Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-27
47igh WIheels Launched Bicycle Riding in District

good trick rider, but confined himself to the
safety machine.
Bicycle riding in the District runs back quite
a number of years The modern wheel had
its beginning with Pierre Lallement, French
mechanic, who improved the three-wheel
velocipede made by Woirin ana Leconde also
Frenchmen, in 1865, by dropping of the
two rear wheels, which he found could be
easily dispensed with. The Lallement machine
was soon afterward introduced in America, and
by 1869 had become popular.
A BLANK roadway built Seventh
street where is now the base ball park
and here visitors were permitted to ride around
for SO much an hour but as the wheels were
cumbersome and clumsy, it might be assumed
that few ventured beyond the initial charge.
The large room the kaufman store
the Avenue, between Tenth and Eleventh
streets, is also said to have been used at this
period for bicycle riding. wheel then had
iron tires and told that its noise
great that the rumbling sound could be
distinctly heard a long distance Off
This type of bicycle was short lived, for
after the novelty had worn off the wheels
were relegated to junk heap and in a short
while few could be found anywhere. sHowever,
abroad it was gradually improved both in Eng
lard and in France, and with the coming Of
the rubber tire, the invention of c. K. Brad
ford of our own country, the bicycle assumed
the merits of a practical vehicle for trans
portation, and its renewed popularity grew
speedily in England and France
At the centennial in Philadelphia, in 1876,
the new type was first exhibited in this coun-
try, though none were sold here until the fol-
lowing year. when one was purchased by a
young Boston lawyer who had lost his health
and thought that the exercise of riding a
wheel would assist in its restoration. His name
seems to have been lost, though this young
man was the pioneer rider of the bike" in
this country, and the bicycle industry in the
United States began soon afterward.
CREDIT is given to Charles G. w. Kraus-
kopf for introducing the modern bicycle
in Washington in 1878 This machine was
known as the "Ariels," and had double spokes
and 46-inCn wheels. With desire to learn
something more about this pioneer rider the
City Directory was consulted, and the only per-
son of this name found Charles G. Kraus-
kopf, who kept hotel and restaurant at the
corner of Tenth and streets northwest, over
which he resided He had obtained the ma
chine from the British vice consul stationed
at Baltimore.
Naturally Krauskopf was kidded and guyed
as he rode the new steed" through the streets
But the bicycle had come to stay, and it was
not long before william C. Scribner ceased
managing the Gazette at 93l d street north
west, and opened bicycle store around the
corner at 1lO8 street, and if he was not the
first one in the city to engage in this business
he at least was one of the earliest
Though KrauSkopf was the subject of much
chatting and joking yet it was not long before
he had company. and soon other Washing
tonians became infatuated with the vehicle
which was to become so immensely popular in
such a brief space of time.
Soon Frank G. Wood, Max Hansmann Fred
d. Owen, L. P. Einolf, Herbert S. Owen and
Louis N. Jesungofsky were proudly riding the
silent, Steed and it was these gentlemen with
Mr.. krauskopf, who organized the Capital BIZ
cycle Club on January 81, 1879
At a banquet held at the Cosmos last
February, In celebration of the fiftieth an
ntversafy Of this club, Max Hansmann was the
only charter member present but at least two
members-Fred and H. S. Owen-are known to
be In the land of the living.
IRON the first, the Capital Bicycle Club was
thriving organization. In 1881 1t num-
bered 80 active and six honorary members
among them being some of the most i'm
portant men in the city The active list in
cluded Clarence G. Allen, Edward Baltzley,
James G. Blaine, jr. Frank S. Blanchard
James NICK. Borden, Joseph C. Chandler Will
liam D. Chandler, William Chester George
Cook, Andrew M. Coyle, Wallace F. CroSsman,
Francis c. Donn Abner F. Huntington, Edwin
H. Fowler Charles F. Goodell Andrew B. Gra-
ham, Max Hansmann, C. E. Hawley, S. P. Hol-
lingsworth, Leland Howard, James M. Lewis, jr.,
Francis H Noyes Fred D. Owen Herbert S.
Owen Jermain G. Porter. Frederick Schafhirst,
Henry M Schooley, L. Warren Seely Rexford
M. Smith, John Swinborne Frank G. Wood
and Daniel w. Zantzinger.
The honorary members were F. G. Collins,
George c. Sargent. Col F. A Seely James p.
Stabler Henry Sturmey and DR. George B.
WEIGH
Eight years later it had grown considerably,
and included the following active members: