The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-18
oR1PP1Es ON THE WHEEL.
Some Ohioans Who Manage to Ride the
Bicycle in Good Shape.

BlCyCl6 IN GOOu SnapSs
From the New York Sun.
Cleveland, Nov. S.-The cripples of
Cleveland have more wheels. according
to a local dealer, than the cripples of any
other large city in the world. 81 know of
no other city of over 100000 inhabitants"
said he, where bicycle riding is so COM
mon among lame people as it is in Cleve-
land. In fact, with one or two excep-
lions, 1 have never seen a cripple upon
a bicycle out Of Cleveland. 1t is a common
occurrence to see the lame propelling tri-
cycles, where there is no necessity upon
the part of the rider to balance the ma
chine. TO ride a bicycle with only one
leg or one foot is more difficult"
Exact statistics as to the number of Grip
pies who ride the wheel in Cleveland are
difficult to ascertain. The reason why the
cripples of Cleveland should be further
advanced in the sport than those of other
cities is also rather hard to comprehend.
| The paYements of this city are not any
better, and perhaps not as smooth, as
| those of several other cities that could be
named. The streets are propOrtionately
much wider than those of most cities of
over a quarter of a million population,
| and it is possible that cripples here feel
| more confidence in trusting themselves to
| there is barely room for one vehicle be-
| tween street car tracks and curb. 1t is
| also possible that Cleveland cripples are
more courageous on general principles
! than those of other cities
Every morning and afternoon a lad not
over is rides down and up Euclid avenue
to and from his work. He has two legs,
! but one of them IS considerably shorter
. than it ought to be. One foot stops at the
hight of the other knee From these down
he is provided with a wooden leg. He rests
the wooden leg on the support for coasttng
and works the wheel with one leg, He
rides about five miles to his work.
There is a man residing upon the west
side who lost one leg while playing rail-
road on some empty freight cars when
| small boy. For several years he walked
| with a crutch and without a wooden leg.
! When the bicycle was invented he got
| cork leg and learned to walk upon il in
| order that he might ride a wheel. He has
! succeeded very well, and finds that he can
ride the wheel with little or no trouble,
| 1t is true that he is not a "scorcher," but
he says it rests his amputated limb great
ly to exercise it on the wheel.
Near Sterling avenue, in the wealthy res
idence part of the city, lives young man
who has been a cripple almost from birth
/ A daplorable accident when he was an in
| FAINT in arms injured both his hips. He can
walk, but it is very hard for him to do So
! When the bicycle fever reached Cleveland
he determined to learn to ride. 1t took him
a long time to overcome the pranks of the
machine. but now he manages to hold his
| own with the most expert riders of the
city, so far as managing wheel is con-
cerned. 1t is impossible for him to guide
the machine so that it will run in a straight
line, owing to the fact of his lameness,
but he can keep out of the way of the We
hicles in the road.
A young woman who lost her foot in a
railroad accident in New England has
| learned to ride. She is obliged to proceed
| very slowly because OF the stiffness in her
| instep, caused by the artificial foot. Only
her most intimate friends are aware of the
| fact that she wears an artificial foot. She
| is not an advocate of boomers and much
| prefers a short skirt with buckshot sewed
| in the bottom.
In South Cleveland, out Newburgh way,
there is a wheelman whose leg is stiff at
the knee A reaper cut the tendon when
he was playing in his grandfathers hay
field. He cannot use that leg to propel the
wheel, and is obliged to carry it on the
coasting step. The other leg is very
strong, and he rides at great speed. He
can do one feat that no other lame rider In
Cleveland has attempted. Hopping rapi-
dly on the well limb and pushing the wheel
before him. he can vault into the saddle
and accomplish what the wheelmen call a
standing mount.
In East Cleveland there are two young
sters, each with a deformed leg who ride
tandem. One of them has a short right
leg and the other a twisted left They
mount the machine by having some one
hold it for them or by backing it against a
fence. As one is lame on one side, and the
other vice versa, their inhrmity is Offset
and they manage the wheel with consider
able dexterity They cannot ride a tan
dem any great distance, as it is too heavy
for them
The foregoing are merely notable in
stances of cripples who ride the bicycle in
this city. Other men and boys who have
been injured in their legs or foot are often
seen pushing their way with delight about
the streets. The only accident that has
been reported as happening to a crippled
rider occurred some time 70. A boy Of
is, who had lost his leg, was riding a
wheel and resting his wooden peg on the
coasting step. He was riding much faster
than was prudent, and the peg slipped of
and caught IN the spokes OF the wheel. II
tire " him violently to the ground, and the
machine tumbled over him and bruised
him considerably. The front wheel was
badly wrecked, many Of the spokes being
torn out and bent. His wooden leg, how
ever, stood the smash-up beautifully, per-
haps better than a. good leg.
| II has been suggested IN View OF the
many crlpples about This city who ride the
bicycle that a championship prize be offer
ed at the next annual race meeting FOR
the best one-legged novice IN the country