Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1868-12-09
TIE NORTHUMBERLAND IT IS.

The Felocipede seems destined to come
in use in this city, though it will not soon
attain here the vogue it has reached in
France Our streets are too narrow and
crowded, and re have few broad, smooth
qvenpes affordjng the opportunity of en-
0loying it extensively as meaus Of exer
else nd h,lsh. Still it is 50 attractive
and fascinating, developing 50 mach
strength and skill. and afording so great
amusement to the rider, that It's yotaries
and students must become numerous.
The only artistic yelocipedes consist of
two whe lis, the one directly behind the
other, and connected together by light
framework. The fore wheel is usually d
little the higher Of the two. Where great
speed il aimed at, It's diameter may be
made as great as four feet, while that Of
the hind wheel should rarely exceed two
feet and eight or ten inches. In most Of
those that have been seen in this city the
Two Eheels have been pretty nearly equal
with a diameter Of aboUttwo feet and four
inches
The propeliing force is applied thro'
t. lee, which are fixed TO the fore wheel.
The rloer drives himself by the alterna e
action Of his feet upon these treadles. The
motion Of the feet IS not unlike that in
rapid Balajng. The rider sits upon d
little saddle just over the fore part Of the
hind wheel He guides his velocipede by
turning the fore wheel TO either side
This is done By means Of stiff iron rod
which rises from the axle, and has cross
bar at the top that Is held By both hands
Of the rider
The first aot Of the yelooipedo is to keep
vour balance. This IS not unlike the
same operation in skating Il can only
be acquired by practice. The more rapid
the motion, the easier it Is to keep the
machine upright. "A veiocipede contests
IN Paris. prizes have been given to be
s!3gest rider.
With wheels OF small diameter, the
rider stops himself by putting his feet to
the ground. With high wheels he checks
mis- speed with a brake, and descends to
the earth by inchning to one side till the
foot touches. In mounting with high
wheels, askiIlful practitioner starts his v
loApede with pcsh and then springs into
the saddle, as we have watched Richard
0'Gorman mount horse at speed.
The most beautiful velocipedes that we
have seen ha e been French, but several
carriage makers in this city are engaged
in buling them, They promise MA
chimes much superior to any from
Paris. The Hanlous, who have given
yelocipedc exhibitions in New England
profess to have made some improvement S
upon the French structure.
IS there any danger in using this curl
rious app ratus? Experience alone can
tell how much danger there is. A skill
ful rider can guide himself in a crowd OF
persons without running against them
but all riders cannot be skiIIful. On d
smooth course the rate of twelve miles an
hour can easily be made. and with four
foot driving Wheel twenty miles will not
be difficult But that can only be done
upon hard and even surface The
Tough pavements of New York are un
favorable to much speed We know
gentleman who takes exercise with one o
these machines every evening, and goe
from Thirty fifth street to the Battery IL
ten minutes hut he has to wind alb Jut
good deal in search Of suitable roadway
-Ic12 York San.