Putnam patriot., 1923-12-14
SAYS WHITTEMORE
 HAD FIRST WHEEL
Former Bicyclist Tells of the Early Days of Wheels Ad-
 vent In Putnam
p.vig Flars Had Earlie.t Factory. Built cyeie.-soms Famous Races

Built Cyeie.--some Famous Races
 The day of that fast disappearing mode of sport and transportation, the bievcle is again brought to mind by the letter which is printed below from weu-knowa Putnam sportsman who p-efers to sign himself "A Young olBtimer." It will be noticed that ayonag Oatimern challenges the statement made in recent article to tbe effect that James B Tatem was the owner of the first bicycle in town. To Dan Whittemore the writer gives the honor of possessing the first bi- cycle albeit homemade, and to David Flagg the ownership of the first fac tory built wheel
 The letter is as follows.
 Mr Editor:
 Yaur= article 8f recent date m re- cards 10 friend Morse and bicycling awakened pleasant ree0liecfions Of the last decade. when in Che writer opinion the sport had is greatest ho6m Right on the start ] wish Co tele execution To Che article in regard te the first bike. Jimmy Tatem had more use for a hddy ear or what was used in its place when the ,lfss bike was owned in Putnam Dan Whittemore. I believe is credited with ] the first it being homemade. ~itn a carriage wheel in front and a wheel barrow wheel in back. The hrst "boughten" or factory built bike was owned by our present Town Olefk David Flagg, followed by Dr. Barro- ] lette and a few others Those were the days of high wheels. soon follow ] ed by cushioned tires and steel rim med 2s inch wheels. must have been l quite a distance from the seat to the ] street if one hit a stone on the maea- l dam of these days.
 i Enthusiastie Cyelers
 How many of your readers will remember of Sunday seeing the Brousseau brothers. Gene and George, David and Clem Flagg. Burt Bacon, I Mont Kilborn, Bill Reeves. Ed Cut ] Ter, son Fred, Pop Underwoodi the l champlin boys Lew and George, starting for q spin to Providence, over what can be termed coWpath and as sometime happened, Putnam to Providence to Worcester and return, l that must have been some ride Keen rivalry existed as Go make ot wheel. especially between the heat= 1 ing and Sterns. which were crowding l the Columhias and Nictors. Wright i X Flagg. C. F. Shaw and A. D. Me l Intyre were the dealers who did great deal to encourage the sport by promoting road races The building If the Putnam Fair grounds track was looked upon with great Joy when the final opening day arrived bringing to- gether some Of the fastest riders in the country The mile open was won by Hausman If New Haven with Col lett second These two held the worlds tandem records. The boys race was won by "Biddy' St. George with John Dubois, brother of Alder man Dubois, second and Teddy Low den of South Woodstock. third.
 The novice which was open to rid CTS who had never won a prize, made up of such riders as Dulett, later to become Morse's successor as cham pion of Windham County, Jimmy Ta- tenn. Albert Torrey, who was soon nicknamed Major Taylor, after the colored flash from Worcester. one of the foremost riders the sport ever knew. John Daigle and several others. The race was finally won in a close finish by Burdick of Willimantic with Daigle second and Tatcm third. It afterwards developed that the win ner was a professional from Worces- ter. riding under an assumed name.
 Where Morse Lost Out
 Then came the race of races for the championship of Windham and New London counties. In a heart breaking sprint. Morse lost to his great rival. Freeman of Versailles. This race had such riders as Fred Cut Ter. Tom Iamandy, Parker, and sev- eral others The third man, name for gotten, came from Greenville.
 X few weeks later Morse went to Woonsocket and cleaned up the mile open and later to Norwich. where he won from his rival. besides cleaning up at the Woodstock Fair
 Another incident was the exhibi. ton of ten-seated bicycle, which was exhibited through the efforts of the late George F.. Shaw Ten local ri ders managed to ride it once around the track at the fairgrounds after quite a few spills. This same bi- cycle was the subject of a story in Boston paper last spring. It was found in a loft. where it had reposei for the last twenty-five years. The nume was the Orient. made by the Orient Bicycle Co Mir Shaw was distributor for the concern