Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-08-16

WHO RIDE THEG
The rapid growth of bicycling in Washington
is astonishing. 1t was only few years ago
that a wheel skimming over our smooth asphalt
streets was regarded as IA great novelty. and its
rider too lazy to walk and too INDECENT
to own horse. The pioneers OF cycling here
had many pTejudices to overcome. Business
hen thought it too tTfling Tor grown people to
indulge in. dangerous to foot passengers and
apt to cause innumerable runaways by frighten-
ing horses The ladies' were the first champions
OF the riders admiring the graceful and exhi-
Grating motion. Grown men who at first were
inclined to poke fun at the riders were soon
brought to acknowledge that as sport bieyc-
ling is unsurpassed, giving genuine solid enjoy
ment, with the most beneficial effects upon the
system. and as convenience unequaled. So
thorough has the revolution of sentiment been
that the only obstacles to uninterrupted riding
are the small boy aud the ladies'. The former is
ever really to discOacert a wheelman. by plant
Ing himself directly in the road leaving the
rider entirely ignorant which way he (the boy)
will jump until the last moment. Sometimes
he is even more aggressive. and has been known
to lie down directly in front of the wheel and
let 1t pass over him, just to see a header"
THE LADIES
8Orry the riders because they rarely see any,
Thing that is coming when they are crossing a
street until it is close upon them, aud then they
go first in one direction and then in another BIZ
eyclers say that if foot passengers would con-
finue their course without Stacking or hurrying
the danger Of collision would be- greatly lessened
There Is lurking suspicion in the minds of
some that many of the riders are very careless
and reck!eSs, caring but little whether they
knock person down or not notwithstanding
the fact that collision is much more danger
Gus to the man on the wheel than to the person
ON the ground. and that the former is ALWAYS on
the lockout. He may sound bis warming bell
but this is not intended as an order TO clear the
way. but simply notice Of his approach, so that
the foot passenger may not be startled when the
silent stced fits by him. On the whole there is
very friendly feeling shown by the public to
the wheelmen, and Washington is well ieserv-
ing of the title OF the ''bicyclers' para
disc In no city in the world are
the streets so smooth and broad Other cities
may and 90 possess much better suburban roads,
but they do not offer such facilities in the city
limits that Washington does Bicycling is not
INDUCED in here as a sport exclusively. when
the rider dOns his uniform only for spin in the
evening, but every day. men of business can be
seen darting here and there on their machines
attending to matters which call them from one
place To another. at the same time saving much
Valuable time and gaining incalcuable benefits
from the exercise. From inquiries among old
riders IT is learned that riding through the
severe exercise as walking the same distance.
but that it Is much more beneficial. from the
fact that the eXertion. instead of being confined
to the legs, is uniformly distributed throughout
the whole muscular system One set OF muscles
i not called upon to do the whole work while
the Fest are inactive In riding every part has
Its duty to perfOrm-tcet legs. hands. arms.
back. shoulders, chest. and even the brain. for a
rider has To think quickly when he gets pOcketed
and must act at once.
THE ORIGIN or THE BICYCLE.
The bicycle is the result of a lone-continued
effort To solve the problem of how to move over
the greater distance in the shortest time with
the least expenditure of energy and with the
least Inconvenience and expense. TheveIocipede
or perambulatOr with three wheels is over a
hundred years old. but the bicycle in its COM
plete form has existed but a comparatively few
Years Baron Won Driis of GERMANY was the
first to discard wheel and to originate q rudi-
nPDtary bicycle This was in 1915 Or 1916. 1t
was Very crude vehicle" there being no crank
propulsion. Ii consisted ot two wheels ofabOut
equal SIC. one before the other. connected by a
lar. with handles for guiding the one i'm front
The rider sat astride the bar his feet resting on
The ground. and propelled the continuance up
grade or on a level with his feet. Various i'm
prOVeIEtutS were made At different times one of
them in this country in 1919. but they were but
Slight. 1.-TWO Frcnchmen named Woirn and
lecOndr in 1855 made velOcipcie to be
propelled by foot crankS on the front
wheel. but there were two hind wheels
Pierre Iallement a French mechanic
almost immediately discovered that foot cranks
ou!d work on machine with only two wheels
lie made a twO-wheelcd veocipede IN the shop
v here he worked. and succeeded in riding it
and it was exhibited at the Paris exhibition of
1St5. In 1856 he came to America and was in
Gucrd by an Observant- Yankee to take out a
patent 1"r his yeocipede but it created but little
interest In France. however. many improve
ments were made upon it from time to time
ana 1t gradually grew very popular abroad.
America caught the fever in 1869 and the yelOc-
pede was the rage for a short time MANY of
The riders Of the present day caught the mania
AMI dii their best to utilize the machine but it
called for too much eXertiOn on the road and
vas only suited Tor plaything.
AN OLD BICYCLE COURSE.
At the park on 9TH street near the Boundary.
there plank roadway built and visitors
were allowed to Tide around for SO much an
hour. But people soon tired of it here as they
did in ether cities. and in less than two years
one could not be seen or found except in O
junk shop. II was not entirely cast aside abroad
however. AMI improvements were made in DO tn
England and France. The only contribution
made tE America IL the final cOmpiet of the
bicycle IN is present form was the suggestion
al Il rdnHer tire. matl, by &. h. Bradford. The
rear wheel was made much smaller and the
I.tpT placed 1re directly over the driving
Wheel The suspension wheel and anti-frIction
BEARINGS were added by an Englishman. and the
machine made Of steel instead Of wood
Perhaps the ball bearings are more to be ad-
mired than any single part of the bicycle. In
t1ead OF allowing the axle to slide around in its
bearings hard steel balls are introduced so
that the PARTS pressed together Tul, over and
10 not slide upon one another. The friction
j. thus grgatly leSSencd. When one steps on a
boys marble lie realizes the difference between
tie rolling and Sliding movement The
wear is inconceiyably small so small that In
travelling the distance to the moon the balls
would lose only little over one-th;rty-fourth
q Their weight.
The real bicycle grew in popularity in both
England and France. Int did rot make its ap-
reaTance in its tull strength and giOry in this
country until 1876. when il was exhibited al
the Centennial. IL was looked az and admired
only. until lo11.when a young lawyer Of Boston
In search Of lost health became the pioneer rider
Of Massachusetts,.
TIE FIRST WASHINGTON RIDER
was Cnas G.. W. krau5Aropf. In 1873 he OBJ.
tain"d q machine from the British vice consul al
baltimore. who imported the ''Ariels," with
double spOkos and forty-Sx inch wheel Kraus-
hrouf created great deal of interest as he
glided about the streets on his swiftly moving
wheel. and was the object OF good deal OF
cAa1in@ ard joking. 1t was but short time
however. before other Young Neutrality-suspicious.
were Infatuated with the vehicle W hich seemed
almost endowed with life. aHd krauskr0pf soon
Lad com! -gy. F. G. Wood Max Haneuanu r