speaks of an
il vention which may reduce the price OF
bicycles to very low figures. "A patent is
now being discussed in Birmingham cycle
c:ro les it says, that may have an i'm
rortant influence on the future OF, the trade
1t has been found possible to. stamp out
the whole frame of machine. To be
strictly accurate, the frame is stamped out
in two halves, and these halves are after
ward c!amped together hut only one opera
ton is required TO turn out a frame in per-
feet rigidity.
Every cycle maker will appreciate the
diffe renee of cost between this simpla
operation and the elaborate processes which
have to he gone through before a COM
plete frame is turned out by the ordinary
method The patentees do not claim that
the stamped frame is equal to the steel
tube frame. Even should the STAMPED
frame be put on the market it is scarcely
llkely that Ii Will lie used in the construc-
hon OF hfst-grade machines. But some
people want cheap cycles. and the reduc-
tion IN cost brought about by the use of
such a frame may lead to its partial ado,,-
ticn by the trade. a machine construct ted
with such a frame is now being riden about
birmingham. An old local champion as
sures the writer that he has ridden it and
fiEds 1t the perfection of rigidity. but as
Tor its looks he will not say much in its
favor"