Evening star., 1935-04-21

so years later, after pedals had been
added, that the bicycle again became
popular"
England was always great manu-
featuring country and once made
many of the bicycles used in the
United States. At one time, in WASH
ington, the Psyche, q British make,
was used more than any other BIZ
cycle, until q faulty lot was put on
the market. in which q defect de-
veloped in the head. and that prac-
tically ended the Psyche" Then
the Columbia, also a safety" and
one Of our own machines, took the
lead, which it held for long while.
In 1888, when the writer was visit
ing Copenhagen, Denmark, and saw
part of the 100000 bicycles he re-
ferred to. his inquisitive nature caused
him to inspect a few of the manu-
facturers' plates of large number of
wheels parked in public square, and
found that nearly all were made in
England. and to his regret, none were
from the States.
England got an early start in man
ufacturing the high wheel, and in The
Star OF October 81, 1878, we find q
record Of that country manufacturing
one of the largest ever built. The
Star says:
"A Big Velocipede. Eng
land, has been startled by the appear
ance of a man mounted on q bicycle
of colossal dimensions, who glides
along on a level with the tops Of the
lamp posts, towering above the height
of ordinary carriages. The driving
wheel Is nearly 8 feet in height, so
that the riders head Is some IL feet
from the ground. The wheel is some
260 inches in circumference, and con-
structed in the rigid principle. The
backbone Is made Of a seamless steel
tube, and has steps projecting for
mounting, and a second handle for
steering while the rider is getting into
the saddle"
OF course, this machine was only
a novelty.
WASHINGTON was always a good
w bicycle city, because 1t was one
Of the first to have asphalt streets,
stretch being laid on Vermont ave-
nue. between H and streets as early as
1870. But its roadways leading from
the city were nothing to rave about
until more recent years.
The earliest bicycle club in the city
was the Capital Bicycle Club. which
was organized on January 81, 1879,
and incorporated on January 6, 1886.
It's officers in 1883-when it met In
the lie Droit Building, Eighth and F
streets northwest-were: President,
c. E. Hawley; vice president, L. How
ard; secretary, s. B. Moses; treasurer,
F. c. Dom; captain, E. H. Fowler;
subcaptain, J. c. Loomis, and Junior
subcaptain, s. B. Hollingsworth.
In 1884, L. Howard (Which should
probably be L. o. Howard) was presi-
dent: Charles Flint, vice president;
F. r. Lane, secretary; F. c. Dom,
treasurer; L. w. Seely, captain; T. c.
Upton, subcaptain, and j. T. Loomis
junior Subcaptain.
In 1885, the Capital Club had moved
to 919 G street northwest, and j. West
Wagner is given as president; Henry
M. Schooley, vice president; Thomas
A. Berryhill, secretary; John M. Killits.
corresponding secretary; j. E. Leam-
ing, treasurer; De Lancy w. Gill,
captain; E. B. Olds, subcaptain, and
c. A. Burnett, junior subcaptain.
The active members OF the club In
1889 were as follows: Clarence G.
Allen, Charles F. Bacon, Seward L.
Bacon, Lemuel j. Barber, John s.
Barker, Charles NJ. Barrick, Seward
Beall, James NICK. Borden, Thomas
P. Borden, Frank M. Boteler, j. A.
Boteler, John B. Boutelle, c. B. Boyle,
Philip S. Brown, Charles A. Burnett,
Eugene Byrnes, Frank F. Butler, Henry
Calver, George T. Carter, Charles M.
Catlin, ]. j. Chickering, John Col
ley, DR.. C. A. Champion, N. d. Cram,
William e. Crist, Wallace r. Cross.
man, Charles Darwin, Harry Y. Davis,
Edward A, DeHayay, Walter 8. Dodee,