Evening star., 1943-06-06
BY John Clagett Proctor.

The recent shortage of gasoline in
the Eastern seaboard States, which caused
an unusually critical traffic problem
in Washington for while, undoubtedly
carries the mind of many an old-timer
back to the bicycle and the horse and
buggy days, and before the days of
the. automobile, when old Dobbin did
the pulling and we did the pedaling, and
looked upon the latter as a great sport.
Of course, we of the 10Th century are
not quite as agile as we used to be and
would surely hesitate taking part in
a century run, but we still have fond
memories of our bicycle days and have
not forgotten Daisy Bell':
DAISY, Daisy, giue me your an
slUer, do;
Pn1 hall crazy, all for the lone of you;
1t can't be a stylish marriage,
can't afford carriage,
But you'll look s1Deet upon the seat
OF a bicycle built for taCo."
However, though the bicycle may never
come back into use again to the same
degree as happened to be the case half
a century ago, yet it can be given full
credit for pioneering the way to the
construction of the fine highways of the
present day.
The younger generation who have
come into existence in the last three or
four decades know substantially nothing
of the enthusiasm associated with the
life of the bicycle and tricycle. around
the time of it's peak, about 1884 to 1900,
HI o1, ,N1y 10 he
gan gradually to come into general use.
At first it was the high-wheel bicycle,
and then the safety, and many Of the
most prominent people were soon devo-
tees Of this exhilarating sport.
Back in 1929, go of these veterans of
the wheel, early members OF the Capital
Bicycle Club, met around the festive
of hill climbing, century runs, and H. S.
Ovens famous birthday rum" in the
days Of the high wheel, when the route
led through alleys and over all kinds of
rough roads-when many would start
and few would finish, and those who did
would usually wind up at Meridian Hill
after climbing the steep grade to the
standpipe, then part of the Districts
water system.
Among those who attended this BAN
quet, and whose names, no doubt, are
still familiar. were: W. Spencer Arm
strong, A. Barry Bacon, Clarence M.
Barrick, J. Allen Boteler, Walter E.
Burleigh. Edward N. Burns, Appleton P.
Clark, jr.; Herman j. Clark, Myer Cohen,
Benjamin F. Cole, Wallace F. Crossman
William W. Dodge, Abner F. Dunning-
ton, George E. Fleming, De Lancey w.
Gill. Herbert A. Gill, A. P. Greeley,
James H. Harper, Dr. Lee Barban,
Alfred J. Henry, DR.. Garnett Il.
Hills, Dr. J. Bartlett Hills, DR.. Le-
land o. Howard, Robert C. Howard,
c. B. Hunt, Thomas j. Johnston,
Robert " La Dow, jr; Samuel E. Lewis,
John T. Loomis, Gideon A Lyon, Arthur
S. Mattingly. William P. Mayheld, A. S.
Mccoy, William S. Minnix. S. Preston
Moses, jr: Ballard N. Norris, Frank H.
pc'~"Ge. Jesse D. Prosise. George F.
Rucff, John T Schaaff, William E.
s~}cenborn, William T. Stockett, Henry
A. willard, I'd: John L. Writ and DR..
V-il2.am D. Writ.
Mex Eansnann was the only charter
mer1ber Of the club present, the Owen
brothers, Herbert S. and Frederick D.,
being in Florida for the latter's health.
Prominent Cyclists.
There were many prominent and dis
tinguisfled people who rode the bicycle
in the early days. Tie writer recalls,
in addition to those mentioned, Charles
D. Walcott later secretary Of the Smith
sonian Inst;tution 3 H. Warner, Com
missioner Truesdell, Assistant Secretary
of State Adee, the late Rudolph Kauff-
mann and an indefinite number of others
equally as important.
When the League of American Wheel
men met here in 1884 il was the Capital
Bicycle Club and the Washington Bicycle
Club that met the visitors at the station
and escorted them to their respective
quarters, entertaining them throughout
their stay in the city. Of this The Star
says:
The Capital Club arranged a series
OF runs for the visitors Yesterday, which
were greatly enjoyed. At clock in the