The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-10-07
BICYCLING IN MiD-AIR.
Wheeling over the Heads of People in
Chicago-PIans for an Electric Road.

(From the Chicago Times Hera Id
About seven months ago Mr. Engstrom.
an engineer connected with the Western
electric company was walking along the
orowdedsstreets of Chicago and happened
to see several wheelmen picking their
way through the streets with difficulty
and danger to life. The idea then &C.
CURED to him to think out some means
whereby the wheelmen scould travel the
downtown streets without so much
trouble. On returning to his home he hit
upon an elevated cycle road, and began
to sketch the details. After some weeks
he had gained enough information to
convince him that the scheme was both
feasible and practicable, as we'll as profit
able. He then consulted other engineers
and experts, and they were at once fav-
orably impressed. The young engineer
continued to work on the scheme. and
finally brought it into tangible shap. Q
He then submitted it to the elevated rail-
road magnates
The plan contemplates the construction
OF deck upon the elevated roads, to sup
port pathway for bicycles. This path
way WILDE 16 feet wide and will make
the down town run over the union loop,
branching of from it and connecting
with the boulevards,
There will be a system of stations,
classified under three heads-main, sub
and private or store stations. The main
stations will be located at the termini Of
the four branches. At each of these 1t
will be necessary to lift and drop the
cyclists to and from the elevated road.
The cheapest and safest means is the
elevator or platforms run by electricity,
which can be obtained from the elevated
railroads. 1t is proposed to have four
elevators at each station, the cyclists en-
tering from one side and leaving it from
the other side.
1t is estimated that 10000 people will
come own town to their work between
the hours of 6 and 10 O'Clock in the
morning, and will use the main station.
The elevators being started and stopped
automatically, will make two trips
minute, allowing them to carry about
1900 persons an hour at Teach station, or
l 1000 for the four stations. These eleva-
tors Will be by IL feet, and will take six
persons and their wheels on each trip.
One passenger elevator will be at each
sub station.
1t is proposed to pave tho cycle path
with asphalt, inasmuch as that material
is the best and most suitable for the pur-
pose. Lamp-posts will adorn JheAsides or
center of the track, as may be afterward
determined. The road will be about is
or more feet wide, allowing ample space
for at least 10 or more riders abreast.
The aim of Engineer Engstrom Is to
have the construction of this unique
road accomplished by subscriptions or by
appropriations of money by the city, in
order to hand it over to Chicago's thous-
ands Of cyclists. If the constitutionality
OF the cycle tax should be sustained on
appeal from Judge Tuley's decision or a
new ordinance be passed, he thinks half
of the proceeds from that source could be
properly expended to help carry out this
project. Should it be impossible to &C.
complish this free road by the plan men
toned, Mr.. EngstrOm believes he can
demonstrate the enterprise to be good
financial Investment for the railway cor
poration. He thinks that such road
would earn handsome dividends Tor the
fully. A toll of from two to five cents
would be charged for the privilege of
using the road.
1t is estimated by Mr.. Engstrom that
| from..18 s, 600 to 10000 cyclists come. into
the city every day. Then the increase in
the use OF the wheel and other favorable
| influences, he thinks, would bring the
| number who would ride on the track
daily to about %, 900 persons. He counts
on several thousands who would visit the
pavilion and do their shopping, especially
| the women, at the big stores, which
would be connected with the cycle road.
The road would be open nine months of
| the year. Taking his estimate of 20, $50
| persons as daily average for the seven
months, he calculates that for the year
| nearly 500, 900 persons will use the track.
| Fearing that he would place the figures
too high, he makes the number 4,60O, 900
| in this calculation of the receipts on a
| basis of two cents:
Fares for 1900, 00O. riders at cents
each, $92, 600
Revenue from concessions, etc., 10000
Total, $4,000
Running expenses, 90, 72O
The sum total of the entire cost of the
road Mr.. Engstrom places at $500, 600
These estimates have been care
| fully prepared by Mr.. Engstrom, with
the assistance Of expert elevator and other
contractors. While the expenditure for
the equipment of such q roa seems very
| large, according to the figures given a