New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-16
IN THE CYCLING WORLD.
INTERESTING BITS OF CYCLING HISTORY.
WITH PITMAN SIDE LIGHTS.

CAST THAT CAME TRUE-GETTING READY
NOTES AND COMMENTS
while the average wheelman will watch the
.ries eagerly this morning as soon as he tumbles
an, Of bed to see the condition of the weather.
.ome will have time &c read this bit Of cycle
history before they start out for their ride II
thew don't they may lay il aside and peruse it
later in the day The arrival at the age Of fifty
nv the veteran rider Will r. Pitman and his
ride to Coney Island and his plunge into the
sutf last week have already been told in these
Columns The veteran more or less CON-
rected with early cycling history in this coun-
nv He began to ride velocipede back in
1857 He first saw the light of day at Bangor.
Na on April IL, 1919. He enlisted a. the age
~ fifteen He saw the Hanlons on their veloci-
,sdes and he caught the craze. In the fall Of
,sss Pitman rode mile in sos and his per-
,,rnoance was considered remarkable. In those
davis each competitor rode alone. the max
ing the fastest time being the winner Pitman
srst saw bicycle in Boston in 1877. 1t the
rronertv of b Porter Brown now dead. Brown
was the first man TO ride the wheel and the
first 10 meet an accident, breaking his leg in
fall Cunningham, Heath & Co. were the first
70 import bicycles into this country. and they
engaged Pitman salesman. Pitman met
in turn Richard II. Dana Paul Butler, Frank w.
Weston and Colonel A, A. Pope, and he was
,oore or less Instrumental in teaching each how
N ride the bicycle. Colonel Pope WIS thirty
folr wears old wnen he learned to ride. the
Colonel shortly afterward ordered hundred
vrbaels from the Weed Sewing Machine COM
nanv al Hartford. In the fall Of 1871 Alfred
chandler rode wheel from Fitchburg to
rosfon A distance of forty miles. in four hours
he first done
iris country Chandler made the trip TO show
,ba nracticability of the bicycle. Chandler nao
hssr advised 10 take ocean voyage for MS
baaIth but he took TO the bicycle instead, ana
re never regretted 1t. In 1878 Pitman rode
sr,r Haverhill TO Boston. forty-hve miles, IN
civ hours walking much of the way on account
- tba condition OF the roads. The birth of
crcIe racing in this country was celebrated at
Rrockton Mass. on July 1. 1878 Inc con-
tests were run off in trotting style best three IN
fVe heats. Pitman won IN stTalght neats ~
AZ $50 and $50. In 1878 Pitman came 10
New-York to show the bicycle to the people
Of this town. but he was arrested Tor rlIlhs
thing like that in the streets, ana ms tioupies
we're many for the time. Pitms secured per
nit 10 ride from William H. Wenman or the
PARK Board out when he presented IL 10 tne
roiceman who arrested him the q aroian OF the
peace could not read. and he took Pitman 10 tne
statjon-house, anyway. Then A II. GURUS
called Tad" in those days. and II. EDWARD
Fricken gave Pit permission to ride on the
New-York Athletic Club grounds Pitman was
one Of the organizers of the Boston Bicycle Cluo
the irst cycling organization in this country
and he was also present when the League OF
American Wheelmen was organized on Ma! -
1850 He is one of the sixteen OF the orlgIhal
twenty-five founders in the League to-day;
Pitman's salutation is always HAPPY DaEs,z
and probably more riders know him oy tnd'
title than by his own name. he TOOK me eN-
preston from an old-time Staten Island char
acter who always drank to Happy Days When
he placed the glass to his lips
MANY people believe that dreams go by con-
traries. vet something happened last winter
which II not exactly a dream. was AKIN 10
peering into the future. In speaking Of the
lamp question in these columns reference was
made to the possibilities of the future Of the
electric light for the bicycle. 1t was stated that
in time It might be possible 70 arrange an cleo
trio light for the wheel so that when the bat
terry was exhausted 1t could be recharged by
some contrivance which could be attached TO
the wires Of the ordinary incandesoent lamp.
Now manufacturer comes to the front and
announces that this innovation has been ac-
confplished and that the scheme is feasible.
The reader is left TO surulise whether it
dream or an inspiration. The directions for
charging the electric lamp are given as follows:
remove the incandescent lamp from electric
fixture and screw socket in its place. Then
screw incandescent lamp in socket Remove
the small incandescent bulb from lamp reflector
and screw batterycharging tap in its place.
Turn electric light current and touch the
ends Of wire to a moistened piece of litmus
per The end that discolors the paper is the
negative pole and must be inserted in the proper
hole. Insert the other end Of the wire in the
remaining hole Simply turn on the screw at
the top Of the lamp. and if proper connections
have been made the large incandescent lamp
Will light and the recharging Of the batteries
begin. which. in order 10 obtain full charge.
should he continued for four hours but must
not he carried further.
W S Bull. the secretary treasurer OF the New
York division of the League of American Wheel
men. now receives reports from consuls at all
points within fifty miles Of this borough regard
ing the condition of the roads in the various
districts. This information is valuable to the
average rider at this time of the year, when he
IS not we'll informed the ravsges of the
frost and of winter. The information
has been compiled from the various reports
ceived by Mr.. Bull since Friday morning. and
that part relating to New-York and New-Jersey
is as follows.
The macadam roads OF the Palisades and
Fort Lee are in good condition The road up
the Palisades is being repaired. and is unreliable.
The dirt roads on the Palisades. however. are in
fair condition. The trolley track that runs from
the ferry to Leona has several bicycle stations,
one at the top Of the Palisades at Palisade-ave
and one az Fort Lee village An extra fare is
charged for carrying the wheels and the cars
run in connection with ferryboats every half
hour: the boats leave New-York on the quarter
and three quarter hour. and on the hour and
half-hour the Jersey side. The road from
Fort Lee along the top of the Palisades to
Alpine is particularly fine at present. The ferry
at Alpine does not appear to be running and it
is not advisable to go down the hill 10 find a
boat. pleasant ride may be taken from Jer-
sey City pennsylvania statlon) TO Tappan on
the north. with all macadamzed roads except a
part Of the gorged road just below Fort Lee
The route is from the Pennsylvania station,
Jersey City. 10 the Hudson County Boulevard.
10 the north end Of the Boulevard at Hasse's: