Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-22

| were always cleaning our wheels. I re-
member when Frank Noyes (the one that
| lives in England got the first bright wheel
/ 1t wasn't nickeled, but only. FURNISHED. II
| you put your finger on 1t today there
| would be a rusty finger mark tomorrow.
1t took lots Of our time helping Frank to
| keep that wheel bright. When the wheel
| came. we helped him carry it around on
| 9th street to get 1t weighed.
| We wouldn't have wheeled 1t for any
| thing. 1t had NICE Clean pink rubber tires
1t wasn't long, though. before the rubber
| which was not treated properly. began to
| peel of in patches, and later Noyes wheel
was always called the 'scab." He rode it
| for many years, though. 1t had thumb
brakes, and after riding down hill Frank S
thumbs would be almost paralyzed from
the hard pressure and vibration.
Good Old Times.
| eve loved that old clab room and spent
many happy evening there. We furnish
ed It in time after a fashion, but it was
| hard work. You see, none of US had any
| noney to speak Of, and after paying for
| our wheels there was mighty little left.
| Coal oil for lighting purposes was one of
| our heaviest expenses-it must have cost
| as much as 20 cents month for oil alone.
| We had to take turns in providing that es-
sential. But we were thoroughbred en-
thusiasts.
| "Why,I remember spending whole morn
ing at one auction house on the other side
of the avenue in order to get table for
| the club for 80 cents, and me and the coon
carried that table across the avenue and up
to the club room. 1 wasn't ashamed; was
proud. don't know where that table had
been, but 1t had coats of cheese and various
condiments on 1t. We scraped it beautifully
and covered it with marbleized oilcloth and
were happy. l remember 1 carried some
big bundles Of straw from the other side of
the avenue to the club room to place under
our secondhand carpet to make it soft and
comfortable. Finally, we got a stove. 1
hipk 7 nf hold of Sv, =
presented it to the club. We had an un-
yelling celebration when the presentation
was made and a banquet Of sandwiches
and cider The stove was incased in a
series of boxes that made the outside COW
erinS as big as plano box. and the I'M
yelling ceremony consisted of knocking off
one box after another until finally the stove
was reached 1t wasn't more than a foot
and half or two feet high. little bit
or sheet iron continuance that would get
red hot in five minutes, and then would let
the lire go out If we turned our backs for
| moment. We were either burning up or
freezing all the time.
They Knew Bicycles.
And we knew all about the advantages
and defects of our different wheels, too. 1
peheve there were no people in the country
| that understood the mechanism of the
wheel any better than the charter members
OF the c. BIZ c. They were always taking
their wheels apart, and knew every screw
ana nut and bolt. And we could ride too
every member was good rider-he had to
De or ne would have been killed. You don t
md any better riders these days of the
safety wheel when everybody rides Some
OF the early members of the c. BIZ care
the most graceful riders on the streets of
washington today. They learned on the
| big high uprights, and some of them then
took up the Star, and finally they all came
to the Safeties.
But look where you will, you will not find
any more graceful riders than Max Hans
| mann. Mckee Borden, Leland Howard
Doc. Schooley and c. G. Allen. And there
| is John Loomis, tall and slender. who can
| climb hill today as easily and gracefully
| as ne could fifteen years ago. The hill at
the head of 18th street was the test of a
| Wheelman In those days, and a new rider
| always had to make the attempt and &c
| part way up as soon he had learned to
| d1smount. 1t was very steep and full OF
| gullies and rocks of all sizes. Wheels were
| never stolen in those days. Every one who
| could ride owned his own wheel, and no
one who couldn't. no matter how dishonest
| ne might be, wanted anything to DO with a
| bicycle. There are thousand riders now
In Washington to one then. but we had
| enough fun for thousands. It is pleasant
| to think of those times.'
| Bert Owens Birthday Runs.
Mr.. Owen remained in Washington until
| Il few years ago. He was the most popular
| wheelman that ever rode, and everybody
| knew him. Bert Owens birthday run was
an annual event, much enjoyed. Invita-
| tons were sent out to riding friends. but
| were only accepted by those who were
| rough-a nd-ready riders. A few evenings
before the event Owen, with a couple of
trusty lieutenants, would go over the
| course-"a wheel around the Capitol"
| They would encircle Washington by all
! the vacant lot paths and back alleys and
| unused roads, beginning down by the old
| observatory and ending at the P street
| bridge. Having become familiar with the
| route, Owen would lead his guests. some
| times forty fifty in number, over it. II
| was case of follow your leader and there
were never more than half a dozen that
| were able to take everything. Some of the
| boys with instantaneous cameras would
| lie in wait at the devils gully which
| led from Kalorama down to P street, and
| take snap shots of all kinds of headers, as
| the riders came down, and, striking a bad
place, would go head over heels One man,
| it is remembered, took such a header that
| he turned a complete somersault with his
| wheel. so that when he struck in a sitting
| position the wheel gained it's equilibrium
and ran some distance by itself. Notwith-
| standing the rough riding, no one has any
| recollection Of a serious accident. The boys
were athletic, and, better than all, they
| knew how to fall.
| Bert Owen was cordially welcomed in
| Washington this week.