Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-01-19
aEIoN OF the eIcvcLe.
The Passion Tor che Wheel Not Like
" 20 Die Out.

" 20 Die Out.
What may be called, not improper.
ly, the bicycle passion has full pos.
session Of several leading countries
Of the world. England and France,
notably those parts of them in and
about London and Paris, have been
30 given over to 1t for some time that
alarge proportion Of their population
come and 60 on their errands Of bust.
ness or pleasure ION a wheel"
Americans who have recently trav.
eled abroad have been astonished ut
the general use OF the bicycle there,
and have been still more astonished,
on returning to their own country
during the last year, to discover what
Roadway the passion has made here.
1t Is said to be a conservative esti.
mate by competent authorities that
during the year now closing a quar-
ter Of million bicycles have been
sold in this country, and that the
number Of riders approaches q mil.
lion. There are said to be over 60.
600 in New York and It's neighbor.
hood, aud fully half that number In
and about Boston. The latter city
caught the passion from Europe some
time before New York did, and has
a larger proportion Of Its population,
male and female, regularly devoted to
IL.
Observers Of the phenomenon are
wondering whether II is merely q
passing within, or whether It has
come to stay; whether those who
have taken IL up will continue II after
the novelty has worn of, or whether
they will drop it for the next new fad
that shall come along. There are
many reasons for thinking that its
stay will be permanent. Undoubted.
ly many Of those who take IL up be.
cause OF its vogue will tire OF 1t after
. while, but these will not constitute
a large proportion OF the whole mum.
Der. The great body Of riders find
In the bicycle a new pleasure In life,
. means for seeing more OF the world,
. source Of better health through
open.air exercise, a bond Of comrade.
ship, a method Of rapid locomotion
either for business or pleasure. and
many other enjoyments and advan.
tages which they will not relinquish.
The bicycle has, in fact, become .
necessary purt OF modern life. and
could not be abandoned without turn
ing the social progress OF the world
backward. Few who have used 1t for q
tour through the country would
think for moment Of giving 1t up
and returning to pedestrianism in
stead. Aside from the exhilarating
Joy OF riding, which every bicycle de-
voice will assure you Is the nearest
approach to flying ut present possible
to man, there Is the opportunity Of
seeing a constantly changing land
scape.
The bicycle is indeed the great
leveler. II puts the poor man on q
level with the rich, enabling him ia
'sing the song Of the open road" Of
freely rs the millionaire, and to widen
his knowledge by visiting the regions
near to or far from his home, observ.
ing how other men live. He could
not afford railway journey and SO.
journ in these places, und he could
not walk through them without tir'
ing sufficiently to destroy In u meas
ure the pleasure which he sought
But no can ride through twenty
thirty, fifty even seventy miles o.
country In a day without serious To-
tigue, and with no expense save his
board and lodging. To thousands Of
men and women the longing Of year.
to travel little as soon rs they coulC
afford 1t Is thus gratified, virtually
without limit; for "little journey
In the world" can DO made on every
recurring holiday or vacation.-[The
Century.