Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-05-28
THE BICYCLE IN 1898.
How the wheel Nay Look One Hundred
Years From Now.


The bicycle of 1898 will be built on
very much the anne lines as the Safety
OF 1881. e., with two small wheels
very nearly of q size. This was the plan
of the first machine built In 1877, ana
now after a lapse of 76 years we have
come back to the original design. a
machine on this plan a be built
stronger and lighter than on any other
model. With the weight between two
wheels there is less vibration than when
it is over either one Of them, as In pass
ing over an obstruction the weight is
lifted only half the distance In the form
er case that it is in the latter.
Then by the use OF some alloy OF
greater tensile strength, weight Tor
weight, than steel, and by filing the
tires and the tubes In the framing with
hydrogen instead OF air, the weight OF
a road machine will be reduced TO ten
pounds or less, while racing machines
will not weigh half that much. The
machine will also be made so that 1t can
be folded up and carried about or
slowed away in some corner. BY I'M
provements in the construction OF the
bearings Of moving parts friction Will
be almost wholly eliminated, and the
method Of applying power will be so
perfected that there will be absolutely
no such thing as lost power.
The roads will ue prepared especially
for bicycles, the grades being very
slight and In fact only sufficient TO pro-
vide proper drainage. The surface will
be hard and smooth, the outer edge OF
all curves being raised as on a race
track. The roads will be kept clean,
as by that time the horse will be found
only in geological gardens. The I'M
provement in the rider will be equally
marked. From the continued and In
creasing use of the wheel a rage OF
people will be evolved that will take
to cycling as readily as a foreign i'm
migrant does to politics. Taking all
these things into consideration, we
may expect an average speed oil
30 miles an hour on the road and &C
miles an hour on the track. The use OF
the machine will be universal. Chill
dren will be taught to ride as they arc
taught to walk. The suburbs of ouI
great cities will extend from 60 TO loo
miles in every direction. All patent:
will have expired and such large quaint
ties of bicycles will be manufactured
that the cost will be nominal and within
the reach Of all. There will be no more
crowded tenement houses. The artisan
will work only four hours a day, will
live with his family In a cozy little home
in the suburbs where he can see tht
sunshine and breathe the fresh air
The use of the wheel will have improved
the stamina and physique Of the race
that the only cause OF death will be ole
age and accidents.
Railroads will be used for the trans
portation of freight only. Every indi'
vidual will own a bicycle. Those In
tended for long distance travel will be
run by small but powerful storage bat
| teries, which may be charged at auto
matte electric stations by connecting
| the battery TO a dynamo and dropping
coin OF small value In a slot. With ma
| chimes of this character IL will be posi-
| BILE to attain a speed of $50 miles ar
hour, and to overcome the wind pres
| sure they will be fitted with wedge
shaped wind shields made OF some
tough yet transparent substance. Tht
bicycle will not be used In war for th'
simple reason that as dyspepsia Will bt
unknown everybody will feel so wei
and be so good humored and ~disinclineC
! to quarrel that there will be no one II
/ go to war. WILLIAM d. KEMPToN.