The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-01-16

The Human wheel and It's Rival
The Vsloclpede Mania.
o Wendell. f Hon q: ss = ss. 1.s's,.
.besf the Aaantie Monthly, publishsd a srsiols
ea9tlsd, N'The Human Wheel. il Spoke and
FNlcee" in which he treated the ct Of waking
ssaaafegous 70 the movement Of The whssl: the
legs being the spokss, and the feet the fellees.
Had he postponed that humorous and instrue.
tive essay year OF two, he would have founl
hinsslf behind the ags. The Art OF walking il
becoming obsoleta. II il true that few. ike
Weston, who still cling to that mode 81 looomo-
tisa, are stall admired - fossil specimens of an
extinct race of Pedestrians; but for the majority
Of civilized humanity, walking ID ON it's last lsgs
What with our steamboats,, railway carr, horse
cars omnibusss, and last aud least in size Though
not least in Importance, velocipedes, 70 which
category will soon no doubt b added flying ma
chimes, We shall soon ride, sail, swim, or Hy,
wherever We wish to 60; We shall have CEASED
TO walk entirely.
We have land vslocipedss and water vslosi.
pedss; We still lack veloeipsdss for ice and air
navigation. We have velscipsdes with two
wheels, and others with three, and even with
four wheels; but the two-whesled machines
seem to be most in favsr. Il might seem dill
cult at first to learn the manipulation of the two
wheeled species, but it is net 60. We have seen
o..oAAA OooAAo6S SoeAAy ouU pA0a9a0tly, yoUuR ana
old, light and heavy, with equal facility Veloci.
pedestrianism, word coined for the times, il
easier to learn than skating; and is fully equal
to the latter delightful sport in its invigsratiAg
and exhilerating effects.
We lately witnessed an exciting race between
somewhat obese gentleman on the shady side
of forty, and slender boy Of perhaps seventeen
years, who, notwithstanding the descending
ground was in faver of the heavy weight, sue
ceeded in beating his more muscular rival BY
several lengths.
In Paris we learn that the number Of these lit
tie vehicles has increased TO much, that they are
required to carry lamps in the evening. In this
city. although we have heard Of NO police rega-
lation requiring it, young gentlemen may be
seen almost every night riding their velocipedes
on seine of eur avenues, with head lights At
tachsd.
We have also schools for exhibitions and in.
structions. One is announced in another column !;
another, recently opened, 10 conducted by Pear
sail Brothers, No. $50 Broadway, whore on any
week day evening may be seen upward Of . hum
dred and Rfty gsntlsmea-doctors, bankers,
merchants, and representatives from almost every
prsfession-engaged in this training school pre-
psratory to making their appearance upon the
publis streets and fashionable promsnades.-
Some OF them become tolerably expert in q single
evening; others make awkward work of it even
after several nights hard tugging We fire.
quently drsp into this Velocinasium to witness
the novel amusement which the exhibition
always affords. Here are two wsll-kucwa stock
brokers, faded by the excitement of Wall street,
with their coats of, and faces burning with zeal,
gyeating around the room in the most eccentric
manner. Some Of the time they were upright
in the saddle, but more frequently they were en-
gagged in mounting and dismounting their re-
fractory steeds; they looked fatigued, they gave
forth the sign of encouragement; but after an
expert had mounted and raced gracefully around
the room they began to rally for another effort
and seemed to be satisfied that the fault was not
in the machine after all. We believe the young
brokers have since become skillful operators,
The large room is devoted to the instruction of
new beginners, who, when they show sufficient
skill, are promoted to the arena where their
friends can witness and applaud their skill.
We,are informed that gentleman, in New Jer-
sey, lately travelled fifty miles on velocipede in
four and half hours. They are coming rapidly
into demand all over the country. There is a
great call for improvement in these vehicles, by
which their weight can be reduced, and their
speed increased.
We expect some ingenious inventor will soon
bring out vslscipede upon which our ladies
will be able to take their ariugs, and that, to-
without the necessity of any considerable
change in the present style of dress The panier
now so generally worn will serve to cushion the
seat, and by the introduction of shorter dress
with flowing pants, which our ladies, who wish
to enjoy robust exercise, may safely adopt, we
may expect to see parties of both sexes making
their morning visits to the Park mounted upon
graceful veloeipedes. There is evidently to be
q good deal Of fun and excitement on this subject
when spring opens.
Hd'per's Weekly, in it's editorial remarks, after
copying from this paper, ON this subject says:
number of persons in this city and its vicin.
lty are already making use of the velocipede az
4 means of traversng the distance from their
homes to and from their places of business One
gentleman takes his ride of nearly ten miles
tally, and saves time as we'll as enioying
the ride. The Rev. Henry Ward Beecher has
secured two of the American machines, and other
gentlemen, we'll known in the literary and arts
tic world, are possessed of their magic circles.
Youngsters ride down Fifth avenue with their
'chool books strapped in front Of their veleci.
oedes, and expert riders cause crowds of specta-
ors to visit the public squares, which afford ex-
'elsnt tracks for the light wheels to move swiftly
,ver.
The best speed thus far attained is mile in . |
ew seconds less than four minutes. In Paris
he Americans carried off the prizes, as we'll fer
low as fast riding The slow riding is much
he most difficult, it is far easier for the rider
o keep his equilibrium in a rapid ride than
While moving slowly-just as in the case of a |
10Y driving his hoop, the faster it goes the more
lirect is its line. To ride velocipeds we'll ia
much less difficult than to learn to skate. and