The morning call., 1892-09-29
STEAM INSTEAD OF legs
Cycling Made Easy by a
Tired Young Man,
MIR. BROAD'S GREAT IDEA.
He Gees Gliding Through the Cleaning at
tbs Frightful Rate Of Twenty Miles
en- Hour.

OF late dwellers along the quiet side
streets in the Mission have been startled by
| a series OF sharp, shrill shrieks that made
| the windows rattle. They are accustomed
| to all kinds of noises in that locality, but
| his was something out OF the ordinary.
At first they attributed the racket to a
locomotive that had jumped the track and
| gone prowling through the alleys looking
| for the arms and legs of "drunks" and
reckless small boys.
Sometimes in the morning but usually at
eventide, the blasts broke forth. sounding
like locomotive in the dim distance sig
mailing down brakes or a cow on the track.
But it was Cnly John Broad tearing through
the cleaning at the rate of twenty miles an
hour on his steam tricycle., and it was his
whistling for the right OF way that startled
the neighboTs.
Mr.. Broad is a confirmed cyclst with an
inventive taint in his system. He loves to
spin along the highways of his native city,
but the work OF pumping the pedals was
distaSteful TO him.
What he wanted was exercise without the
expenditure of physical force, and, after
lying awake nights for some time, he hit
upon happy solution of the problem and
evolved his steam tricycle..
The machine is the wonder and envy of
called TO inspect the invention, but Mr.
Broad closes up like a clam when ap-
preached on the subject. He says that
when the proper time comes he will spring
his machine on the market and proceed TO
revOlutionize the cycling world. which is yet
in its infancy.
Mr.. Broad, who is a tall, thin young man,
has peculiar ideas regarding physical devel-
opment, and his invention is the outcome of
his theory on exercise.
For instance" he said, take prize fight
ers. They develop a wealth Of neck found
only in bulls and brewery horses. and which
is not only positive Disagreement, but II
makes them topheavy.
Then take cyclists. Their exercise is all
in the lower eXtremities, which soon become
filled with unsightly gnarls and knots, and
if persisted in the exercise will in time de-
velop pair of legs that look like q double
baTreled cannon"
As Mr.. Broad surveyed his own slender
stems he shuddered visibly at the prospect
OF what they would have come TO had he
persisted In the orthodox style OF bicycling.
From the fleeting glimpses of Mr. Broad's
machlDe as 1t putfs along the pavement the
invention resembles a cross between a
street-roller and -thrasheT, but ii is
much more rapid in lis flight than either.
The inventor crossed the breeds with the
evident Intention of getting more speed out
OF the cOntrlvance, and in which expert
ment the result was most gratifying
The machine Is slightly larger than the
average family tricycle., with small boiler,
water-tank and tender attached 10 the axle.
1t is propelled by dOuble-geared ratchet
chains connected with the hind wheels, ana
with good coal and a smooth track Mr..
Broad can attain the frightful velocity of
twenty miles an hour with little or no exer-
tiOn
A small saddle or seat for the engineer Is
arranged over the tiywheel, and just out Of
reach Of the governor balls, and by touching
a lever Mr.. Broad can transfer his weight to
the safety valve when he wants TO get more
speed out Of the machine.
The Smokestack is fitted with forcedrafts
and a spaTk-arrester, and the inventor is
thinking of adding couple of search
lights.
Instead of the black jersey suit. common
TO wheelmen when out for a spin, Mr.. Broad
wears overalls and greasy, quilted cap like
that OF locomotive or marine engineer.
At first no took a great deal of pleasure
riding about on his novel machine. but now
he is pestered to death by small boys, who
have abandoned their original idea of being
the driver Of sprinkling- cart, and want
job as fireman or coalheaver on the tricycle.
1t appears TO the average wheeman that
mau OF Mr.. BrOad's peculiar temperament
could enjoy all equally eXhilarating form of
sport at less expense by riding up and down
the freightyards en- a switch-engine. But
that's his business.