Omaha daily bee., 1897-02-28

purpose of discussing the advisability of or
g~anizing a wheel club. Among those pres
ent were: Messrs. John E.. WILDER, John and
Richard Carrier, George Patterson, j. R,
Lehmer, H. c. Cranz, w. H. Hall
C. M. Woodman, Frank Schneider
Thoman Kimball, jr, C. j.. Canaan
G. M. and John Hitchcock. Out of this
meeting grew the Omaha Bicycle club, with
George Patterson, president; H. E. CRAM,
secretary and treasurer, and John Carrier
captain. This was the signal for an influx of
wheels and it was but a short time until the
wheeling population of Omaha was doubled
and the sport became quite the thing. Some
Of the wheelmen appeared In the regulation
knickerbockers, and for a season or two the
sport thrived. Finally, however, the edge
wore off, many Of the club members left
for parts new, others lost interest In the
organization and 1t gradually passed into
n ~listless but not innocuous desuetude. This
bicycle club, however, was one of the first
organized in the United States, its League
of American Wheelmen membership mum
Der being 10.
1t was not until 1884 that the club was re-
organized and put upon a solid basis,
its name being changed to the Omaha Wheel
club. The officers were o. H.. Gordon, presi-
dent; c.. M. Woodman, secretary and
treasurer; John Hitchcock, captain. 1t had
no regular quarters at that time, but meet
ings were held in the offices OF Collins,
Gordon & Kay on Douglas street.
In the fall of 1884 the club leased the old
Athletic park on Sherman avenue and con-
structed a fine quarter-mile track-that is 1t
was fine for those days. Upon this the first
bicycle tournament ever held west OF
Chicago took place. 1t was not a bowling
success, and, after figuring up. the club
found itself about $500 in the hole. This
financial calamity was not sufficient to
dampen the ardor OF the organization and
when October rolled around the members
held their second tourney. This time their
loss was comparatively small, being less than
800.
The club first secured quarters on Six
teenth street. but vacated these In 1886 for
cosier quarters In the Gruenig building on
Thirteenth, between Douglas and Dodge
street. The officers during 1885 were:
Warren M. Rogers, president; c. NJ, Wood
man, secretary; Perry Badolett, treasurer
and John G. Hitchcock, captain. They re-
NAMED In the Gruenig block for a year or
so. when they again moved, this time to the
little brick building on the south side oil
Dodge street, between Thirteenth and Four
teenth street. In these quarters they remained
for three years, and as one oid-time member
was heard to remark recently, they were
more like a lot of brothers than a club of
men who were related only in the way oil
their all being wheelmen." Their smokers
musicals and other entertainments soon De
came so popular and their membership grew
SO rapidly that they were forcen 10 look ior
larger and more commodious quarters.
INTO BETTER QUARTERS.
In the spring of 1890 a swell gentlemen's
club in Council Bluffs became defunct ant
the Omaha Wheel club purchased the furni
ture and carpets, rented the large dwelling
house ON the northwest corner OF seventeenth
and Chicago streets. had 1t refnished inside
repainted on the outside, and on March
moved in. A this time the clubs member
ship was nearly 100, 1t grew rapidly anc
soon passed this mark, making the club one
OF the largest west OF Chicago. Its quarters
were the finest to be found anywhere In tht
west. Smokers, musicales or club nighti
were held each month during the winter and
in the summer club runs were very popular
No matter what the entertainment was there
was always a jolly crowd Of members ant
their friends ready to participate. The
writer can remember several times on thu
occasions OF smokers or musieales when the
spacious club rooms were packed to theil
utmost capacity and many Of the Invited
guests were unable to gain admittanee al
all on account of the crowds.
In those days when a man received an In
~yitation to an Omaha Wheel club smoker
musicale or club night he knew that 1t mean
a Jolly good time and rarely ever let II e
by without accepting.
During April. 1890. the club held q bench
race meet In the Coliseum which Melted {