The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-16
THE TINKLE OF THE BELL.
7HE COTNcJL COMMITTEE REFoH1S
An ORDINANCE FAVORABLf.
Tho rutr. of the Road for Bicycles
and other Vehicles Plainly
stated.


nickel-plated. doubie-actiAg bell
Three or four thousand bells linking
everywhere will give the public more
pronounced idea OF the supremacy OF inc
wheel in Richmond than ever before.
The Old bicyclers do not think mnch OF
fhe bell as "A means Of safety TO the pou-
estr.an or himself. but there seemed
public demand for the bell, and in the or
dinance presented 10 the Council by the
League Of Richmond Whcclmen inc b,h
WAS given a place ~ difference TO the
public idea.
THE COUNCILS ACTION.
The committee has rc~irtcd iavorabiy
a bill prepared hoy the Ciy Attorney
with amendments offered by the League
and We will have the bell Bicycle bells
ARC OF every kind. and fashion. ana pr1ce'
from tho little gong with single lever
and SPRING that must bee pressed once LOT
each stroke OF tho gong, 10 the SHINING
domc as big as a door-bcll, which Is dou-
ble-actins and whrs like an alarm clock
with each pressure Of the thumb. ana
then reels back the sound Ike multiplied
slciphhclls when the lever IS released
again.
Everybody must adopt bell Of some
kind. and. bc they musical or discordan'.
they must be capable Of being heard
thirty YARDS distance something Ike
the width Of Broad street
The Council is likely TO adopt the ordl-
nance. 50 look out for the beIIs'
THE ORDINANCE.
The ordinance provides that every per
son over ten years Of age riding n bicycle
or tricycle. must have a ben that can he
heard thirty yards that no one shall ride
on The sidewalk or foOtway of any high
way park. or square. that no rider shall
go faster than eight miles an hour IN
turning "a corner. or ten miles anywhere
else. that no crosswiso or curve riding.
fancy riding and coasting shall be done
that riders shall az al times f@ve
proper control Of their machines. that
wheclmen shall p2ss at the right of We
hcles going IN Inc opposite direction ana
90 the left OF those going in the same d.
fection. that vehicles and horseback M
ers shcn 20 to the right In passing pi-
+ ge'eS that q Vioiation 81 any OF these
provisions shall make the offender hahle
"a 4 fine Of not less than s. or more than
500.
THE GRAVES BILL.
The Graves bicycle bill was before the
Committee Of the House again last week
and they will present on TO the House
very different from tho one first intro
duced The bill is of very little moment
20 the bicyclists of the state. but 1t Is
behind the timos-a hack-numbcr-and
should not become law.
It Is understood that a number Of rep
rcsentativcs Will ask that their counties
be exempted from the bill
STILL INCREASING.
This season will see growth i'm bicy-
cling equal 10. if not far greater. than OF
1885. There IS A marked increase i'm the
use Of the wheel among professional men
fn Richmond. The physicians below MO
die age nearly all use them, and do most
of their night visiting in good weather
a-whecl.
All of the Younger preachers are adopt
Ing them for exercise. and lawyers and
professors who ride are daily growing
more numerous.
The necessity Of p bicycle track leading
Ito the west end is greatly emphasized
just now. when there Is hardly a street
fin that direction passabe for vehicles.
\ little attention TO Grove road, between
The city and the Boulevard. would greatly
paiiate this condition. A bicycle track
is the need of the hour.
THE DECLINOGEAPH.
New inventions continually add TO the
excellence and usefulness of the bicycle
and the comfort of the rider. An APP
paraius which, although not necessary
for speed or comfort adds 10 the com
pletcncss Of an outfit. has been invented
by French engineer NJ. Ramon ne
styles his invention a dcclivograph' us
object r. to announce Ca the rider
whether he is on a level surface. or upon
n grade and at the same time gives
exactly the number OF feet in hundred
ne Is climbing or descending The whole
apparatus consists of two glass tubes in
casod In brass which are graduated IN
inverse sense When ON level surface
two drops of mercury remain at the bot
tom Of the respective tubes; Wheh &C.
scendinr q grade the drop OF mercury I'D
The thho Co the right will move forward
ga he tube. while. when climbing NIL
..,e lube on the loft viii show exactly
how steep Tho grade Is. The apparatus
can be fastened on the handle bar. ana
since it weighs but few ounces. II Will
be a welcome accessory 20 riders OF
progressive turn of mind.
OF course an instrument which VIII
inform the rider that he is on Ill. IS
wholly unnecessary. but 80 Is "A great sat
isfactiou TO know just exactly the grade
Of hli hc has Just mounted.
TIRE FILLED WITH CORK.
\ novel rubber tire has been introduced
- Braun. of Dresdcn GERMANY This
tire Is not pneumatic. and can therefore
not suffer from puncture. 10 is hllec hair
"A
OF the hollow part OF The tiro Is iilled ont
with soft porous rubber. which gives Ike
a sponge. but loses none OF it's elasticity
o. rcsllcucy. the outer sheet Ct rubber
extends into The centre some distance
into the soft rubber which lends hardness
so the tire without interfering with IFS
elasticity. With This tirc there b. no
pumping and Of course no possible escape
OF air. The new tire Is made somewhat
similar 10 the pneumatic its diameter
being tr.nc less than one and cae-haif
inct The weight is bat 4 ounces moro
per pair than that OF pneuinatics having
an inner tube. For road-iacers and hard
street riding this tire rs said TO possess
great ADVANTAGES.
HELPS THE LEGS.
The New York Sun cdiiorially says:
III is as foolish nowadays 10 say the
cycle Is a whim of fashoo as IL would
he 10 say that the other useful agencies
OF loc0mOtiOn, such a. enc cart. the cur
riage or tho railway car, are whims. ~
Is used as a machine Tor travel and for
the transportation OF goods. az well as
for physical exercise and sport. 1t Is or
service 10 the police as also TO the Street
Cleaning Department, and II has been
put to use IN the army. We know from
the number OF cycles that have been made
and sold that there are millions OF wheel
men IN this country. The manufacturing
ef cycles has become one Of our important
mechanical industries, and very large
onauats ef capitA are invested N u