The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-19

the bicycle afforded. Henry Ward
Beecher also thoroughly believed in the
machine. He purchased two velocipedes
for his sons. and in a lecture expressed
the opinion that in short time thou
sand velocipedes would whirl every
sunday to Plymouth church without
being amenable to the charge of break
ing the third commandment. Clinton
street, Brooklyn. was paved for nearly
a mile with wooden pavement and was
the fashionable velocipede course
brooklyn velocipedists Were permitted
all the privileges I'm Prospect park
granted 20 equestrians. which included
all the bride paths and plazas. They
were also allowed to use the walks in
Washington park. The Brooklyn park
commissioners proposed building In
Prospect park for the use of velociped-
lists wide roadway a mile in length
but, as the craze died out soon after
this scheme was abandoned. There
was also proposed an elevated road
from Harlem and another from Kings
bridge TO the battery. They were to he
30 feet wide and made OF oak planks.
These were 70 rthe use OF business
men in going to and from their homes.
In France in 1S6S-69 the velocipede
was mania with all classes counting
among its fervent partisans princes,
dukes and other titled personages An
Inducements of lessons I'm the art of
riding were to be met at every corner
ana in every journal, and they were
posted Up in all quarters of Paris
Fashion writer's racked their brains for
the contrivance Of suitable veloclpede
costum. Nelocipede hops" and veloci-
Lede masquerades were frequently
given at the different academies. Velo-
ciped clubs were formed and veloclpede
championships contested for at velocl-
pede tournaments. Dramatists intro
duced them In their pieces, and at sew
eral Partisan theaters they played a
prominent part in some OF the more
striking scenes. Students. clerks. gov
eminent employees and peddlers used
the vclocipede, and enterprislng mer-
chants sent messengers about on velo-
cipedes, to which were attached haring
advertisements.
The prince imperial was a skillful
rider. As a birthday present the Prin-
cess Matilda presented him with We
iocipede de luxe. mounted in rosewood
and aluminium bronze. Paris was IN a
perfect state of frenzy with the new
toy and the newspapers called upon
the government TO order n supply 10
save the overworlSed legs of the rural
postman, and of the messengers at
tached to the provincial telegraph bu-
reau. They even advised n limited
number being furnished TO regiments
III NSt ia Accommodating ana Tor COM
municating rapidly with the main body
OF the army. u was suggested that
light cavalry and life boat crews on the
coast should be provided with veIoci-
pedes, by means Of which n more rapid
assembling i'm time OF need might be
effected. Sojourners at the seaside
were to be seen mounted on velocipedes
al all the Norman and Breton watering
places and on the shores Of the Nedit-
cITaneon. In Rome gentlemen prac-
tced In the court yards and rode on the
Piazza di Spagna. Long trips In the
country were taken over the good roads
of Japan, and they were no novelties
in the larger Chinese cities. The vclo-
cipede had brief and rather brilliant
existence, but II answered a most tse-
full purpose, as the direct progenitor OF
the bicycle.