The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-08-14
HE RODE THE FIRST
NAN WGO STARTLED AMERICA
WITH THE VIKGINAL BICYCLE

MAN VIII NiAhlbbD 6MbhAo6
WITH THE VIEGINAL BICYCLE
His Name is Tyler and Ee Lives in Chicago
How He Bought the Machine and Paid
More for it than He Expected, Getting
the Purchase Money by Giving Exhibi-
ton Rides which were Largely AT
tended-First Bicycle is Born In Circus
Description of the Early Wheel and
uow,, v,s Ridden by the Inventor.
Chicago. Aug. 13.-"I rode the first BIZ
cycle in America. If any other man
claims to have donelso, l would like to
hear from him. but Isdon't believe there
Is such a man."
So says Mr.. John William Iyier OF
No. 81 East Monroe street The pioneer
Of the millions who now fit on wheels
all over this broad continent is a mid
dle-aged man, well built, with dark hair
and eyes. In early life Mr.. Tyler was
a gymnast; he is now a jeweler.
Mr.. Tyler was born IN Danville, Pa,
IN 1850. Ar the age of 10 years he NOV
ed TO WiIkesbarre. Pa Here he ENJOY
ed the wild rapture of seeing circus
The pink lemonade, the sawdust ring,
the tights and Spangles, the ground ana
lofty tlunbling hed 1ndeScrlbaple
charms for him. and fired him with the
ambition of being q. gymnast. He &C
cordingiy became a pupil in gym
nasium which was opened in wilkes
barre by Washington Donaldson, the
Inflated aeronaut who was afterward
drowned, in company with newSpa-
per man. by his balloon falling into
Lake Michigan. One of the first aero
batio arts that Donaldson taught young
Tyler was that of tight rope walking,
and the pupil acquired such proficiency
that July 4. 1866. he gave public ex-
hfbitfon. walking a rope stretched three
stories high across Market street, IN
WiIkesbarre. Soon afterward, how
ever. he gave ND tight rope business,
and was apprenticed to a jeweler.
THE HANLON WHEEL.
During his apprenticeship he was a
reader of the Scientific American, in
which magazine he one day came
across a paragraph which interested him
very much 1t dealt with the i'm
provements made to the hi
cycle. or velocipede, as it was then call
ed. by the brothers Hanlon, who We're
surprising Paris by their exploits on
the new machine. Here is the para
graph. which is illustrated by the pic
ture of a man riding a bicycle 1t is
from the Scientific American of Aug.
10. 1868:
Within few months the vehicle
known as the velocipede has received
an unusual degree of attention, especi-
ally in Paris, it having become in that
city very fashionable and favorite
means of locomotion. To be sure, the
rider works his passage" but the la
Dor is less than walking. the time re-
uuired to traverse certain distance
IS not so much, while the exercise of the
muscles is as healthful and vigorating.
A few years ago these vehicles were
used merely as playthings for children,
and il is only lately that their capabil-
sties i,ave been understood and ack-
nowledged Practice on this machine
has been carried so far that offers Of
comparative trials of speed between
them and horses on the race course
have made.
The engraving represents one used by
the well-known Hanlon brothers in
their public exhibitions, and has only
two wheels. the vehicle being kept in an
upright position while in motion by the
skill of the rider. The poker of propul-
sion is applied by the feet, and the We
hicle is steered by a lever worked by
the hands, which is attached to the
forked supporter of the forward wheel.
The subjects of the Hanlons' patents
are extension or adjustable crankS to
suit the drivers peculiarities, an ex-
tensible seat and it's adaptation to the
use of ladies by making it similar to a
side saddle. The vehicle may have, three
wheels steering wheel in front and
two supporting wheels in the rear Of the
occupant-in this form being better
adapted to the use of women and chill
Iiren and to new. beginners. The seat in
this Improved velocipede is a spring
pre- being supported on flexible steel or
wooden strips and inSuGing ease of mo-
ton. We are told that the capabilities
Of this machine are admirably exhibit
ed by the Hanlon bro thers, some of
their evolutions rivaling in grace and
rapiiity those of the best skaters.
Times have immensely changed since
the foregoing was written. and men
and women and bicycles have changed
with them bicycling is no longer an
accomplishment practically confined to
gymnasts like the Hanlon brothers; its
votaries swarm all over the earth, PEN
strating even the widest deserts, ex-
ploring remote and uncanny districts,
and driving the whole world bicycle
mad from Greenland's ley mountains
to Inda'S coral strand. There is no
talk now of the adaptationof a side
saddle" to the bicycle, as was neces-
sary to suit the genteel notions OF the
ladies Of twenty-Seven years ago; the
new woman. in her boomers, has dis
posed of that question by going boldly
astride her wheel.
The Hanlon patent-the first bicycle
patent to be taken out in America
appears on the register as follows:
e, 65f-George Hanlon, William Han
Ion. Alfred Hanlon and Frederick
Fanlon, New York. y. Y. Veiocipede.-
July Z. iS5S-The seat is made adjust
able on the inclined perch. and the foot
rests on the front axle are also adjust
able lengthwise, so that the apparatus
may be used by either large or small
persons. The rear axle is so arranged
In the forked rear end of the perch
tllat either one or two wheels may be
hung upon it,
Claim-l. The seat F. when secured
upon the end of a spring. 1. and when
adjusted upon the perch. c. substan-
TALLY as described for the purpose set
forth.
,. Thee xtensionc rank.C. on the
front axle, 4, Of the velocipede. when
arranged as described. for the pur-
pose Of making the velocipede adjust
able, as set forth.
tfro DIN
* BroNl0lng the perch or connecting
frame. c. with a forked rearend. for
the purpose of allowing the use of the
wheel. c.. within. or of two wheels, H
n. without the fork as specified.
{. \ velocipede. consisting Of the hi-
furcated perch. c, carving the axles.
Alb. of the front wheel, u. and rear
wheel. G, or wheels, II, Of the adjust
able spring seat, L, and Of the extern
sion cranks. c. on the front axle. all
made and operating as herein shown
and described
WAS FIRST ONE MADE.
At this time the riding of bicycle