Evening star., 1897-02-13

hides the deficiency, good many people
not observing the fact that only one leg is
used.
TIE wsather-wise people who, by the way
have made some remarkable predictions
this year, say that the riders of the. wheel
can lock forward to an early breaking up
of winter. More gratifying news for wheel
men has not been issued by the weather
sharpS for long time. The prophets argue
that there has been SO much continued
cold weather and snow since early Decem-
Der that early spring weather is assured
This, however, is not an official declara-
tion given out by the people at the weather
bureau, who would not commit themselves
by predicting SO far ahead. finding it
difhcult enough matter to make correct
predictions this time of the year forty-
eight hours ahead of time.
The adaptability of the people of this
country to new things is really something
remarkable. The tendency of the age is
toward rapid transit. and any Improvement
over an existing style is bound to meet
with approval if within the reach of the
general public. The bicycle at present fills
the bill, and as long as nothing new comes
cut IL Will remain in popular favor One
thing noticeable is the general use of the
wheel In business circles, and the favor
with which 1t is regarded Perhaps in no
DINER city so much in Washington is
this apparent. The messenger companies
were about the first to recognize the value
OF the bicycle for their particular use, and
now all of the trades take to the use of the
machine. An F street florist came next in
line, delivering orders by means of the
wheel, where the customer wanted the
goods shipped Immediately, and al the time
II was a queer sight to see a young man on
a wheel carrying an immense palm in his
arms. The letter carriers soon fell into the
use of the machine, and though not of any
assistance in delivering mail, they have
been found much more handy than the old
style in making the regular collections.
Business houses send their messengers on
errands bicycles, and the merchants
have adopted the use of the cycle for de-
livering packages. Professional men of
every grade now use the silent steed, and
the clerks in the various government de-
partments and private places now find that
with the use Of the wheel they can get to
work on time and much quicker than by
the old methods. The use of the bicycle
does not end here. Mechanics and laborers
can be daily seen going and coming from
work, mounted on steeds of their own, and
the low price of cycles has proven a god
send to them. Collectors go their rounds
on wheels and even solicitors employ them
as means of lessening their tasks. The
police should be included i'm the list, and
the blue-coated guardian of the peace finds
the bicycle a useful adjunct to his business.
The uses to which the machine is put are
innumerable, and their utility in the future
cannot be computed.
The improvements In the new wheels can
now be seen by the general public. In
some instances the changes are entirely in
the mechanism of the machine, tending to
make 1t run more easily and with less fric
ton. In most all wheels ball retainers will
be used, and in most all the barrel hubs
will still be used. Wooden rims will be
used as much ever, and steel or alu-
minum rims furnished only upon the spe-
cial request of the purchaser. In some
wheels one good improvement is a new and
novel bottom bracket, with a removable
one-piece crank axle, with removable
ball case and other attachments.