The fashionable Horticultural Hall was transformed into a first-class velocipede academy for a limited time. This academy was provided with coat rooms, dressing rooms, and other conveniences; and with seats and accommodations for ladies. Tournaments and races here followed each other in rapid succession.
Among the other popular rinks in Boston, are those of Kimball Brothers, 113 Court Street; Walter Brown, 179 Court Street; Horace M. Sargent, Boylston Hall; Macy & Butler, 90 and 92 Tremont Street; at 334 Washington Street; at Arlington Hall; and at Riddle’s Carriage Repository, Haymarket Square.
The two best and largest rinks in the United States are to be found at Harvard Square, Cambridge. One of them has twelve thousand square feet of floor, and twenty-five good machines. The other, built by Mr. John C. Stiles, is in the form of an amphitheatre, and has a circular course of a little less than an eighth of a mile in length. Only part of the track is under cover. At night, this rink is brilliantly lighted, and the scene is at once novel and inspiring. Scores of riders rush madly after each other at break-neck speed, round and round the arena. We have seen an expert whirl over the course in seventeen seconds, which is nearly as good time as any recorded abroad, and better than any heretofore made in this country. The students of “Old Harvard” crowd these rinks; the billiard halls and other places of resort are deserted, and all are eager votaries of the fascinating art.
“WHERE SHALL WE RIDE?”
But one thing is likely to interfere with the bicycle campaign in our large cities and towns; and that is the difficulty of finding suitable places to ride in. Our latest hobby is already ridden with remarkable fury in the streets, and will continue to be so, by those who make the machine a means of utility. Foot passengers, however, claim the sidewalks as their exclusive rights; and will hardly be pleased to feel in perpetual terror of—
Bicycles right of them,
Bicycles left of them,
Bicycles front of them,
Rolling and tumbling;
and those who ride for amusement, are anxiously looking for suitable places, where they can do so without annoyance to passers, or being interfered with by them; where they can see and be seen; and where their skill can be admired.