The evening times., 1896-08-10
EVOLUTION OF THE BICYCLE
Queer Wheels Were Ridden in
the Early Days.
COMING OF THE SAFETY
II Did Not Take the SmaItwheeled
Affair Long 10 Grow IN General
Favor-Over 10000 bicycles Are
Daily Ridden In This City-Gossip
OF the wheelmen.

humorous gentleman suggested to a
Times reporter the other day that II the
bicycle craze continues to grow as 1t has
been growing in recent years, It will not
be long before pedestrians will have to
take to the trees. 1t is probable that in
stead OF dong this they will join the pro-
cession and invest in bicycles.
There Is no city in the United States
where the wheel is in such general use as
in Washington. This is due to the level
asphalt paved streets and tho good wages
paid by Uncle Sam, which puts bicycles
within reach of his employees. There must
be at least 10000 wheels in the city OF
Washington, representing an original out
lay of $3.50 900.
The general employment Of bicycles in
this city was probably in part, responsible
street railroads, as compared with other
cities of like size;a defect, however, which
the Introduction of cheap motive power is
remedying.
The first person, probably, who ever rode
a bicycle in Washington was Albert Il.
Norris. 1t was way back in the early
70's,, and the bicycle was an unwieldly.
iron-tired, wooden wheeled affair. Norris
used to lire near the city hall, and almost
every evening be would practice in front OF
that edifice on his awkward-looking ma
chine for the edification OF numerous curl
Gus spectators.
Then the tricycle. came into use, and Mrs
Beiva A. Lockwood advertised herself and
her eceentricities by purchasing one and
using it for number OF years. a great
deal OF fun was made of her, and some
papers had many pictures OF Mrs. Lock
wood on her tricycle., but the laughter OF
the world had no Influence upon Mrs Lock
wood, who kept on with her tricycle., nm
moved by gibes and sneers. a
BICYCLES FIRST APPEARANCE.
1t was not until some time after .'Boss-
Shepherd had made riding easy on the
streets OF Washington that the bicycle be-
gan to come int general use. DR.. schooiey
and Mckee Barden were among the first TO
use 1t as an ordinary vehicle. The appear
ance OF the bicycle OF those days is fresh in
the minds OF almost every one. Occasion
ally one can be seen on thestreets now, with
its great front wheel and little rear one.
The old-time wheels were not hil-clImb-
ers, and one was invented, the chief claim
for which was that it could climb hill.
This wheel was called the Star and on it
the order OF the wheels was reversed, the
little one being in front and the big one
behind.
1t was not until the safety" came into
use that wheeling was available for women.
Atfirst the old-time wheelmen looked with
scorn from their high wheels upon the in
significant safety" but when it was seen
that on the new wheel they could have Just
as much fun, go faster, and at the same
time run less danger OF a broken neck,
they came around.
The encyclopedias tells US that the origin
of the bicycle, as OF many other things
that are useful, is somewhat obscure. We
locipedes can be traced back as far as
1767, but the first historical record Of G
bicycle dates from 1918, when French
baron introduced such machine into Eng
land. 4x4cG
This primevai bicycle consisted of two !,
wheels, thirty inches in diameter, placed
one behind the other. The wheels were
connected with a beam OF wood. upon which
was placed a saddle. At the front OF the
beam was an arm-rest, and In front Of that :
and connected with the front wheel by,a
bar was handle, by which the apparatus
was guided.
IMPROVEMENTS RAPIDLY MADE.
The rider would get into the saddle, place
bis arms on the rest, and by kicking first
one foot and then the other, against the
ground, propeI himself along. This ma
chine, probably on account of the amount
and character of the exertion required. did
not meet with general favor.
The origin of the model bicycle dates
from 1868. A Frenchman named Michaax
fitted a pair of pedals to a hobby horse,
by which the front wheel might I've re-
volved with the feet. Consequently the
lider had to depend for his balance on
some means whereby the relative positions
of the two wheels might be varied :. will.
To accomplish this transverse handle was
attached to the front wheel. by which it
might be turned, even to right angle.
The machine was made OF wood, withifon
Instead Of rubber tires, and was without
springs In France, where its appearance
created some excitemeht, It was called a
abone shaker"
The rubber tire. the great Improvement
which was necessary 70 mako the bone
shaker less Of real. shaker. of bones.
and thereby more acceptable to the use