The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-21
The YeIoclnede I'm Paris.


public attention in Paris. 1t is to be met
everywhere on our great thoroughfares, NOV
ing rapidly and skilfully through the crowd
OF carriages and foot passengers, and accom-
plishing marvels Of equilibrium under the
guidance of a skilful rider. This rapid and
elegant vehicle Of locomyton has generally
two wheels. The three. wheeled ones, owing
to this third point of support have larger
and more comfortable seat, and have also more
stability, but they move much slower. The
two wheeled velocipede-the classic vehicle
as one may say-excites the most astonishment
Pleasure seekers and men of business all
stop to follow with curious eye this strange
affair, which might be called the democratic
carriage, and which appears to solve the pro-
blem of cheap personal looomotion.
In France, people receive every novelty by
laughing at it, and afterwards they begin to
reflect. The question of velocipedes, after
having passed through the first of these
periods, has entered on the second. This
bold, odd carriage has already taken the right
of citizen among us. 1t has its special
manufacturers its professors, and its enthusi-
astc practitioners. 1t is even used for betting
purposes VelOcipede race courses, with prize
and crowns, have been instituted at Vesinet,
and at the Hippodrome. Velocipedes (abbre-
waited veloces) to run upon the turf like the
horses of our sportsmen. If these courses
have not been instituted for the physical anne
Iteration of the human race, they have amuse-
ment and diversion for an object, which is
something.
Paris, however, has not the exclusive priv.
lege of this new machine; it has invaded the
provinces. There is not city in our depart
ments in which the veOcipede may not be
Seen. In short, it is in possession of a verita-
BILE fashion or world of its own. This may
not be thought much at present, its only
object being amusement; but as soon as GER
al
1T enter upon more important phase.
This is not the first time tie velocipsde has
made its appearance in France. Invented in
lSOS, it was attempted to naturalize it in Paris.
Public experiments were made with it in the
Jardin du Luxembourg, but met with no sue
cess. 1t was mounted on very low wheels,
and the rider had to support himself by placing
his feet directly on the ground. Such me-
chanism was rudimentary, and failed COM
pletely, and it is only in caricatures, those
archives of ridicule in our country, that We
can find any traces of the experiments made
in the garden of the Luxembourg in 1908.
Forgotten for more than twenty years, the
velocipede reappeared in $780, At this time
a public functionary, NJ. Dreuze, perfected the
machine of 1908. He secured the riders point
of support upon the axletree of the two wheels
instead of the ground, and created thus the
actual velocipede. M. Dreuze, who belonged
to the administration of post offices, formed
the excellent idea of proposing this machine
for the use of rural postmen, to whom, he
argued, it woald be of great avail in the mat
ter of speed and promptness, and at the same
time causing them much less fatigue.
M. Creuze's plan was adopted, but unfor-
tunately at this time winter set in, aud velo-
cipede locomotion presented some difficulties;
the wheels slipped about on the hard snow
without advancing. One would have said
that it was only necessary to iron the wheels,
or suspend the use of the velocipede during
the winter. Government fonnd it the easiest
way to suspend their use entirely.
The same vehicle appeared some years after,
under another form-a little carriage upon
three wheels and propelled by the hands of
the rider. This machine did not succeed on
account of the difficulty in guiding it aud the
fatigue it caused the guider. 1t is in fact well
known that the muscles of the legs can be
exercised much longer than those OF the arms.
| In all good velocipedes the action of the arms
| is merely complimentary to that Of the legs.
We describe in our "Ann6e Soientifque"
| for 1860 a machine called the dpotrope, in
| vented by an old naval officer, M. SalIcis-a
| machine that seemed to be a first step, in a
practical way, in the construction of these
vehicles. Weights attached to the wheels
| lightened the muscular movements of the
! rider. The solution of the problem was sats-
| factory, and it is to be- regretted that little
attention was paid to this machine. A few
| improvements would have suficed to render
| it of certain utility.
We have helped resurrect the velocipede OF
| $780, invented by Dreuze-that is, the veloci-
pede of two wheels, with the point of support on
| the wheels, and propelled by the arms of the
rider. The indications are that this time the
movement is in earnest, and will lead to i'm
portant results. One cannot doubt this in view
of the interest which this attempt excites, and
| of the continually increasing number Of its
| proselytes.
We should be careful, however, not to over
| estimate the real merits of the velocipede, nor
| cry victory before victory is reached. Such
| as it is this vehicle can be of great use to pr-
vate individuals for rapid travelling upon
good roads; but this, at present, is the only
way in which it cen be of use. Some think
it may be made available for postmen and
the runners of telegraph offices in the ooun-
| try. The idea is an excellent one, but II
| they consider the bad condition of our country
roads during bad seasons OF the year, they
will agree with us that before this use of the
velocipede eau be made practicable it will be
necessary to make such improvements in it as
will allow of its travelling through all seasons
and upon all roads. To place the velocpede,
as now constructed, at the disposal OF our
country postmen and telegraph runners,
would be a very unfortunate movement, as il
would only result, as in $780, in replupging
this power into the limbo of forgetfulness
Too great haste often destroys the best pro.
jects. Let us, then, perfect this machine be-
fore speculating upon its use. Let us moi
gather the fruit while it is yet green, that We
may not be obliged to throw it away after