Evening star., 1938-03-27
By John Clagett Proctor.
F THIS were the sos or the gay eOs

IF THIS were the 80s or the gay COS
instead of the 1930s, this spring
weather would see the streets and
4 roads around Washington almost
crowded with bicycles and their riders,
q condition which was daily oc-
currence, especially during the 9Os,
when the safety bicycle had super
seeded the high wheel. OF course, as
the days grow warmer, we shall see
many bicyclists enjoying long rides,
but wheel-riding today is given over
largely to the yonger folk. who find
the price of a machine within their
reach where, at time we may call
the bicycle age, even safety cost
around $3.50, and they charged you
extra for lamp, bell and toe clips,
and other accessories as well.
Even to those who are familiar with
the growth and development of the
modern bicycle, it seems hardly be-
lievable that this enjoyable aid to
transportation had its beginning only
as recently as 1865, when its inventor,
Pierre Lallament, French mechanic,
exhibited his two-wheeled velocipede
at the Paris exhibition of that year.
Prior to 1870 riding schools for this
type of bicycle were being conducted
In Washington, the earliest being the
one opened in 1869 by the Hamilton
brothers in Carusi's Hall at Eleventh
and c streets NV. Another was operat-
ed on one of the upper floors of the
building at zoos Pennsylvania avenue,
the first floor then being occupied by L.
s. Woodward, successor to C. Wood
ward & Son, dealers in stoves, hard
ware, etc. At Beyer's Park, now the
American League Baseball Park, there
was soon built plank roadway where
visitors we're allowed to ride around
by the hour for a small fee.
THIS velocipede was heavy. cum
- bersome sort of a contraption,
with wheels about the diameter of
the present safety, as described in an
old account. which says:
They were of good, and but slightly
heavier than those of strong baby
carriage. The riding bar was of
wrought iron and level, with long
strap string strung over it on which
the saddle was fixed. The cranks
with the pedals turned the front wheel
and the main post worked in a collar,
and enabled the rider to turn the
machine. The handlebar was straight
and simple, but the riding of the
machine gave it such strong vibra-
tions as to make it painful to the
hands and arms. But the Yankee
genius of this country soon took hold
Of the new motor, and it became
speedily transformed through all its
vagarious styles until it reached its
present form and perfection of ball
bearings and pneumatic tires.
"Just after the close of the Paris
Exposition of 1867 the famous Hanlon
brothers, gymnasts, came to this coun-
try. They had picked up the ma
chine and used it, With great applause
for their skill, in their gymnastic
acts at the Folies Bergere in Paris
They brought it to this country and
at once popularized it, not only for
exhibition purposes, but for recrea-
tion. Velocipedes began to be turned
out from leading carriage factories
in large numbers, and riding schools,
with elliptical tracks, were built, where
thousands gathered and learned to
ride the new and novel machine"
Here in Washington, the Hamilton
brothers (Which might be intended
for the Hanlon hr0therS) brought
from New York c. B. Demorest, to
demonstrate the machine at Carusis
Hall, and here they are said to have
instructed as scholars the first days,
yet the enthusiasm soon wore off and
the real beginning Of bicycling did
not take place here until Charles
Krauskopf brought here his high wheel
IN 1878, called the "Ariels." This
was an English-made machine and