St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-04


ciple.
The Rider Pushes the Button
and Electricity Does the
Rest.
The Most Timid Tourists Can
Now Conquer High Alpine
Peaks.
mechanical in
genuity many Won
SEM "A derful things have
|. |. .
~ LETh "a already been ere
%5 ~ Ss&S M ated in cycle ma
I'll \&1S,L ~ chinery and we are
a @9A ~ far from seeing the
El kS2sSES&3 end of the craze.
@3A1t9j HESa YEA for there has never
NE ri hha VA been time so pro-
k&E iHT\I SSA life III new devices
"a JNN h Ma for SeiI-l0cOm0tiOn
81 STkA Wa las the present.
IA U1 : ia Every day brings
@ MiRH y la out new surprises;
M NAD Il M Inventions and i'm
"a VIM r k5 prOVem6ntS sue
III V III ceed each other SO
S&A M% rapidly that the
4EzsFSsEz cycliSt remains un
decided between the machine of last
week and the one advertised for tom0r-
row. He asks himself if it would not be
better. upon the whole, to await his six
teeHth year and purchase the machine
little more perfect that the future re-
serves for us, instead Of selling every
year Il cycle-at loSS-that seemed,
when purchased. to combine all the lat
est improvements. The latest craze in
wheeling "contraptionS" is morally GER
tain to be in second hand dealers shop
inside year from the time it was pur-
chased as the best and most improved
type.
In fact, nothing seems impossible,
saws the Chicago Times, TO the progress
i've cycling industry. 1t had scarcely
introduced the solid rubber tire when
still better one was demanded. The
hollow tire was produced. and that did
not suffice; the pneumatic was invent
ed. NOW new pneumatic inventions
are upon every corner as thick as drug
stores, and if one desires to see bicycle
dealer turn pale and support himself
against 5000 machine it is only nectS-
Sarv to whisper in his ear thai some one
has invented new ''Dneumatlc."
But elliptic spr0cket wheels, multiple
cation speed gear chains, and half-slZe
ordinares must give way 10 the latest
notwithstanding cycle, cycle al
legged to have been invented in Ger
many.
\ new company with capital of 460,-
600 marks (one-fourth paid in), will i'll
troduce new patented cycle called the
"tranSpikcycle," for scaling the highest
mountains aud the most abrupt grades.
Its iron tracks, it is promised, Will soon
be laid upon every side Of the celebrated
peaks Of Switzerland. The new com
pany believes that mountain climbing
on the ordinary cycles would not be
practicable Tor ninety-nine out of 100
tourists. no matter how well trained
they might be, and, moreover, that
these aScenSiOns, if they were possible,
would tempt an infinite number OF traV-
elprs, hence the tranSpikcycle'S lnVen-
lion.
The cycle system is something like
the ratchet OF inclined railways now in
nperation in switzerland, on Mount
Washington, at Pixies Peak, and many
other places. The new cycles have
toothed wheels engaging III il toothed
rail carving an electric current. a
safety brake prevents dangerous falls or
ranid descentS. The electric energy rs
to be generated at station SAID to be
already building, which will make use
of the waterfall of Wanderwald, sta
ated about One-quarter OF the way up
the mountain at a famous point on the
Alps.
Bv very ingenious arrangement
each slot in the iron rail fits necessarily
every tooth in the cycle fell0eS, the rail-
acting like an electro-magnet. In this
wav the gear is operated almost
without any expenditure OF force
Oh the part Of the cycllst, VINO, 10y
means of the pedals, controls the elcc-
tric current, and, therefore, the speed
of the ascent.
the safety brake is also ma gnetized and
can be applied with lightnlng-like rap
idItv at the will Of the traveller, either
t0slop or TO preserve his equilibrium.
Thanks to this brake, to fall Is an I'M
possibility, and tourists OF both sexes
can throw themselves upon the steep
est grades, into the narrOWeSt passes,
and skim along the edges of the dlzzlesJ
ADVISES, even if they have never before
bestrode a machine.
One can understand what Il source Of
n0Werful emotions the tranSplKcycie
might prove to persons little blaSe,
who seek for something new at any
price-anvthing which will carry them
over the weak attractions that are fur
nshed by the theaters, the primrose
paths of gentle dalliance. the seaSh0re,
and other conventional forms OF social
recreation.
The inventors of the transpikcycle are
certainly endowed with an ingenious
spirit of observation. Modern philoso-
pliers. they have presented their inven-
ton admirably. There Is little doubt
that they will soon realize large profits,
for though the transpikcycle may at
first seem rather embarrassing under
taking, once its real delights become
generally known Alpine clubs will null
Iiply, and foot climbing, with its attend
ant Inconvenience and dangers. VIII De
almost entirely superseded by the new
method OF mountain exploration.