The San Francisco call., 1896-02-23

ing out the cigarette, so far as wheelmen
are concerned. The deleterious effects of
the cigarette are recognized and wheel
men appreciate the fact that while riding
their lungs are continuously open.
Wheelmen smoke as much as ever,
though, only rider can't keep cigar in
his mouth, and hence cigars have been
thrown overheard, while out touring, and
pipe and tobacco are called into requisi-
ton.
"Bicycie-face? On, that caricature on a
wheelman's supposed anxiety is funny,
and that's all. A health tonic. such as
the wheel, can't be affected by joke
But the horse has stanch champions,
TOO, and they are determined to fight every
inch of the field from which the conquer
ing wheel is slowly but surely, it seems,
driving the noble steed of flesh and blood.
Keepers of livery stables, saddlers, har
ness-dealers carriage e-makers, with few
candid exceptions, refuse 10 admit that the
dullness which hangs about their occupa-
tions and trades is attributable, in a mate
rial degree to the inroads of the bicycle.
Hard times. Lack of money-that's
the thing that hurts u.s." is the common
expression among them.
But" one may venture, "business is
brisk in nearly all other lines. How is it
that hard times stays with you when 9TH
ers have ceased to feel any depression
Sometimes an admission is drawn out to
the effect that perhaps the bicycle is do
ing more than we imagine, but we can't
see it that way"
"The craze reached it's climax last sum-
mer and it will die out gradually" is an
other declaration that is heard nowadays
from horsemen and harness-dealers.
J. C. Johnson, the head OF the firm of
J. c. Johnson & Co., wholesale harness
and saddlery house, believed that the
horse would be more popular than ever
in a year or two. The harness and
live ry- stable business had suffered last
year, but the business was certain to come
back. Soon only people who couldn't
afford to keep horse and carriage would
be seen on bicycles.
People who ride bicycles all the time
are those who cannot afford horse and
buggy" said Mr.. Johnson "Those who
can afford to keep horses and equipages
have bicycles as well. We don't expect
custom from the one, and the other will be
patron anyhow. Some harness-houses
are keeping bicycles for sale. The bicycle
is not permanent thing. The liverymen
have had the hardest tussle with the
bicycle"
And Mr.. Johnson smiled the smile of
confidence and maintained that the wheel
was only temporary innovation.
Charles L. Haskell. one of the leading
retail harness-dealers. was outspoken and
candid in his views. He looked at the
whole matter with cool business eye.
1.-THE retail harness trade has been
sorely affected by the bicycle" averred
Mr.. Haskell. every man in my busi-
ness knows it too, or ought to know it if
he doesn't. My trade was excellent up TO
about a. year ago, and / had line of GUS
toners that came as regularly as clock
work. When others were crying hard
times had no complaint to make; but
when business all around me began to re-
sumo its normal life, and people in other
lines seemed iubilant. thought it mighty
strange that Ily receipts should show a
startling falling off.
''One day sat in my Office and observed
TO myself: What's the matter with my
business NOt d SOul COiHco III dil Qdy.
What's the reasonp l began thinking
seriously. The question of hard times
bobbed up and / dashed it aside. / cud-
geled my brain for an hour, and when l
got up l swore that knew the cause of
the dullness.
It's the internal BICYCLE said /. But
/ didn't waste any time railing against
the wheel. pride myself on having some
business sense. Since the bicycle was in
juring my harness trade, what was to be
done to offset the inroads? You know
what l didP Just sat right down again at
my desk and, without a moments delay,
wrote an order to the biggest bicycle fac
tory knew of for 100 bicycles. l divided
my store into harness and cycle depart
ments. Ninety of those wheels went off
the first month. My receipts are now
about as big as ever, but have been max
ing Up in the sale of bicycles what | have
lost on harness. The bicycl has been do
ing up the horse, in measurc-no ques-
ton about it. The bicycle has helped to
cause the building of horse canning fac
tories in Oregon
The manager of big wholesale harness
esta blishment not only backed up Mr..
Haskell's statements, but went the retailer
several degrees better or worse in his ref
erence to 'the passing of the horse"
He said he felt like copying an express
sion from well-known railroad magnate,
and saying 1.-THE bicycle be dashed
"To tell the plain TRUTH" he went on,
"the bicycle has injured our business to an
extent that is actually inconceivable. And
what is more there is going to be no limit
to the bicycle movement. The wheel has
come to stay. 1t is going to work more
injury to the harness business next year
than it will this year, and year after next
the depression will be greater still. Ten
years from now peopIe will hardly think