Bicycling wasn’t just for pleasure.

“John R. Loomis Jr. made a business visit to Thomson’s Mills yesterday, making the journey on a Trojan bicycle. He covered the distance home, seventeen miles, in exactly one hour,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on June 6, 1895.

Elsewhere, a bicyclist argued that he should be allowed to store his wheel at the office during the day, as it did not require structural changes that would be necessary to bring an automobile into the office or special accommodations that would be necessary to bring a horse into the office.

“A Chicago man of independent spirit is to test in court his right to carry a bicycle into his office. … He claims that he has as much right to carry his wheel into his office and keep it there during his day as he has to carry an umbrella, or a valise, or a law book,” The Morning Star reported on June 21, 1895.

In other 19th century bicycling news collected from historic newspapers of the region:

• A Boston company was manufacturing a novel bicycle pedal attachment which William H. Davis of Glens Falls invented, The Morning Star reported on Sept. 4, 1883.

The product could be seen at Davis’ house on Park Street.

“By this device, a hitherto latent force is developed in the upward motion of the foot that enables the rider to attain greater speed and ascend a steep grade with perfect ease,” The Morning Star reported. “The attachment is self-adjusting and will fit any bicycle and is handsomely finished in nickel.”

• “Dr. Banker contemplates an extended trip on his bicycle next week. He will visit Burlington, Plattsburgh and Malone,” The Morning Star reported on June 4, 1895.
• “Miss Bertha Scoville is a guest of her aunt, Mrs. J. T. Crandale, for a few days. Miss Scoville is a graceful bicycle ride and a pleasant acquisition to the group of young ladies and gentlemen who enjoy that exhilarating exercise,” the Lake George correspondent reported in The Morning Star on June 8, 1895.
• “Arrangements have been made for a series of bicycle and foot races on the Warrensburg Fair Ground tonight. Among the wheelmen who will take part are Herbert Parker, Eugene Stevenson, Percy and Richard Whitby and Frank Farrar,” the Warrensburg correspondent reported on June 8, 1895.

Three cyclists entered the one-mile scratch open which Richard Whitby won with a time of two minutes, 44 ¾ seconds, The Morning Star reported on June 9.

Eugene Stevenson came in second and Herbert Parker third.

• “F. S. Davis is among the wheelmen who will set a hot pace on local races during the summer,” The Morning Star reported on June 11, 1895.
• “George Shoudy, Leo Hawkins, and James Garrity, of the Volunteer Bicycle Club, Albany, made a century run (100 miles) last Sunday in nine hours and twenty minutes. They rode from Albany to Saratoga, thence to Northumberland and home by way of Schuylerville,” The Morning Star reported on June 13, 1895.
• “Elmer Robinson came from Albany a few days hence on the wheel. He started at 11:30 A.M. and arrived at The Marion House about 7 P.M. Distance traveled about seventy-seven miles,” the Bolton Landing correspondent reported in The Morning Star on June 19, 1895.

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