The herald., 1893-02-26
A View of the Silent Steed by an
Evident Admirer.
Its Development from q vo1ocipede Into
Its Present Popular Form
and Useful Quail
tiles.
TBY W. M. P.l


trio current, and we fail to grasp the
Significance of this stupendous fact.
We do not realize that this means,
when natural forces are little better
understood, that distance will, in truth,
be annihilated.
Think OF being able to communicate
instantly with friend in any part of
the world, and this without the aid of
the present cumbersome appliances; to
this goal the recent experiments in in
duction point the way. 1t is, also, not
unreasonable to suppose that when this
time comes we ehall see our absent
friend, as we'll as hear his voice, for if
the impression of sound 10 transmittable,
why not that of reflection?
1t is not strange then, that when such
wonderful new inventions pass by un-
noticed, that an old one should be grad
ually perfected, 90 that in it's present
state it is destined to work wonderful
social and economic changes in mundane
affairs, and that such perfection should
fail to attract the attention it deserves.
/ refer to the bicycle, whose pneumatic
tires and frictionless bearings are carry
ing 1t into public favor almost as swiftly,
and certainly as silently as 1t carries its
rider over the asphalt pavement. The
recent Improvements of this. aforetime
toy have now raised it into an article of
almost indispensable utility, for it has
solved the problem OF individual rapid
transit. The electric cars are good, but
If you take car you 60 when you must !;
on your wheel you go when you please.
A few years ago grown man was con-
sidered fool If he rode bicycle--soon
ne will be fool if he don't. Its use is,
even now, becoming so general, and,
where nots possessed, it Is SO generally
desired, that it may justly be called the
youths fancy, the rich mans fad and
the poor mans friend. Before many
years have passed it will be as
necessary to every family as the sewing
machine in fact would be now were its
uses more generally understood. Ask
your friend why he does not ride BIZ
cyle, and he will probably reply, "Too
much work for me-" Tell him he can
ride four or five miles with about the
same expenditure OF exertion he would
put into walking one mile, and that he
can comfortably cover three miles on
the wheel in about the same time he
could walk one mile, and he will prob
ably not believe you, but IL ls neversns-
less true.
As as an amusement bicycle riding is
milder and more refining exercise than
horseback riding, more healthful than
driving, and more fascinating than any
swift motion the ingenuity OF man has
devised. Already the wheel is being
used in some of the eastern cities by
messengers, reporters, collectors, police
c~.I lo+k ax,I fhso suf of
pations is being constantly enlarged. 1t
is no unwonted eight in Washington to
see come sedate congressman or
senator wheeling over the aspai.t
OF Pennsylvania avenue to his
meeting at the capitol; indeed the
Congressional Bicycle club numbers
among its members some names of in
ternational renown.
This silent air.shod vehicle is destined
to make many changes in the art OF
warfare, for already some of the foreign
army departments have organized q
large corps; the French war minister.
in particular, recently placing an order
for 1000 wheels. Our own militia, in
advance of the more conservative regu.
lars, have organized and mounted a
number of bicycle companies, and or
himself soldier of remarkable posi-
bilities, covering far more ground in G
series of days than either infantry o.
cavalryman, making no noise or dust OF
the march, and having no live animal tC
care for or feed at it's close. Genera
Miles is firm believer in the futur,
use of the bicycle for military purposes
and has taken great interest in recen
trials, notably the great relay ride from
Chicago to New York, which took place
few months ago.
Some of the special and distance rec
ords, made by semi-professional wheel
men are startling. Think of propellinl
yourself one mile in l :56 4 s.; five mile
in IL al f; "a miles within the hour; an,
416 miles in "a hours
These feats have all been accom-
plished within the last few months; an
although it is true that these record
were made on prepared tracks, and un
der the most favorable circumstances
the performances on the rord are hardl
less remarkable. The number of bicycl
users is rapidly increasing in this coul
try, and is now estimated to be abou
100000.
We have about 400 riders in Los Al
geles--a very small number considerin
, the magnificent distances" of our cit
and the amount OF bicycle weather ou
climate affords. This number, how
7. ever, is destined to be more than double
; within the next IL months, for there al
now 10 local concerns selling bicycle
and although the price of q frs
class machine ia high, the il
stallment plan brings one will
in the reach OF almost everybod
! 1t is also probable that the price wi
i fall within o year or two, for there OIL
now over 800 American bicycle factorie
whereas five years ago there were n
over a dozen There are also q larj
5 number Of machines imported from En-
s land, but these are subject to hea,
+ duty, 90 that bicycle selling for abo,
500 across the pond is worth $l50 her
after paying tribute to Uncle Sans &c
e nomical tax ideas.
|. So fast is the bicycle becoming an i
dispensable factor in our civilization tn
it is safe to predict that within fi
years there will be as many in use {
our streets as there are horses now,
none but the aged or infirm will allow
horse to drag them around when tn
once experience the delights of prope
ing themselves.
When the electric storage motor
perfected so as to be applied to bicycl
Il and tricycles the horses day Of usef,
ness will be past, and perhaps he W
become an extinct animal, just as