Evening star., 1946-06-30
Fifty Years Ago

WIG Auct PeISOu 10 flQe bicycle In
American" The Star for
First Bicycle June IL, 1896, quoting
Rider the Cincinnati CONNER
cial Gazette, said: THE
first man to introduce bicycle In this
country was Thomas Lawford, who came
to this country in 1870 as British Vice
Consul. Mr.. Lawford died in Virginia
last year, aged SO years. - He induced
a firm Of wheel manufacturers at Gov.
entry, England, to send an exhibit to
this country for the Philadelphia expo
sition, and he took charge Of 1t during
the centennial. At the close of the big
show he took the exhibit to Baltimore
and established there the first bicycle
agency in this country. Mr.. Law
ford, Notwithstanding his advanced
years, rode tricycle. himself and he was
the first to run the machines In this
country. His appearance on the street
invariably created sensation, and he,
always was followed by crowds Of chill
dren who greatly admired his perform
ance.'
True love never does run smooth. In
illustration Of that ancient axiom The
Star of June 16. 1896,
III-Storred told how Miss (Kate)
Romance Fields death recalls a
story of her youth
that was first given publicity in the
Worlds Congress of Journalists in 1893
and may contain the secret Of her
never having married. : In the be-
ginning Of her journalistic career Miss
Field worked on the Cincinnati Com
mercial in collaboration with Whitelaw
Reid, who was at that time her ac-
cepted lover. When Reid became an
editorial writer on the New York Trib-
une he sent for his old sweetheart to
come and take position on the paper.
Until the defeat Of Horace Greeley for
the presidency the pleasant relations
between Mr.. Reid and Miss Field con-
tinued. When Greely returned to his
old desk, defeated and broken-hearted,
the stock of the Tribune was put upon
the market at very low price. BY the
advice of Mr.. Reid a majority Of the
stock was purchased by D. o. Mills, and
Reid was given full control Of the
paper AS result of the relations thus
established Whitelaw Reid married Miss
Elizabeth Mills, the daughter of D. O..
Mills, and became the owner Of q ma
jority of the stock of the Tribune. When
the news of the engagement Of Mr..
Reid to Miss Mills became known, Kate
Fields severed her connection with the
Tribune and left the Office, never to
enter 1t again"
The expectation that William McKin-
ley of Ohio would be the candidate Of
the Republican
"Gentlemon" ond party was full
"Patriot" Nominated Allied when a
telegram to
The Star Of June l8, 1896, disclosed that
he had been nominated by the conven-
ton at St. Louis on the first ballot. One
of his sponsors expressed his enthusiasm
in these words: ION behalf Of those
stalwart workmen and all the vast
army Of American toilers. that their
employment may be certain, their wages
Just, their dollars the best of the civil
lied world; on behalf Of that dismantled
chimney and the deserted factory at
its base, that the furnaces may once
more fame, the mighty wheels revolve.
the whistles scream, the anvils ring,
the spindles hum; on behalf Of the thou
sand cottages round about and all
the humble homes Of this broad land,
that comfort and contentment may
again abide, the tiresides glow, the
women sing, the children laugh; yes.
and on behalf of that American nag
and all it stands for and represents. for
the honor Of every stripe. the glory Of
every star, that its power may fill the
earth and its splendor span the sky, I
ask the nomination of that loyal Ameri-
can, that Christian gentleman. soldier.
statesman, patriot, William Mckinley" ="
: How could anybody hold back after such
an appeal? Nobody did.
A lengthy article in The Star of June
81, 1896, told of the finding of IAN old
and rare book" dated
Washington 1885 and bearing the
lnl835 title: "A Full Directory
for washington City,
Georgetown and Alexandria" Senators
listed in 1t included: Daniel Webster,
John Q. Calhoun, John Tyler, william
.