Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-31
BICYCLE RAILWAY UP kArAHDIN.
Wire Hung ON Trees Instend of q
- Very Rough Corduroy Road.
From the Boston Globe.


From the Boston Globe
A bicycle railroad to Mt. Katahdin is the
novel venture in which Col. Simon B. Gates
Of Pressure Isle will engage. Col. Gates Is
an ex-member of the Maine legislature. is
a wealthy man and owns hotels at Pressure
Isle, at VIM ard at the Hunt farm on
the east branch of the Penobscot river. 1t
is from the latter place that he proposes
to run his bicycle railroad. ..-,
The Hunt farm is seven miles from the
railroad and is reached by a rough road
that plunges straight through the forest
from Stacyville. From the Hunt farm to
Mt. Katahdin the distance Is about twenty
| miles, through unbrOken woods.
There Is a tote road that winds through
| these woods, but it can be called a road
only by courtesy. 1t is an unbroken sue
cessiOn of muck holes and dilapidated cor
! duroy, along which two strong horses can
barely drag blackboard. 1t really forms a
considerable feat of endurance for tourists
to ride in over the road for the horses can
move only at walk, and every few feet
the blackboard goes humping over stumps
that no one has thought it necessary to
remove.
In times past this route was the most
practicable one, for tourists used to make
Patten the "jumping-off place." But now
| that the new railroad has been put through
| great deal of the travel goes.up by the
water way via North Twin, Ambejejus and
branch. .on srl =
Mr.. Gates expects by the establishment
of his bicycle railroad to again bring travel
around to the east branch route
The railroad will go over the woods, not
| through them. A wire will be fastened to
the tall trees along the way, extended at
the end Of stoutly braced arms. On this
| wire will run the wheels of the bicycle
| railroad. 4. -
AS to the means of propulsion, Col. Gates
| Is still In doubt; he is studying into the
matter. He has thought that the best way
would be to have individual conveyances-
| that Is to say, merely a seat and a lug
| gage carrier. swung from the wheels on
the wire. Were this light apparatus fitted
with treadle power an ordinarily athletic
| man or woman would have no difficulty in
wheeling along on the wire.
At the base of the mountain proper would
| be the end of a cable, to which the bicyclist
could fasten his car and thus be drawn to
the summit. 1t Is needless to mention the
fact that In making the descent and, the
i return trip the traveller would require moth
ing except a brake and a set of STEADY
! nerves.
Col. Gates will have two wires-one for
| the return and one for the passage up in
order that there may be no chance for col
lsions.
The promoter thinks that perhaps in
stead of foot power bicycle motor carria pes
| will be more desirable. for a party Of five
, or six can be taken along, baggage and
| all. With this novel wire road In Operation
| person could leave Bangor In the morn
ing and arrive at Katahdin early in the
| afternoon. The trip now REQUIRES several
| days and is extremely fatiguing.
| AS soon as the railroad Is In operatiou
| Col Gates will erect hotel on the sum-
| NIT of the mountain.