Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-10-18
CITY FOR BICYCLISTS.
IN ROCHESTER, N. y, THEY HAVE
THINGS THEIR OWN WAY.

THINGS THEIR OWN WAY.
There Are Over 1000 of Thescsssslssasss
In the Place Business Men Are the
Chief Riders-Aboat 400 Women and
Girls Own Machines.
What strikes the stranger in Rochester
most forcibly from the very moment of his
arrival there is the large number of bicycles
in the streets. His second surprise comes
when be notes the varied sorts of people
who use the machines. Finally he is as
tonished TO see women Of diversified ages
and conditions upon wheels-not half a
dozen or n score Of women, but literally
hundreds Of them. Occasionally one will
meet in Il block more men and women on
bicycles than on foot.
Even in the most crowded business streets
of that busy city three or four bicycles will
pass any given point inside of any quarter
hour of the day and not occasion the least
comment A visitor in Rochester, who re-
Gently stood in Main street, nearly oppo-
site the city hall-as crowded "a spot as any
in the city--counted eleven bicycles inside
Of twenty-five minutes. And this was be-
tween and o'clock in the afternoon,
when traffic was ut its height.
The Rochester bicycist exhibits a degree
of confidence and nerve in the middle of a
street full of cabs, carts, trucks and horse
carts that would paralyze New York wheel
men. He glides along in the middle of the
street, turns out of the way of an approach
ing horse car, ducks under the nose of a
cab horse and gets in the wake of a car.
riage till he sees an opening, when he
skins around to one side, takes long
chance with truck which comes rafting
down side street, and 81, lodging and
turning, squirting and Stacking up, break.
ing over an open or hiding behind cart
he wiggles up or down the street and out
of sight, beating the pedestrians on the
sidewalk and getting much the better of
passengers in the street cars.
BUSINESS MEN RIDE.
The men on most of the bicycles wear no
knickerbockers, flannel shirts or bicycle
caps, and sport no badges or colors. Their
sober business suits, their sedate air, their
preoccupied faces, all show them to he
business men on business bent. 1t is fact
that hundreds Of the most prominent bust
ness men Of Rochester mill owners, brok-
ers, bankers lawyers and wholesale deal
ers in many lines of trade-go to business
in the morning regularly upon bicycles,
and use their wheels constantly during the
day. a walk through any business street
in business hours shows dozens of wheels
upon the sidewalks resting against the
outside walls Of offices.
Oftentimes three or four bicycles will be
seen outside single door, and it is not I'M
common to count a dozen or more wheels
awaiting their riders in a single block.
Their owners are either the proprietors Of
the establishments or business men who
have called there to do business with the
house. They think no more of leaving
their wheels outside than they would of
hitching their horses to posts in the street.
Clerks also use bicycles extensively, and it
is said that nearly all the reporters own
machines and use them In doing their
daily assignments
In the residence quarters of town. also,
it is common to see bicycles standing out
side the doors Of houses. Girls use them
freely and when they run in to have a chat
with friend they leave the steel steeds
outside. A reputable bicycle dealer in
Rochester told the reporter few days ago
that there were Mt least 1900 bicycles in
daily Use in that city, and that n large pro
portion of them belonged TO business men.
He also said that there were a good 400 lady
riders in town
1t is by no means an unusual sight TO see
a few ladies riding cycles in an eastern town
or suburb but it makes an eastern man
rub his eyes TO walk in any well paved resi-
,dence street in Rochester on any pleasant
afternoon. Most of the girls are young,
say from 10 TO l6 years old, but there are
also many whose ages entitle them to be
called young ladies', and occasionally WON
,cn approaching middle age. Sometimes
half n dozen or more will glide rapidly
along the smooth pavement in u merry
group.
GIRLS RIDE FREQUENTLY.
Some are evidently out on errands, from
tho businesslke way they steer straight
and rapid course, but most of the girls are
riding for pleasure, Now and then you
come across pretty group in the middle
of a roadway, several bright faced girls in
airy bicycling costumes, standing and chat
ting gayly while they lean upon their
wheels. The girls seldom if ever venture
upon the business streets. They stick to
the residence avenues, where roads are fine
and smooth and traffic is light. But they
do not lack in skill nevertheless, us is fire.
quently noted when a girl is seen to glide
nimbly out of the way of an approaching
vehicle, or circle in front of n trotting
horse. Rochester horses, by the way, APP
pear to be thoroughly used TO bicycles, and
seem TO fear them no more than they fear
ordinary vehicles.
But the most peculiar feature Of the
bicycle riding there to n man from an
eastern city is TO see bicycles upon the side.
walks. Even country places of some size
in our neighborhood, as Orange, for in.
stance, have laws compelling bicyclsts TO
keep to the roadway, In Rochester there
is more bicycle riding upon the sidewalks
than in the roadways. PEDESTRIANS seem
to think nothing of having big wheel
come gliding noisclessly up behind them,
and whisll past so close that the wind it
makes fans their faces. There is no ordi-
nance regulating the speed of bicycles upon
the sidewalks, but apparently by common
understanding the riders mCye leisurcly.
When they want to speed they turn into
the road.
Police officials say that very few acct
dents result from the universal bicycle
riding. Nearly all riders use wheels of the
safety pattern, and all are skillful in their
management. There are almost no ordi-
nauccs regulating their use and every street
in the entire city is open to them. In small
portions Of five of the most crowded streets
bicyclisss ara prohibited from using the
sidewalks. Otherwise they have things all
their own way.-New York Sun.
.,gu 1looded Veterans.
George and John Waldron, of Wolfboro,
n. IL. nre twins 81 years ofagc. Their great
grandfather was one of the famous Boston
tea party, their grandfather served in the
Revolutionary war, their father command