Weekly Trinity journal., 1869-02-20
An Editors First Trial Of the velocipeds


Velocipedes are quite the rage just now in San
Francisco. The reporter of the 7imes, who was
sent recently to make an investigation of their
probability, thus narates his experience with
one of the machines during bis Investigation:
According to previous arrangements, we Wis
tied the Mechanics Pavilion last Tuesday after
noon, for the purpose of gathering information
in regard to an invention Of crazy Frenchman-
a velocipede. Two gentlemen accompanied us
to the scene, and upon our business being made
known to the teachers of the velocipede school,
for which the mammoth pavilion is now used,
we were cordially received, and every facility for
gaining information was given. On being ushered
into the hall we were bewilde:ed and charmed
by seeing men sailing here and there astradle of
a two-wheeied machine. at terrific rate Of
speed, and with apparently no exertion on their
part. We took position near one of the large
columns, and watched the wonderful maneuvers
Of the velocipedestrians, until it seemed that the
velocipedes went of their own accord, and that
all the riders had to do was to set astradle of
their two-wheeled horse and enjoy the exhilara-
ting sport to their hearts content While med
itating upon the scene before US, one of the We
locipede school-masters awoke us from our rev.
erie by slappng US on the shoulder and suggest
ing that " one of those would be splendid thing
for you fellows to hunt items on" The two
friends who had accompanied US to the place
chimed in, and suggested that as velocipedes
'were bound to be all the CO., it stood us in
hand as an items-monger TO make ourself pro-
hcient in the new art of locomotion which was
to revolutionize the world We were finally per-
suaded to visit the ante-room, or stable, where a
dozen or more velocipedes stood chained up
and while viewing them, the argument of the
necessity of our learning to ride was again
forced upon us. We turned around and threw
ourself astfide of handsome machine The
thing rolled back and forth most easily and
filled US with the same delight that we remember
experiencing when we first put on skates. In
voluntarily our hands went to the bottom of our
pockets, and before we were really aware OF what
had transpired, we found ourself out in the spa
cious hail. with coat off, and in the act of mount
ing the machine which we had rented for an
hour. A look behind showed that our friends
| were close at hand to witness the trial. A
wicked eer lighted up their countenances, and
the nervous twitching of the muscles about their
mouths, and the merry twinkle of their eyes,
showed that they expected fun. The many mis-
! giving which filled mind at these demonstra-
| tons were rapidly dispelled by again looking
upon the floor of The hall, and witnessing the
gay scene there being enacted. We vaulted
| upon our velocipede, and with feet dragging
! on either side, we commenced to roll forward at
| a very slow pace, watching, with the delight of
a boy with little wagon, every movement of the
| wonderful vehicle. safe ride of few yards,
with toes touching the ground, together with
the passing Of crowd Of laughing velocipedes-
trians inspired US with confidence that all that
was required to place the feet on the cranks
on either side of the hub of the front Wheel and
| join the merry throng moving around the hall
with such ease and grace. No sooner contem-
plated than accomplished The floor of the hall
in the direction we were going, was of down
grade, and soon we were climbing along at
rapid rate We looked forward to see if there
was any obstacle to be passed. That look fixed
US. The treacherous front wheel of the machine
turned quarter round, and, not being constructed
to go in that manner, the velocipede stopped
and laid down. We continued on for short
distance, until at last the friction of our nose
upon the floor brought US to a dead hault. Our
| new beaver continued on several yards further,
when, after turning several short corners it too
came to halt. We arose serenely, and after
rubbing our shins and feeling the amount of
damage caused by using our nose as brake, we
calmly viewed the situation. Things wore the
aspect of smash up. coarse laugh from a
crowd of spectators who had gathered around
our friends, grated harshly upon our ears. Half
of the ill-bred loafers were bent forward with
their hands upon their knees, in which attitude
| they remained and +" ha had until tears rolled
down their cheeks. crowd of ladies in the
gallery (whom we had not noticed before) at
tracted our attention by delightful little
snicker which they INDUCED in, much to our
discontinue. Picking up our hat and veloci-
pede, we must say we had misgivings about
mounting again.. A reverend doctor and a little
boy came riding by, and, giving us few words
of encouragement, we took heart and again
| strded our machine. This time we used more
caution and went slow. Several times that front
wheel turned, but we put our feet down and pre-
vented fall. We puttered along for full half
hour in this careful manner, and haG the exquis-
lite pleasure of seeing other green ones come out
and go over their machine as we had These
scenes are very laughable to the spectators, but
are very mortifying to the actors. Once we got
to going at an admirable gait on the down grade
We saw fellow coming from the opposite direc-
| ton, and for the first time tried to make the
velocipede 60 where we wanted it to. 1t went
the other way, however; and the +" coming
man." seeing our dilemma, turned the other
way. So did we, and for the first time In our
life we realized the philosophical problem of the
effect of an irresistible body coming in contact
| with an impenetrable one. Goodness only
knows what would have been the result if we
had not glanced off. Talk about railroad disas.
ters-they ''ain'ta a circumstance" If we were
wrecked by the first fall, this collision produced
almost an annihilator of the whole turnouts
| We remembered distinctly of leaving our seat
of having spoke of friends veocipede in
our mouth; OF sundry evolutions before we set
tied in all our parts of our friend telling US to
take our boots off his shirt bosom of feeling
sore in several parts of our body; and of telling
the proprietor that he might take the yeocipede
back, as we thought we would take no more ex-
| ercse until tomorrow. When we go to that
school again, we 60 as spectator. The Yeloci-
pede makes a handsome appearance when ridden
by an expert. There are but few experts
PoPuLArIoN.-The San Francisc Bulletin makes
these figures:
During the past year over 10000 peop,ee Ine
landed at this port by way Of the sea 4o'ooo ooo
came by way of the Isthmus, and over io,ooO ~
| by way of China and japan about zo,ooV BE- az
pie left the State by sea, leaving gam - over.
900. We have no exact data concernius; ,s;rstes
land arrivals and departures the e' denart.
range from 5000 to 10000 arrivals over g., Zoo.
ures. Putting down the hgnres shonld have
which is a moderate estimate we -, snJ ,S;uk the
net net cain of a. 500. We do no. '1,uA ,hn na.s sus
natural increase from births curing 30 ooo ne .p
sr rsar should be put at less than S2,vuv' some
ss,;nstss ssa- exceed these figures. without pre-
a;nr es.,ma to exactness where its Impossible, we
.enung he population of California on the lst OF
Isnnsrv. 1859, was more BY $4,000 than on the
LIST of January, 1858. 81 ss..4,. aa g. s.ss ,.e
=