Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-29
THE REIGN OF THE BICYCLE.
The Present Passion for the Wheel f.
Not Likely to Die Out.
From the Century.

From the Century.
What may b, called, not improperly, the
bicycle passion has full possession Of sew
eral leading countries of the world. Eng
| land and France, notably those parts OF
them In and about London and Paris, have
been so given over to IT for some time that
a large proportion of their population come
al go on their errands of business or
pleasure ION a wheel" Americans who
have recently travelled abroad have been
astonished at the general use of the bicycle
there, and have been still more astonisned,
on returning to their own country during
the last year, to discover what Roadway
the passion has made here. 1t is said to
be conservative estimate by competent
authorities that during the year now clos
ing quarter of a million bicycles have
been sold in this country, and that the
number of riders approaches million.
There said to be over $1,000 in New
York and its neighborhood, and fully half
that number in and about Boston. The
latter city caught the passion from Europe
some time before New York did, and has
larger proportion Of its population, male and
female, regularly devoted TO il.
Observers of the phenomenon are wonder
Ing whether 1t is merely a passing within,
! or whether it has come to stay" wheth-
er those who have taken 1t up will con-
tinue it after the novelty has worn off, CT
whether they will drop it for the next new
fad that shall come along. There are many
reasons for thinking that its stay will he
permanent. Undoubtedly many of those
who take 1t up because of Its vogue will
tire of it after while. but these will not
constitute a large proportion of the whole
number The great body of riders find in
the bicycle a new pleasure in life, a means
for seeing more of the world a source of
better health through open-air exercise, a
bond of comradeship, a method of rapid
locomotion either for business or pleasure,
and many other enjoyments and advan-
tages which they will not relinqush The
bicycle has. in fact, become q necessary
part of modern life and could not be aban-
doned without turning the social progress
of the world backward. Few who lave
used 1T for a tour through the country
would think for a moment of giving 1t up
and returning to Professionalism instead.
Aside from the eXhilarating joy of riding,
which every bicycle devotee will assure you
is the nearest approach to flying at pres
ent possible to man, there is the opportu-
| nifty of seeing constantly changing land
scape.
The bicycle Is, indeed, the great leveler
1t puts the poor man on a level with the
rich, enabling him to "sing the song of the
open road as freely the millionaire
and to widen his knowledge by visiting the
regions near to or far from his home, OBJ
serving how other men live. He could not
afford railway journey and sojourn in
these places, and he could not walk through
them without firing sufficiently to destroy
in a measure the pleasure which he sought
fifty, even seventy miles of country in a
day without serious fatigue, and with no
expense save his board and lodging. TO
thousands of men and women the longing
| of years to travel a little as soon as they
could afford 1T is thus gratiied, virtually
without limit; for little journey in the
world can be made on every recurring
holiday or vacation.