Evening star., 1942-08-09
BY John Clagett Proctor.


1t is certainly interesting for an old
timer to read that some bicycle dealers
are about to be lacked up for cutting
down adult bicycles to child sizes In
disregard of the rationing of this most
useful vehicle, the use of which should
both gasoline, metal and rubber. Indeed
in many European cities the greater use
Of the bicycle to other modes of convey
ance has been going on for years because
of its much cheaper cost to the rider,
and when the writer toured Europe in
1882 and 1888, it was an uncommon sight
to see what seemed to be thousands Of
bicycles and riders at the railroad inter-
sections waiting to cross over when the
gates were raised, in order to mount
again and reach the factories and other
places in which they were employed.
During the safety bicycle craze, which
extended from about 1890 to 1910, thou
sands of Washington residents rode their
wheels to and from work, and the same,
of course, was true in other American
cities, and it not only saved the riders
money, but gave them much-needed ex-
ercise besides. BY making more bicycles
for adults, the Government would save
more of the items mentioned for war
And this would also eliminate downtown
crowded conditions caused by the park
ing of automobiles and would also save
a great deal of precious time now lost in
walking from place to place in the down.
town sections of the city.
But, after all, maybe the powers that
be will not think there is enough science
to this suggestion, but it is good gamble
that the rank and file will think other
wise, and they are the voters and the
ones who pay the taxes-but only the
taxpayers pay in Washington, for here
the legal residents do not even vote,
locally or nationally.
First High Wheel" Here.
The modern bicycle, which began with
the high wheel, was first introduced in
Washington in 1878, when Charles G. w.
Krauskopf brought his machine to Wash
ington which, however, 1t now seems was
q thoughtless thing to do, since there
were then but few good streets even in
the downtown part of the city, and to
see wagon stuck in the mud up to
the hub was a common sight, and to
see some merciless driver lashing the
horses under such conditions to make
them pull the wagon out, was one of the
painful sights of rse-drawn vehicles.
However, the streets here were greatly
improved as the use of the bicycle in
creased.
A little more than a decade ago, the
writer, in talking to gentleman con-
nected with a well-known countrywide
organization, referred to the LAW-or,
IN full, the League of American Wheel
men-and, strange to say, the person
with whom he was conversing did not
even recall this notable body of wheel
men, yet the history of that organiza-
ton and the influence exerted by it
meant powerful lot in the building of
good roads in this country long while
before the automobile got its start. 1t
is safe to say that the advent of the
automobile would have been delayed
many years had it not been for the ex-
cellent and early construction work done
through the efforts of the LAW.
This body had its origin in Newport,
R. l., back in 1880, when 100 wheelmen,
representing 81 clubs, met in a skating
rink in that city and organized and
elected the following officers: President,
c. E. Pratt of Boston, vice president, T.
K. Longstreth of Philadelphia; CORE
spending secretary, A. s. Parsons of
Cambridge; recording secretary, j. Frank
Burrell of the Manhattan Club; treas
urer, Hugh L. Willoughby of Saratoga. A
cluding representative from every State
where there was an organized club.
Not only was the LAW the pioneer in
the movement for the present good
roads, but it brought about traffic regu-
lations out of which have grown laws
applied today to the automobile, but
which were unnecessary to the horse
drawn vehicle.
Early Traffic Regulations.
Webb's Digest, which contains about
all the laws the Corporation of Washing
ton needed prior to the introduction of
the bicycle, is silent as to the side Of the
street q vehicle should be driven. No
left-hand turn is provided against:
lights are left to ones own Judgment,
and the driver could cross the street
wherever and whenever he wished 1t
was, indeed, a sort of go-as-you please
proposition Regarding carts, wagons
and drays hired for gain, there were some