The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-14
The HORSE AND THE BICYCLE.
STOCK Rafsers Realize That the whee,
Has Come to Stay.
\ ew York Sun

New York Sun
Inc present prices OF horses OF averare
anu even the better quality are lower than
ever before In the history of the mark,
The business OF horse raising ha. c.assS
10 De profitable, unless IL is confined IN
varieties OF the breed for which there is a
fashionable demand or which are ,iistin-
sulshed for their speed. At the same time
fhefe is falling off In the demand for
carriages.
with very good reason. the horse dealers
attlioute this decline in great part to the
present passion Tor bicycle rialng: and the
use OF electricity and cables for horse trac-
ton on the street railways throughout the
Union mas. OF course very much TO do with
II The horse has been displaced m a
large extent by these new agencies bo.h
as beast OF burden and an animal used
Tor pleasure. The dealers, however. pro-
Tess, and perhaps feel. confidence that the
competition OF the bicycle is due to a
merely passing fancy or hobby They saw
that the passion for bicycle riding is too
violent TO last. and that in the course OF
one or two years the horse will RESUME
ms place in the interest and affections Of
men and women, and the machine will he
laid away as toy CT which people have
grown weary. The diminution of the de-
mand Tor draught horses because OF the
substitution OF electricity for horse poyer
they admit, will continue indefinitely ana
steadily become greater. Here IN New
York, for instance, the time is near al
hand when II will displace horses entirely
from the stree; railways and the same
VIII be the case with the cities and towns
or the Union generally. The experiments
with carriages run by electricity or petro-
leun. which have been made recently in
France. suggest that the horse will have
new competitor not merely IN the cities,
but along country roads and In agricul-
tural operations. AS II is, very fair
horse can be bought for about the price
Of COW. The rare and incontestably SUI
perior beast may fetch about as much a.
ever. but the ordinary horse OF ordinary
and even good breeding Is very cheap.
The use of the bicycle has increased at
a rapid rate during the last year. II
would be safe TO say that there are three
times as many wheelers as there were
last summer. though then the number
was great. Probably there are five times
as many. The level roads IN the neigh
borhood OF New York are crowded with
bicycle riders on Saturday afternoon
more especially. and on all days they are
numerous, and much more numerous
than the people who drive horses for
pleasure. Men who were once accustomed
TO take a drive for recreation when they
reached the country from town, now 10 a
large and increasing extent prefer BIZ
undergone a very perc,ptible diminution.
Neither are they generally young fellows
OF sporting proclivities Very many
OF them are gray-haired men. who de-
clare that they find in wheeling a needed
recreation which driving does not fur
nish. Very many OF them also are wo-
men, old and young. great part Ct the
country girls themselves are now expert
wheelers. and the feminine visitors from
town swell the numbers largely. Doubt
as 20 the propriety OF riding n bicycle
has passed away, for fashion has set Its
stamp OF approval on the practice ana
supplied conspicuous examples or II
which have released the feminine mind
from fear Of offending conventionality by
mounting a bicycle Accordingly. man
and wife. father and daughters. are fire.
auently seen wheeling along me roads
together IN a high state OF enjoyment.
The ambition TO acquire the art OF man
aging the machine, thus stimulated. IS
ratdly extern ling among men and wc-
men both and as II is easily gratined
now that numerous schools for the pre-
urinary instruction have been estab-
JIshed the practice OF bicycle riding IL
increasing faster than At any previous
time since the machine was Introduced
and brought 10 perfection II people can
not AFFORD 10 bay bicycles they hire them
Meantime the use % the bicycle simply
business purposes IS extending CORE
snonfingly II Is in general enjoyment IN
tha country hy messengers, mocha Bics.
professional men. merchants. school
TEACHERS and all persons who Rave long
or considerable distances to 80 In the
,,urs,ift ~ their business Children ride
= 10 school Clerrymen use - even IN
making their pastoral visits. doctors IN
gognv their rour.rs. It's arst cost paid. X
raouires no further expenditure except
sor occa si0naI repairs. II does rot nave
;, - ED IKE a horse, and no tne needs
"a he hired 20 take care az II II ex-
tans~ greatly the region over which car
| nsnters. rnaSons. plumbers or garden
s-s ~sr make their work profitable Ehey
| have all the advantage and none o. the
| sfsaavan.ages involved IN keeping 4
| horse They can make better ilfne NhsH
| he millionaire IN his costly @qu'paee'
| Accordingly. the assumption OF hoi =
| dealers that bicycle riding - mere Tau
| = s-Se-,e~s1 hobby. does not seem &c
/ - Justified Evidently ire y az nine ha'
| ~e-,a - STAY T. usay be hat ia use
| .tu--,t., - snort ard recreation viii d.
| r~s-isA hereafter something eise cornins
| =, - r4plars y in the popular fancy
| -. Aa<,-. that aee1ine sets II, II Z does
| o~~,~ ~, uassfan for bicycle riding ~ii
/ 4n.,b.fesz Fnrrplss and extend greatly
| Nss,.FfY,fes az people yet rematn 20 -
/ s~e-.at ~ f. but as a machine for va
| -sor~ ne a. means ~ necessary frars-
| -or-z.son i. must continue 20 ~ en-
| v,iovrs rs-rangn.iy ~ greater ard great
| - numbers % people Very many -
| .Esr e. IS true nave never been hcrzs
| h.we-s hat he n schine wfil era Die tao5-
sants o, people IN ali parts o, the Union