Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-06-04
The bicycle aud the Nhecscart.

FROM the New York Times.
The bicyclists have evidently prospered during
the last year. The League of American Wheel
men, which met the other day. has now more
than four thousand members, having nearly
doubled its membership since the last annual
meeting. Or THESE four thousand il is estimated
that not more than twenty-five hundred ara
confined to the house by bruises at any one time,
SO that to-day no less than fifteen hundred lfcr-
clists could blow their bugles and fall from their
machines were an order to be issued for a gene
raj parade Of the members of the league.
Ihe annual convention does much for the
Interests of bicyclists. This year the commit
tee on salves and ointments reports in favor OF
the adoption Of a new salve that each member
OF the committee has personally tested and
louhd to'be better than anything OF the kind
YET compounded. Thus bicycllsts are saved
from wasting their money on salyes of little
merit, and are enabled to provide themselves
Win the pest existing remedy for sprains and
bruises. The committee on prophylactics
recommends the adoption OF the Smith head
rest, newly designed aircushion to be worn
on the top OF the head, SO that the bicycUst
after performing the usual somerssult over his
wheei can rest comfortably on his head until he
reels strong enough to remOunt This head-rest.
IL adopted by the league cannot but add greatly
10 the comfort and interest of bicycling besides
arabic from the sport.
Inc report OF the surgeon-general was. as ia
customary, submitted privately to each member
OF the league, and no official COPY has as vet
Deeh made public Its, however known that
the number of pairs OF crutches issued TO menu
bers OF the league this year was but little larger
imam the number issued last year although the
membership of the league has nearly doubled.
Hence we may assume that the surreon-pen-
eral report Is, on the whole. an encouraging
N hat q a
tent.
Prosperous as bicycling is at present
when fifteen hundred men are daily Climbing
on ther wheels, and every accident hospital in
the country has at least one representative of
the league, among its inmates this prosperity
may not last. Bicycling is threatened with a
rival that may Danish Ii as completely as lawn
tennis has banished croquet The new sport
known as "wheel-carting" has just been intro
ouced into this country, and it already has
scores OF enthusiastic devotees Ii affords at
least as much exercise as bicycling and enables
Its deyotees to travel on every ordinary road in
perfect safety. The wheel-carter does not have
W spenu small fortune on surgeons and salves
ana MS machine never leaves him on his head
In the middle OF the road Women can engage
III TINS charming sport on terms Of equality with
men. and there Is no reason why they should be
compelled TO use special and awkward variety
OF wheel-cart. Altogether wheel-carting has so
many advantages over bicycling that n can
hardly fall TO succeed the latter in public favor
Ihe wheel-cart may be briefly described as an
oblong box, with wheel about eighteen inches
In diameter at one end and two handles about
three 1eet long projecting in nearly straight
lines from the bottom Of the box at the other
end. The wheel-carter places himself between
these handles with his face toward the wheel.
He takes one handle in each hand. raises one
END OF the wheel-cart until ii rests only on the
wheel, and then, walking brskIy forward
the WnpPl-rart hafnr Inn
tion required to keep the wheel-cart in motion
Is not much greater than that OF walking
and the average wheel-carter finds no DIFF
hculty in maintaining a speed of four
miles an hour on moderately good road while
for short distances a much greater speed can DO
attained. The sport is absolutely free from dam
ger The wheel-cart never throws the wheel
carter. and in case the wheel strikes an obsta-
Gle over which 1t cannot be driven it simply
comes to stop.
For those who wish to make long or short
journeys the wheel-cart is Just the thing The
box is large enough to- contain a change of
clothing, shelter-tent and a supply of proyi-
sions Indeed, Its oapacltyis practically limited
only by the strength of the wheel-carter. and
men have repeatedly been known to wheel 500
pounds OF bricks on wheel-cart. IL the wheel
carter so desires, he can carry his trunk on his
wheel-cart and thus travel with as much bag
gage as though ne were travelling by rail. Were
the bruised and wearied bicyclst who has ridden.
say, from New York to New Haven on his BIZ
cycle to throw away that treacherous machine
and come back to New York with a wheel-cart.
he would be delighted with the safety and COM
fort which he would obtain. and would never
again under any circumstances be guilty Of
bicycling.
The wheel-cart Is no new invention. II has
been thoroughly tested, and wherever q new
railway embankment is in process of construc-
ton dozens of happy Italians may be seen exer-
cising their muscles and exhilaratIng their
spirits with wheel-carts. These men would
doubtless be glad to Join a National Wheel-cart
League and attend annual conventions and cat
annual suppers. There can be little doubt that
such q league will soon be Organized, and II IL
does not speedily take the place now held by
the Wheelmens League, 1t will be because our
lovers Of athletic sports are willtully blind as
well as lame.