Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-10-07
AN ANCiGN! BIKE.
Capt. Robinson Has One Which WAS Bull,
Twenty-ei.ht Years Ago.

Twenty eight Years Ago.
The Davenport Democrat prints
the following interesting account of
a bicycle built in that city 2S years
ago upon the order Of Capt. T. j.
Robinson. Mho still owns it:
"Re:rospectiYe views are some
times unpleasant, and sometimes
very interesting. The cyclists of
this city nave an opportunity to take
one just now that Is decidedly inter-
esting. 1t goes back Just about
twenty-eight years, and that is a
long time when the history If the
wheel is the matter in question.
lit was ust about that long ago
that the bicycle craze Was on here in
good shape. Nelccipedos they called
them. Ia order to be in the swim
Capt. =. j. Robinson. OF Rock Island.
came to Mason d Evans. the pycdc-
cessor of the house of j. l.. Mason.
carriages. and ordered 4 bicycle for
his son. then 4 young man III 3 distant
school.
There were no suggestions Of
high gears. or even Of chains and
sprockets in any form: no bail bear
ings, no diamond frames, no dust
proof boxes, no 16-pound racers, no
search-lights or pneumatic tires in
those days. There was not even 4
| suggestion of solid rubber tire. A
com mon iron tire was gooi enough
then.
This machine was built and
shipped. and. as inspection of it now
shows, it was used. Us weight is in
the neighborhood of 60 pounds. and
when it was built it was considered
a marvel of lightness.
A few days ago Mr.. Mason OBJ
tanned tie old wheel from Capt.
Robinson. and it is in his show VIM
dew. on Fourth street, between
Brady ard Perry streets. row. Mr.
Mason wanted to buy it. but ii is too
valuable Il family relic. and Capt.
Robinson, refuses to part with it.
Besides that it represents 800 OF
hard cash. The price OF the bicycle
has not greatly altered in more than
a quarter CT a century. though half
4 dozen Gevotees OF the wheel who
have tried to ride his antique speci-
men admit that there has been quite
an Improvement in quality.
The wheels look like buggy wheels.
The front wheel is about forty inches
high: ana the rear wheel only few
inches less. There is a back bone
connecting them that would he
heavy enough, If wrought into mod
ern seamless steel tubing. TO support
the weight OF a locomotive. The sad
die is OF generous proportions, and
| Is carried on siDgle-leaf steel
spring. of the same construction as
all ordinary carriage spring. There
is about as much spring in il
rs there is in the bottom OF the bed
OF a lumber wagon. There is nc
chain. The power is applied directly
10 the front wheel. The pedals are
a sight compared with a rat trap,
lightweight pedal of this day, with
its toe-ciip attachment. The coast.
ers are slightly below the level OF
the riders waist, and about the size
and shape of the horns of a Texa;
steer. 1t was evidently feat in
those days to coast aud avoid derail
ment. The bearings are ali parallel
such Is the ordinary buggy ha:
today. Owing to the size Of the
main wheel it took something like
an acre OF ground to turn the thing
around, and evidently speed o.
seven miles an hour was q pretty
fair jog for good rider. In the
light of the modern wheel Of this ad
vanced age. with its vapor lamp
high gear. self-lubricating chain
perfect frictionless bearings, feathe;
weight, its cushiony springiness, aD6
Its beauty, as well as its practica
utility, the old wheel of 1867 is =
sight to behold, and well worth ;
visit