The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-11-20
OCEAN WHEELING.
Cycling on the Sad Sea
Waves.
A GREAT SIGHT TO WITNESS.
Colin Thompson Makes Proud Exhi-
biti0n Before Two Hundred
Spectators.

Two hundred people. including the men,
bers of the crews Of the life-saving stations,
stood on the beach near the Cliff House
last Thursday afternoon and witnessed
man ride a bicycle out to sea.
To say the people were astonished is to
put it mildly. although some of them had
been prepared for tie spectacle for several
weeks.
Until the test was made one and all said
that Colin Thompson was a crank and that
in all probability his first attempt TO dem.
onstrate the soundness of his reasoning and
the success of his invention would result in
his death by drowning, and it was to pre-
vent this that the members OF the life-saying
crews were on hand as spectators. but ready
for service.
When 1t is said that Mr.. Thompson rode
a bicycle out to sea it must be explained
that the bicycle was not one of the pneu-
matic-tred. chain-geared, cushon-seated
but bicycle of Mr.. Thompson's own inven-
ton and construction, built 10 run upon the
surface OF the water with all the ease and
almost The rsDiditv with which an ordinary
safety" is propelled along the streets.
For some years the idea has been in the
mind of Mr.. Thompson. who resides on
the corner of Forty-third avenue and the
Cliff House road, that IL would not be i'm
possible TO construct bicycle for use on
water.
About year ago he commenced the work
of construction. assisted by his son Thomas.
lad Is years Of age. The work ON the
novel vehicle was finished few days ago.
and then Dir. Thompson decided TO test its
practicabiiity.
When the machine was all complete and
ready for the trial, Thompson's friends
urged him no. to attempt the experiment OF
riding 1t out to sea.
In vain they argued with the inventor,
and finally, seeing he was determined TO
make the trial. they persuaded him to allow
the crews of the life-saving stations to be
present when the experiment was made.
To this he consented. only stipuating
that nobody should come near his machine
until after it had proved to be failure or
q success.
At the hour fixed for the venture on
Thursday last Mr.. Thompson appeared on
the scene with his sea bicycle, as he calls il,
carefully concealed from view in wagon.
DE took the machine from the wagon, made
one or two adjustments OF the machinery
and then mounting his curious machine he
coolly entered the breakers astride OF it.
For Second or two he seemed to have some
little difficulty in managing his bicycle and
then away he went, straight out toward the
horizon, riding easily and rapidly.
The spectators could hardly credit their
eyesight. They watched Thompson ride
wave after wave. turn this way and that
rode-not sailed, but rode-out OF sight on
the top OF the water.
Will he ever come back" was the query
that one man put to another as they gazed
out over the water where Thorn pson had
ridden his machine.
Thompson soon answered the question,
Tor presently be appeared riding at ease and
steering for the Golden Gate.
In returning he had the tide against him.
but made fair time, and landed safe and
sound at Four Point station in the Presidio,
little out of wind through the unusual ex-
ercise, which lasted about two hours. The
success OF the experiment was put beyond
| question.
The life-saving men say that 1t is the
| greatest thing for life-saving purposes ever
invented. A man riding Oh one of the
| bicycles could bring two people ashore at
| the same time without the slightest incon-
| venieDce. /. will stand more knocking
about in heavy sea than lfeboat
The machine Is double-acting, and when
the lower limbs get tired with working the
pedals the bicyclist can use his hands with
equal effect by connecting chain. It is
steered the same as an ordinary bicycle.
The bottom is composed Of two cigar-sbaped
boards, with the wheel in the center.
1t is a question whether or not Mr.
Thorn pson is the inventor of the sea bicycle.
As to his peculiar machine there can be no
doubt as 20 bis right of discovery, but re-
Gently the Eastern papers contained ex-
tended accounts of a sea bicycle which has
been invented in Europe. The Pittsburg
Dispatch. in commenting upon the European
invention, says:
"a German inventor considers that he
| has at last solved the problem of rapid
| propulsion through water by the aid of mus
cular power. and so great is his belief in the
efficiency OF The aquatic velocipede shown
10 the TWO accompanying views that he has