Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-27

D1CyCAC AlOuAB d1lu racing 1881,
an old-timer, at least one who is
fast approaching that class wanted
to know why the article did not include the
period of his active bicycle days, when just
the high wheel was used and when a spill
might have meant even more than broken
colarbone or a bruised knee-cap
The writer had really intended to do this but
since he has been reminded by a representa-
tive member of the high-wheel contingent of
the apparent omission, he feels that he should
supplement his earlier article by telling at least
something of the days preceding the safety"
when it required considerable skill to negotiate
the rough and rugged roads around Washing
ton, D. c., and everywhere else for that matter.
The writer never rode high wheel. Not that
he was not old enough, but somehow or other,
his riding days did not begin until around
1890, when the safety was well established on
the market and the higher types of wheels
were considerably on the decline.
He does however, confess remembering when
p. T. Barnum brought the mammoth eggplant
Jumbo to this city in 1882, and exhibited
him with his circus, which performed at Ninth
and S streets at this time and for several
years before and after this date; also when
John S. Prince defeated H. w. Higham in
10-mile bicycle race in 1883. in this same block,
then known Athletic Park Hgham raced
Is the English champion, while Prince-who
was credited to Washington d. C.-rode under
the colors of the Stars and Stripes.
Just where Prince hailed from, the writer
is not certain though friend of his says that
both Higham and Prince were Englishmen, and
that Prince was only credited to this city in
order OF make the appear more interest
ing and to draw larger crowd
THE track here was made of cnders in 1888,
and cost around So 900, and it was shortly
after this that Prince competed against a
trotting horse. but with just what result the
writer is unable to though he witnessed
this unusual spectacle.
Athletic Park, which occupied Square 1851,
indeed had some interesting history. Around
1870 a truck farmer named Michael Braun
used both this block and the to the
south, in which stood his home for the pur
pose of raising vegetables for the market in
which he had stand. Because of the famii-
arity of the neighbors with the fruits of his
toll hoWever-in the block to the north between
Ninth and Tenth, and stree;s-he found
it more profitable to confine his activities to
the block in which his house stood, where he
could, to a greater extent see what was going
OIL
Braun had one daughter Lena, tall bru-
nette who married Charles G. Meyer, now of
the Oldest Inhabitants Association The elder
Meyer-the head of the houSe-lived in the
block to the east Of the one occupied by Farmer
Braun OF his family, the writer recalls, be-
sides Charles G., son Louis, now deceased,
and q daughter, Mrs. Jay j. Farrell. Charles
c. Meyer remembered SO well as the basso pro-
fundo Of the Saengerbund Society has several
married daughters living in this CITY,
After Braun gave up this block, 1t became
the city's circus grounds and open base ball
grounds. Afterward 1t became Athletic Park,
with a grandstand, high board fence, and
all that went to make first-claSs amusement
grounds. Here the circus came, professional
base ball was played, and all sorts of other
things took place, including bicycle racing.
Buffalo Bill performed here several times
with his Wild West Show, and here came
buck" Taylor, king Of the cowboys, who went
to Cuba with Roosevelt's Rough Riders, con-
tracted tuberculosis, and died in Providence
Hospital Later the block was further sub
divided Westminster street being run through,
and the whole square entirely built up as we
see it today
What memories the old Athletic Park block
has for the writer. Here he saw his hrSt
circns-OR rien's And here he saw in addi-