The record-union., 1897-02-14
NEWS AND GOSSIP
RIDERS OF WHEELS.

gether. If he was not arrested as an
unlicensed junk dealer on his way up
town he appeared as usual at the thea
ter last might.
A PAPER SADDLE.
A paper saddle is the latest. The
body is made of absolutely nothing but
paper. By a series of processes and a.
high pressure, the paper is formed
into shape and into a solid body. It is
then rendered waterproof and receives
highly enameled finish. A novel
feature is that the surface of the saddle
is so amenable to a glossy enamel that
an unequaled glossiness of finish is
obtained, the color varying to suit the
taste, thus rendering it possible to
match in finish the enamel on the tub
ing of the bicycle. The saddle weighs
nine ounces, and is fitted with the or
dinary steel spring.
HERE AND THERE.
The city of Chicago owns bicycle
ambulance which is in constant active
service, and which is said to be far SUI
perior in its practical workings to the
ambulances drawn by horses. 1t is
made of two tandems, the mattress on
which the patient lies being suspended
by sensitive springs from the frame,
which makes the entire machine rigid
and strong
Frequent rubbing with soft dry
cloth and an occasional use of whiting
or other silver polish is all that is neces-
sary to keep the original polish and lus-
ter on bicycle frame. To free it from
heavy coat of mud it should not be al
lowed to dry and harden, but it should
be washed with a pail of water, or, bet
ter, take it out in the yard and turn a
hose on it, after which wipe dry with
several pieces of soft cloth. 1t is to be
supposed that the enamel and nickel
are Of good quality and that the rims
are well covered with shellac, in which
case water can do no damage.
1t is estimated by a manufacturer that
the bicycles manufactured in this coun-
try during 1896 necessitated a produc-
tion of tubing amounting to from 20,-
100000 to 100000 feet. Seven COM
panies alone in this branch of manu-
facture have a total capacity of 50 2,000,-
QUO feet Of tubes per year. The same
authority estimated the total capital in
terested in the manufacture of bicycles,
tubes, and all collateral undertakings is
in the neighborhood of S125, 10000 and
that 10000 people are employed in de-
signing, making and selling these va
rious products.
\ member of the French Chamber of
Deputies has drafted a bill for the crea-
ton of twenty-five companies of mill
tary cyclists, ten of which he proposes
to attach to the cavalry and the re-
mainder to the different army corps.
One of the newest contrivances for the
cycler's comfort and convenience con-
sists of a fiat spring trousers guard, the
ends of which lock together, and permit
of it's use as a bicycle lock when not in
use on the riders ankles.
Four styles of wheels with wooden
frames are shown at the Chicago Ex-
position. Two are of solid pieces of
wood, one hickory, the other oak inlaid,
or, more properly speaking, lamimated in
longitudinal direction with an imported
hard wood. Another machine is lami-
mated with the pieces joined cross sec
tionally. The fourth is a bamboo wheel
new in its details but not in it's main
idea The policy of dropping the bot
tom bracket or crank hanger below the
level Of the rear hub is being quite gem
orally followed. This changes the angle
of the main strut or seat post tube so
as to bring it nearer to the perpendicu-
lar. Is is argued also that it increases
the stability by bringing the center of
gravity nearer to the ground.