Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-12-13
TIMELY BICYCLE TOPICS.

Novelty is priced by cyclists as highly
as by any other class or element. New
devices of demonstrated merit are al
ways eagerly welcomed, whether they
apply to the machine itself or. to the
odds and ends that go to make up the
wheelman'S outfit But the cyclists
thirst for novelty is not by any means
assuaged by the efforts of manufactur-
ers in developing new ideas in con-
struction. They seek the unusual in
their very pursuit of their fayorite
Iastime. And, in this connection, it 10
singular to note that very few fads
or oddities have been introduced in
bicycle riding. The once famous
demon drill'' Of the Kings County
Wheelmen eclipSed sill subsequent at
tempts at spectacular riding and ocoa-
sionally games and dances on bicycles
have been heard Of Several attempts
have been made to develop bicycle
bands. but with little success. In that
fact lay the opportunity for come one
to spring the cherished novelty, and
some one has done so. The very latest
thing in cycling is the megaphone
band, and the wonder is that it was not
thought of before.
H. B. Fullerton, OF the Whirling Der
wishes Of Brooklyn, n. Y, is respon-
sible for the idea, and it is so simple
that it can be adopted easily by almost
any cycling organization. The mega
phones, according to Mr.. Fullerton's
scheme. need not be large, averaging
not over twenty inches in length. and
having, if possible, grip or handle
near the mouthpiece. The instruments
may be homemade and answer every
purpose. The leader is selected in the
person of some member who has little
musical ability. He selects as many
players as he wishes those having fair
singing voices being preferrsd, natur-
ally. They initiate brass instruments
with their mouths. blowing through
the megaphones, and with little care
in the direction Of the various parts"
the effect is decidedly pleasing. For
parades and similar functions the bicy-
Gle megaphone band is destined TO be-
come a popular feature. II requires
very little practice to make score of
mus,caliy-inclined cyclists proficient at
the new game.
John Thompson. a civil engineer OF
New York, and a builder of intricate
development of the bicycle closely, and
is deeply interested in the experiments
being made with chainless devices for
the transmission of power. He argues
that if the addition of little weight
is net objected TO in the chainlesS mod
els. the manufacturers might go a little
further in that respect and produce a
machine with double the wearing sur
face and slightly increase the effective
ne57. He would duplicate the gears
and connecting shafts, placing one on
either side of the frame. Such an ar
rangement would equaliZe the strain,
he says, and be distinct advantage in
many other ways. The objections TO
double spockets and chains would not
necessarily hold good in the case Of
double bevel gears. Possibly sone of
the manufacturers have already <xperi-
mented on these lines. If so, tH resulD
of the efforts would make iHerestiTg
reading. "
Barring the American Weel TY OF
Crystal Palace exhibitions viii 2y tend
to make the British puIiic /Ztisfied
with inferior makes. FlASt ay is a
Press.
Special 10 the Register
Parkersburg, WJV&. December 12-
The shooting coDhes1 for the $40 gun
at the Mountajh state Gun Clubs
grounds Yesterday ives largely attended
Austin H. Brown of this city, won the
gun, the contest 10 the windup being be-