The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-10-01
BICYCLES FOR 25 CENTS.
The Machine of French Construction
Called the Celeret.

A business las just been started in
Paris which may affect the price OF b.
cycles all over the world. 1t undoubt-
eddy will, if the claims made by the
champions of the new undertaking
prove true. Cheap bicycles, so cheap
that the mention of the sum takes ones
breath away, are to be the product OF
this new business or factory.
Wooden bicycles were offered for sale
in Paris some time ago az the unheard-
of price of 20 sous each. Henri de Pa
vile, scientific editor of the journal des
Debats, was musing over this strange
fact, when one day he received letter
informing him that a very useful BIZ
cycle could be made for two sous, which
nTo equivalent to a couple of cents of
American money. a bicycle for couple
of cents! Just think of it. A few
days later Paul Clerc, the writer of the
letter, showed NJ. de Parvile his two
cent bicycle. 1t was simply composed
of couple of pieces of wood taken from
an old box and two cents worth of iron.
1t was, in other words, rough speci-
men of the primitive velocipede, as in
vented by Baron de Drais in 1918. The
component parts of this machine were
rough wooden framework and two
wooden wheels of equal size.
NJ. Clerc's idea is to plaG 4
ket machines fashioned after TINS cid
model, but with all feasible and mex
pensive improvements. The machines
will have neither pedals nor intricate
mechanism of any kind. They will be
composed simply of wooden frame
work, two wooden wheels and saddle
They will be known, not as bicycles,
but as celerets.
1t is not expected that the celerets
will supersede the regular bicycles, but
it is considered certain that thousands
who cannot afford to buy bicycles will
buy celerets. A tirst-class bicycle costs
500 or more; firSt-class celeret can be
bought for one dollar or two dollars,
and one of an inferior grade can be pul'-
chased as low as % cents. Nay, there is
no reason why a handy man or boy
should not make a celeret for himself,
in which case the only outlay neces-
sary would be a couple of cents for iron.
And in regard to the utility of the
celeret Baron d. Drais said many wears
ago: "On a good road my machine can
travel at the rate of two leagues, and
even four leagues, an hour, and when
going down hill its speed is greater than
that of a gallpping horse" Perhaps
the baron Dragged. The celert may not
go quite as fast as he claims. Still, it
can be made to go fast, and with little
effort. The rider is really walking,
while in a sitting posture, and is far less
likely to become fatigued than if he
were running i'll the ordinary manner.
Progress is made by touching the
ground alternately with the right and
left foot. The machine, once set in m J.
ton in this manner, goes along steadily,
and the speed at times is so great that
the rider has no need to propel himself
with his feet.
Put pneumatic tires and other mod
ern improvements on celeret," say S
NJ. Clerc, land there is no reason WHY
it should not go almost as fast as BIZ
cycle"
He also says confidently that a man
can travel a long distance on a celerct
and feel hardly the least fatigue at the
end of his journey. He accounts for
this fact on the ground that none of the
energy spent Oh propelling the machine
is wasted, and that the amount of en-
ergy required to travel a long journey
is much less than might be expected.
NJ. Clerc sees clearly that it will be no
easy task to make the celerets popular.
When their prototypes. the draisennes.
were invented, at the beginning of the
century, the few persons who ventured
to use them in France were unmercifui-
ly caricatured. In England the ma
chimes became more popular, but there,
too, their riders were ridiculed. We ali
know how long it has taken the modern
bicycle to win its present high position.
NJ. Clerc, however, is confident of sue
cess.
according to him." says the Journal
| DIES Debats, thousands can derive benz
fit from a machine like this, which costs
almost nothing, which travels as fast as
'iC''iI'S iOlS *, anu NHlCH cdn De Tlu-
den by anyone without the slightest
danger of falling off. How many Young
| people would use it for amusement and
health. and also for the purpose of learn
ing how to ride the regular bicycle .
| Workingmen could ride to their bust
ness on celerets, children could go TO
school on them, peasants could ride to
market on them, and even business men
could use them to save time So light
could they be made that riders could
easily carry them under their arms, il
necessary"
Analysed thoroughly. then, NJ Clerc's
idea is philanthropic. He wants to fur.
nish workingmen and the poor general
| ly, who cannot afford to buy bicycles.
with machines that for all practical
purposes will prove quite as serviceable
to them as any bicycle.-N. Y. Herald.
She Had a Reason, Too.
He thought to test her affection as he
took her little hand in his and looked
| fondly into her eyes.
IF you had your choice" he said.
"would you prefer to have an engage
ment ring or a bicycle?"
For fully three minutes she said moth
ing, but he could see that fearful
| Il. AL. l.