New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-02

in membership and influence may he traced d.
rectly to the efforts of its captain. But his du-
ties as chief road officer OF the club dld not aord
sufficient scope for Nedham's energies ana IN ,he
same year he was appointed chairman Oh the
Building Committee of the cluh.
He had been foremost in agtating the bulldlng
Of new clubhouse. and when MS lceas nhalIy
found favor with the other members ne was Pu,
in charge of the whole affair. He drafted the
first plans for the clubhouse which the orsaniza.
ton now occupies and practically every oeta'l
Incidental To the erection Of their handsome nome
has been passed upon by the captain. lie also
financed the scheme, as the house cost much
more money than the club could raise except ny
utilizing its credit to the best advantage. bonds
were sold to the members. and the money was
thus raised to buy the land and put the building
on it, 1t is to pay these bonds that the cluo mas
been utilizing the proceeds OF us annual MIS-
housed in It's new building and then for whlie
Captain Needham took rest.
II was in this year that he secured the first
tandem Of modern make which was used for
pacing purposes. He Us member or the Race
Committee that year. "a he has been every year
since he joined the club, but did not take u .,e
management Of affairs into his hands. In 1916,
however he was forced to go to the front az
though he was not the chairman OF the commit
tee. and the success or the meet iast yea was
due largely to his efforts. Only few OF the
club members realized at the time that Captain
Needham was virtually running the meet but IL
is well recognized and understood now, ana IL ~
because of his success last year that he was
unanimously elected to preside over the commit
tee this year.
INTRODUCED THE QUAD.
Captain Needham reelected to the cap
taincy Of the club in 1896 and again In 1871
The last tine he was nominated in spite Of his
oft-repeated announcement that he would not
serve another term. and only when about hun
dred of the members signed petition request
ing him to run for captain again did he con-
sent to take the office. But the cub would not
allow him to relinquish the craftsmanship Of the
Race Committee this yea. in name, as he was
actually last year. so he was elected to both
offices. and he Is now devotlng his time large
" to running the mee. Needham is the only
man who was ever elected three times To the
captaincy OF TIE Kings County Wheemen. ana
the nan who finally succeeds him to the once
will have hard work to live up to the CLUBS ldea
Of what a captain should bean idea for which
Captain Needham's administration Is RESPONSE
BILE
II Is not only in his club life that Captain
Needham's influence Is felt. There are rev
wheelmen in the metropolis of whose opinion
more Is thought, or who has so many Calls
upon his time to serve on committees or diner
ent kinds and to oificiate at race meets in the
racing season. There has hardly been proni-
nent race meet in and around New-York Tor
some years at which Captain Needham has
not ofHciated as timer or Judge or In some
other responsible position. This, in addition To
his duties as captain, which entaed his super
,ntendence of the racing men at the meets
where they contested, has filed up every hol-
day and Saturday afternoon in the racing sea-
son. Then. too. he composed one OF the Kings
County quad team This four-seated machine
IS owned by Captain Needham. 1t was the
first auad seen In this vicinity. and IT was
a wear or more before another one came to be
permanently owned here 1t was for n long
time the only amateur quad In the country,
and the X. c. w. tear was the only one Of its
kind in the country also The team appeared
at a number Of meets in exhibitions and in
pacing men for records.
Mr. Needham has been connected with the
Remington a. Sherman Co.. No % Park Place.
for many years.