The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1868-12-03
The 1e1ocipede.


fair, it seems destined to come into very
general use throughouNthe country. The
demand every where IS on tiIe increase.
The New York Tribune of the 21st ut,
contains full description of the Veloci-
pede, the methods Of acquiring know
ledge of its management, and various
other facts relating to it. The following
is an extract from the article
ut is the rage in Paris, and at country
chateaux throughout the Empire hosts ana
guests indulge IN velocipede races, instead
Of watching their horses run under the
whip and spur OF weazen-taced and thin
legged jockeys Velocipcdes are used by
French spOrtsmen and by French artists ,
and at several Partisan theaters they play
prominent part in the more striking
scenes on the stage. They are driven by
messengers, peddters, clerks, and school
boys. students drive them, learned limbs
Of the lax exercise their legs upon them
and 1t is said that the c0mposirors employ
ed on Ga'lgAa~t and other journals use
them regularly as means OF locom0tion in
going to and returning from tEieir work
Every ubiquitous adYertisement-be bearer
scuds through the streets on d velocipede
and Cover Inent employees living in the
suburbs all ride the new iron horse. At
night, in every tb0roughfarc, scores of the
graceful vehicles with lighted lanterns
swinging before them may be seen deity
threading their way through the throng
OF carriages, some driving madly toward
the outskirts, some with Illuminated ad
vertisments, borne like banners above
them, gliding swiftly and noiselessly up
and down where the crowd is greatest
and in the daytime hundreds intersecting
the avenues OF the Bols de Boulogne, ana
whiZzing over the smooth pavement OF
the BnuleYards, and the level ways of the
Champs Eylysees. They are queer look
ing affairs, these CetoceS, or clcyckS, as they
are called in Paris, and when score or
more bowl along IN the Sunday race at St.
cloud, Vincennes, and elsewhere, or when
they are driven at neckbreak speed on
the narrow stone parapet at the east side |
of the Seine, aud even down the hundred !
steps Of the Trocadero, their riders all the |
time indalging in gynlastic feats that |
would ssem 20 Ihyl.e certain destruction, !
tue sight is at once novel and inspiring }
a very short time ago one Of the Mich !
and's Paris bicycles was brought to New
York as u model, and three or four firms |
are already engaged in turning out copies |
OF the original The popularity of the
vehicle consists in the position of its two
wheels, which are In the same line, with !
an interval Of from quarter to half an
inch between them. The connecting bar,
on which the saddle is poised, clears the +
front wheel by only one or two inches !
and extends from the perpendicular steer
ing pivot To Il point almost above he rear
hub. Another bar joins the first at its
junction with the pivot rod, and just be-
fore 1t reaches tic rear wheel dIyIdts and
forms two rods, one on each side OF the
wheel, which serve to support what may
called the rear axle. TO the front or
driving wheel are attached two pedals or
cranks on which to place the feet, and by |
which the vehicle is propelled A handle |
working on the pivot rod serves both as a |
balancing pole and tiller, and on some
yelocipedes 1t is made regulate the brake |
which acts upon the rear wheel directly !
under the saddle
The American oel0ce is in many respects
superior to the French model In the first |
place it is lighter, stronger and cheaper.
chickering's, which, thus far, is the best |
yet constructed on this side of the Atlantic
Is made by gauge, just rs sewing machines
and Waltham watches, and Springfield
mnskets are made, So that when any part
wear out OF is broken, it may be replaced
at an hours notice Its bearings are OF
composition or gun-metal, and the reach
or frame Is tubular giving both lightness
and strength. The hub Oh the hind wheel
is pushed with metal, and the axle consti
tues It's own ol-boX 1t differs from the
French g9Joce i'll the arrangement Of the
tlller, which is brought well back, and is
high to allow perfectly up
right position IN riding. The stirrups or
crank pedals are three-sided, with circular
Hanges ut each end, and as they are fl tied
to turn ON the crank pins, the pressure OF
the foot will bring one of the three sides
into position. They are so shaped as to
allow OF the use OF the fore part of the
foot, bringing the anklejoint into play,
relieving he Knee, and rendering propul-
sion much easier than when the shank OF
the foot alone is used, as IN propulling
the French vehicle. The connecting APP |
pardtus differs from that of the French
bicycle III that the saddle-bar serves only |
as Il seat and u brake, anu is not attached
to the rear wheel. BY simple pressure
forward against the tilIer, and backward
pressure against the tai Of the saddle, the
saddle.Sprmgis compressed, and the brake
to II brought firmly down upon
the wheel.
In France the speed attained by tile
reL0c8 under guidance OF an adept average
is from II to Ii miles an hour. An amateur
IS sad to nave accomplished 81 miles in
"A consecutive hours, in race with com
petitor who made 1913 miles in the same
time. On the 21st Of september, accord
ing TO the Par.s journals, party of nine
CGtoce riders left Rouen early in the morn
ing, and arrived in Paris III time for din
ner, having made the 50 miles in eight
hours
Now, there should be not objection to
the two-wheeled yclocipede. 1t costs but /
little to purchase, and still less 10 keep. |
1t does not, like one Zedechias mentioned |
by an old historian, eat carloads of hay, |
with carts horses and drivers as a relish |
Just to amuse Louis de DedOnnaire, or any
other sovereign. 1t does not, like Jeshurun
wax fat and Kick. 1t is easy to handle.
and cannot stand alone, but Is inuepend-
ent Gully with burden on its back. 1t
never "rares up" 1t won't bite 1t needs
no check rein, OF any other unnatural
restraint. Il is Light, aud little, let alone
it will lean loving against the nearest
support. 1t never flies off at Tangent
unless badly managed, and under no cir
cumstances will It Shy at anything. 1t is
not ludI5r is like the young mule, nor
does it like the Morgan colt, cut up in
Iidiculnusly curybanue manner, nor does
it in other ways disgrace the memory OF
It's inventor. In its movements it is all
grace. Its one gait is 20 uniform and
easy, and beautiful to look at, and simple
to ahalyze, that 1t wouid be a shame t.
speak of a trot IN the same breath. When
its driver driveth fuFiously, even as did
Jehu, the son OF NImshi, then there, MAY
be danger to him who obstructs the way
and witt not make room for the flying