The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-11
CYCLING BRINGS HEALTH
LOCAL DEALERS FIND ACCUMULATE
ING EVIDENCE AS TO THIS.
National Circuit Races Here-CarI
Fishers Experience with
a Bold Thief.

There are few residents of Indianapolis
who do not indorse the statement that
wheeling is better for ills than drugs, and
there is not a city in the world the size Of
Indianapolis which has more riders, or
where there Is a deeper fondness for the
wheel h in this city, in which cycling
has flourished for so many years. The great
good done by cycling Is recognized and
urged by many physicians who have Sc
riously studied the question and find that
for many ailments the wheel is beneficial.
Particularly is this true in the case of the
business man, whei close confinement all
day and no exercise skaters the health.
The wheel has been an amusement as well
as healthy exercise for the boys and girls
and has kept the young men from frequent
ing drinking houses and has been the poor
mans friend II he ever had ore. A mild ride
brings on a gentle perspiration. which opens
the pores Of the skin and gives one a good
appetite. The benefit derived is remark
able. although a person seldom notices it
until his better health calls attention to 1t,
and there is probably no other sport where
so much exercise can be had with so little
exertion. Another consideration is the
nickels and dimes saved, which. to the la
boring class, means a good deal.
1T has been charged against the bicycle
that it has kept people away from church,
said one ~well-known dealer on North Penn
sylvania street. II have found out from
experience that IL a man wishes to go to
church he Is going, bicycle or no bicycle.
And then, after he has attended to his re-
ligious duties. he can find time to ride, and
almost any pastor will agree that this as
sertlon Is true. There are a great many
preachers In this city who ride a bicycle
nealth glver. a money saver and a means
OF conveyance the bicycle cannot be
persons disposed to a~voirdupois it is a life
preServer. | have found among my custom
ers several who had fallen into superfuous
nesh and who have taken to the wheel and
reduced their flesh to normal proportions.
The class of trade Is better. too. this sea-
son, although the wheels are very much
@.256 ridden and there is a membership In
the L. A. w. of between fourteen and ff-
teen hundred. besides the numerous other
sulate and the Wilde Consulate meet at
various places and each have a membership
OF about twenty-five members. and they are
now raising money enough to build a cycle
tinuous path to Greenfield"
A rather odd incident occurred one day
last week in one of the bicycle stores. A
wheel was rented from Carl Fisher and the
person who rented the wheel did not show
up. so Mr.. Fisher inserted an advertisement
person who rented No. 1913 would send him
his address he would forward him the oil
can and trousers guard, as the wheel was
already equipped with lamp. tool bag. IL
cense-in fact, everything else. A couple of
days after the advertisement appeared Mr..
Fisher received through the general deliv-
cry a letter. from Chicago. thanking Mr..
ffsner Tor his thoughtful kindness, but the
writer said that he already possessed those
articles. the wheel was a very good one and
ne was perfectly satisfied.
There Is a number of riders among the
young business men especially, who get up
early these pleasant mornings and meet on
the toWpath for a sociable ride. Some are
accompanied by their wives. who enjoy the
spin before breakfast quite as much as their
husbands.
Since the prices are now within the COM
pass OF all classes, the man who works for a
and recreation at small cost. He can enjoy
at times when ne is not working a day i'm
the country; he forgetS his troubles and
comes home a new man. The women of the
family dement, quite as much as the man,
for when he goes on one OF his pleasure ex-
cursions he usually takes the female mem
Ders OF MS family with him., instead Of leav-
ing them at home as he used TO do.
All the bicycle riders are eagerly looking
forward TO the opening of the National Cir
cunt meet mere, on June Y. and it is ex-
pected Dy the management of Newby Oval
that there will be a large crowd out. 1t is
not definitely settled yet whether the races
wiH continue one or two days. but the in
tention is for the latter time. The local
riders are now in training at Newly Oval
every morning and afternoon. The follow
ing is a list of the gear ridden by the crack
riders: Floyd Mcfarland, 81; Eddie Bald, so:
Tom Cooper. 81; o. L. Stevens, So: owen
kimball. 81: Major Taylor. 81 and 107;
Charles Miller. 7S; Piugger Bill, 81; E. Tay-
Is; Harry Gibson. 1o4. Most of the profes,
sional riders are using smaller sprockets.