Evening star., 1926-10-17
AMERICA GOT FIRST
BIKE 90 YEARS AGO
Day Recalls Noted Social
Club of Capital Formed
Three Years Later.

If some magic hand could swing the
fight Of time backward two decades
tonight there would be gay times in
old Washington. 1t would be open
house and a flowing bowl at 409 Fiji
teenth street, across the street from
the white Lot" where the Capital
Bicycle Club determined social pres
tfge by the mere flip of ballot. This
Is the golden anniversary of the in
PRODUCTION Of the bicycle into Amer
lea.
1t was just so years ago, according
to the best authorities. that there was
exhibited in New Haven, Conn, a
contraption that was destined to be-
come the first mutation in the evolu-
ton of speed in the New World. AL
though today it would provoke laugh
ter from a generation used to purring
motor cars, in that early time posses
sion of one of those high-Wheeled
bikes was a sure sign of prosperity
and class.
By comparison. no invention ever
excited more popularity in this coun.
try than the bicycle. The Capital
Bicycle Club was one Of the first or
ganizations Of its kind in the United
States. and it was one of the out
standing social organizations OF Its
time. Its frequent rides into the
country were sporting classics, and
invitations to it's dinners and hops
we're eagerly sought, even by the
great.
Many Members Still Live Here.
MANY Of the clubs members are
still living here: others have moved
to distant parts Of the country. while
others have passed on. But the old
Capital Bicycle Club boasts that there
are only one or two examples where
living members do not hold places OF
prominence in their communities. To
these surviving pioneers the day Will
recall many pleasant memories.
The Capital Bicycle Club was organ
lied January 81, 1879, by seven men:
Herbert S. Owen, Max 1ansmann.
Fred s. Owen, Frank G.. Wood, E. r.
Einolf. F. G.. Wood, l.. n. Jesunofsky
and Charles Krauskopf. These men
were the real pioneers of bicycling in
Washington. Out Of this beginning,
there grew an organization counting
about 200 members, including the sons
Of some Of the best known families in
Washington.
They rode bikes" that would make
the average man dizzy today by their
sheer height. Some had huge wheels
in front and tiny wheels in back;
others had the tiny wheel in front
and the big wheel in back: and all
had peculiar clicking pedals, hard
rubber tires and set of handle bars
that looked more like something to
vault over than the apparatus with
which to steer speedy" vehicle.
Hill Climb Severe Test
But what rides they took. some
times clear out to Cabin John Bridge
Then. too. there was that grinding
pull up old "Standpipe Hill" which Is
now the more or less easy grade OF
sixteenth street. Max Iansmann
capt. Warren Seeley and several
others were veritable heroes by vir.
tue of having accomplished that pull
several times. But the greatest ana
most daring feat Of all was the ride
down the steps Of the Capitol. rms
was accomplished first by Bert
Owen.
The Capital Bicycle Club, accord
ing TO a history written by Judge
,Iohn NJ. Killits, who is now one Of
the most prominent jurists in Ohio,
was started originally for mutual pro
lection, made necessary by the pecu.
liar state OF public feeling toward
the new method of locomotion, which
was one of contemptuous prejudice
and open hostility" The public was
aroused over the menace there fast
travelling wheels offered the pedes'
trian.
The club first met at the homes OF
it's members, but 1t soon found reGu-
lar quarters on Tenth street near II
street. Next it took more commo.
iious rooms on the spot now occupied
by The Star building addition. BY
that time the Capital Bicycle Club
was beginning to De accepted as one
of the social centers of the city's best
young men. Here the famous water
melon rackets" were held. and cere-