The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1895-06-15
SCIENTIFIC MATTERS.
USEFUL INFORMATION CONCERNING
SCIENCE AND PROGRESS.

The Cheerful influence of Science
Improvement In the Bicycle-Cut-
ting and Singeing Hair-The Mi
crobe in n New Ro1e-Sc1entifc
Notes.
The best that we gain from the pur-
suit of research is, believe, our char
| acteristic optimism. We are engaged
in achieving results, and results of the
most permanent and enduring quality.
A business man may achieve fort
une; but time will dissipate it. A
statesman may be the savior of a ma
ton; but how long do nations live?
knowledge has no country, belongs to
10 class, but is the might of mankind,
and it is mightier for what each Of us
has done. We have brought our stones,
and they are built into the edifice and
into it's grandeur. My stone is small
one. 1t will certainly be forgotten
that it is mine, nevertheless 1t will re-
main in place.
How different is the pessimism to-
ward which literary men are seen to
tend. Harvard university lost James
Russell Lowell in 1891 and Asa Gray
In 1888. The letters Of both Of these
eminent men have been published.
Lowell's letters grow sad and discour-
aged, and he gives way more and more
to the pessimistic spirit. Gray is op-
| timistic steadily and to the end. The
difference was partly due to natural
| tmperament, but chiefly, I think, to
| the influence of their respective pro-
| fessions. The subject material of the
| literary man is familiar human nature
| and familiar human surroundings and
his task is to express the thoughts
and dreams which these suggest. He
| must compete with the whole past,
with all the genius that has been.
There is nothing new under the sun,
| be eXclaims. But to us it is proverb
temperament, but chiefly, think, to
From The Work of the Naturalist in
| the World, by Prof. G. S. Minot, in
The Popular Science Monthly for May.
Improvement of the Bicycle.
An expert on cycling matters, who
was asked 'How will the bicycle be
improved in future years?" says there
is some ground for believing that the
chainless safety will be the coming
bicycle. Overcoming the friction is
the greatest dificulty in the 1nanufac=
ture of this class of wheel, and many
Of the experiments which have been
made to this end have given encourag-
ing results. There will be improve
ment all around in the construction Of
the bicycle-in the tires, the saddles
and the pedals. Already saddle has
been brought out in France which is
pronounced comfort and a delight
1t is said to enable a wheelman not
only to ride further with less discom-
| Fort and wear and tear, but to add dis
tiactly to his speed. The present sad
| die is barberOus and unscientifc, and
| before long the public will realize the
fact, and demand improvement. The
bicycle makers are 10th to adopt a
new idea, no matter how good it is,
and it is only the pressure of popular
dissatisfaction that will drive them to
| manufacture of a better form of sad
dies. It was SO with the safety frame,
the pneumatic tire, the wood rim and
other improvements. Just now light
| wheels are the fashion, but they are
certain to be dropped later ON. On
| the question of whether cycling is
merely craze or will take per1na-
nent place among the national pas
times, opinion is divided. The author
| ity just mentioned says on this head:
'Of course the cycling craze will die
| out. and the sport remain. Cycling
has backbone and has come to stay;
but it may experience a setback, for
many persons now riding will hardly
| 10 so next year or the year after.
Field athletics, tennis, base ball, roller
skating and many other sports have
all had their boon1s in this country
and cycling now has the time and at
tention of the public" Nevertheless,
cycling is about the most rational an;i
healthful craze that has taken hold of
the people in a generation, and it
bears unmistakable signs of robust
ness and long life.