The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-11-04
CRIpPLEs ON THE WHEEL.
some Ohiosu- who Manage to hide tho
bicycle In Good Shape.

some Ohiosu- who Manage to hide tho
bicycle In Good Shape.
CLEVELAND. Nov. 3.-The cripples Of Cleve-
land have more wheels, according TO n local
dealer, than the cripples Of any other large city
in the world. II know of no other city OF over
300. 900 inhabitants" said he, where bicycle
riding ia so common among lame people rs 1t Is
III Cleveland. In fact, with one or two excep-
tons. | have never seen a cripple upon a bicycle
outside of Cleveland. II ia a common occur
renee to see the lame propelling ~tricycles, where
there is no necessity upon the part of the rider
to balance the machine. To ride a bicycle with
only one lev or one toUs 70 more difficult"
Exact statistics rs TO the number Of cripples
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 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 proportionate-
ly much wider than those Of most cities of over
a quarter Of a million population, and It Is pos
sible that cripples here feel more confidence In
trusting themselves to the streets than they
would in cities where there Is barely room for
one vehicle between street car tracks and curb.
II is also possible that Cleveland cripples are
more courageous on general principles than
those OF other cities.
Every morning and afternoon n lad not over
eighteen rides down and up Euclid avenue to
and from his work. He has two legs, but one OF
them is considerably shorter than IL ought to be.
One foot stops at the height OF the other knee.
From there down he is provided with a wooden
leg. He rests the wooden leg on the support for
~coasting and works the wheel with one leg. He
rides about five miles to his work. IA
There is a man residing upon the west side
who lost one leg while playing railroad on SOM
EN- pity freight cars when a small boy. For sew
eral years he walked with a crutch and without
a wooden leg. When the bicycle was invented
he got n cork leg and learned to walk upon IL In
order that he might ride a wheel. He has sue
ceeded very well. and finds that he can ride the
wheel with little or no trouble. IL Is true that
apputated limb greatly to exercise ii on the iUs
wheel.
Near Sterling avenue. in the wealthy residence
part OF the city. lives a young man who has been
a cripple almost from birth. A deplorabie acct
dent when he was All infant in arms injured
for him TO do so. When the bicycle fever
reached Cleveland he determined to learn to
pranks Of the machine, but now he manages to
hold his own with the most expert riders OF the
il Is Impossible for him to guide the machine so
tnat II WI, run IN a straight line. owing 70 the
way OF tho vehicles In the road.
Ayoung woman who lost, her foot In a rail-
road accident IN New England has learned to
cause OF the stiffness in her instcp. caused by
the artificial foot. Only her most intimate
artificial foot. She is not an advocate Of bloom,
ers. and much prefers a short skirt with buck
In South Cleveland. out Newburgh way, there
Is a wheelman whose leg is stiff at the knee. 4
reaper cut the tendon when he was playing in
his grandfather's hav field, He cannot use that
i iss % On prone Iss the sS wsesl; and Is. Is obligTSdb I'd to carry
leg is very strong. and he rides at
lame rider in Cleveland has attempted. HOB
rapidly on the well limb and pushing the |
wheel before him. he can vault into the saddle
ana what the wheelmen call a
In East Cleveland there arr, two youngsters.
each With deformed leg. who ride tandem.
a twisted left. They mount the machine by |
having some one hold It for them or by backing
and the other vice versa, their inhrmity is on.
set, and they manage the wheel with consider |
able dexterity. They cannot ride a tandem any
The foregoing are merely notable instances OF
cripples who ride the bicycle in this city. Other
men and boys who have been Injured in their
with delight about the streets. The only acct |
dent that has been reported as happening TO a
OF eighteen. who had lost his leg, was riding a
and resting his wooden peg on the coast
Ing step. He was riding much faster than was
in the spOkes OF the wheel. IL threw him viO-
lently, 70 the ground and the machine tumbled
wheel was badly wrecked, many Of the
spokes being torn out and bent. His wooden
leg, however, stood the smash-up beautifully,
perhaps better than a good leg.
IL has been suggested in view OF the many
cripples about this city who ride the bicycle
that "A championship prize be offered al the next
race meeting for the best One-legged
novice IN the country.
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