The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-09-18
NEWS NOTES
FOR. WHEELMEN

In washington the universal lights
question IS again being agitated by the
wheelmen OF the national capital. due
TO a terrible accident that recently nap
pened I'm one OF the large government
marks wing adjacent 10 the city. This
sad occurrence. in which young lady
lost her life, emphasizes the necessity on
the part OF the commissioners In requr-
ing the drivers OF carriages ana hsht
vehicles 20 carry ligkts az night re
is no necessity for this requirement Dc,
ing made applicable 20 wagons anu
carts which are rarely found at night
ON the suburban roads Most or the
roads running out Of Washington are
well wooded, and while the lamp or the
wheelman IS clearly visible 20 the occu-
pants OF vehicles. the vehicles themselves
are mostly invisible and loom up out OF
the darkness barely in time to avert
collision. In all such collisions tne
wheelman Is the one invariably injured.
some months ago the commissioners
promulgated an order requiring az ven
icles abroad at night TO be equipped WIN
proper lights but the business men OF
the city made such strenuous objectlons
10 the regulation that IL was repealen'
The necessity for such n regulation Is
becoming more apparent every aay ana
II may be that the wheelmen can muster
a sufficient number 70 demand tnat tnF
regulation be again placed on the statute
books.
AUSTRALIA LEADS.
As an example OF the progress made
I'm Australia. far in advance OF that IN
the United States. relative 20 the trdfhc
OF bicycles, a letter recently received by
the District commissioners IS OF great
interest. II IS from the town clerk OF
Melbourne. and asks. on behalf or the
city council. for information In regard
10 the regulations in force In this CITY
governing bicycle riding. IL appears tnat
the city OF Melbourne IS about 10 lay
snocial paths in the streets for the use
al vheeirnen. and before proceeding with
the work the city fathers want to get
AN nossible information on the subject
from the principal cities Of this country
where they presume the problem OF pro
vidlng safe means for the conduct OF
wneeimen has been solved. 1t would
appear. however. that Melbourne Is Tar
in advance Of many cities in this country
in the solution Of this important cues
ton.
When will Richmond put in even one
cycle path and thus keep Up WIN tne
other go-ahead cities Of tile woriaF
PRICES FOR 1893
AGENTS who have lately returned from
visits 20 the factories OF the concerns
they represent assert that $50 VIII De
the ruling price next season Tor cnalH
driven BICYCLES. The agents have peeh
given TO understand that the chalnless
will be listed at SIS next season. although
they discialm having official kno"ieu5e
Of this fact
The imports Of bicycles into Japan arc
Increasing steadily That country ouers
O n =.
as bicycles are becoming very popular
among the japanese. Machines 20 sell
az so would fnd a ready sale lrsc
Grade bicycles % retail az So and -
would also sell freely. ~ better qual-
ties are much appreciated by the Wen
TODD japanese. as well as by foreign
ers. All bicycles intended for Japan
should he light. strong and handsomely
| decorated. There is absolutely no de-
mand for ladies' machines.
FITTING BICYCLE TO RIDER
In order that when a bicycle is de-
| iiv.rad 10 a new customer who - IN
soDhisticated in the art OF cycling ne
or She may derive the most pleasure
from the pastime ana by presenting
GRACEFUL aunearance and enthusiastic
mental attitude be- a better advocate In
the sight OF others it has been sus-
1osfcd that the dealer should have a.
stationary device fitted with instantly
} adjustable cranlls. handle Bar ana seat
most stems. graduated perhaps lh ln.ne9
and fractions, upon which the "oUIo-D e
customer should be asked 70 sll' =
friction scale arrangement could be fix
"a 80 as TO give the pedals the same
resistance thcv would meet ON grades OF
VARYING steeDuess. and by tests the pro-
nor length of crank and The best gear Tor
| The rider could be determined Dinerent
saddles could De tried and adjusted IN
various positions until the most COM
forfshfe seat and most graceful ana
elective posiuon Of the rider was see
cured. Handle bars could bee raised ana
| lowered in the same way. ana Wnen inc
customer had been perfectly nttea I'D
every way on this device. IL would ne
an easy matter 20 duplicate tAe equip
rneut and adjustments on the machine
to he delivered. SO that an concerned
would bc best satisfied with the least
amount of trouble
| CHEAP PRODUCTION AT Fault.
Haste in manufacture In the effort AZ
economical production IS responsible Tor
| r1an,, lmperfectl0ns and cruditics IN pre-
sent dav BICYCLES and sundries. Ineso
| will be eliminated as fast as the puOnc
ACQUIRES the knowledge that true econO-
| NV lies 10 buying a durable article az a
| reasonable price. WAlcA VIII outldal
| cheaper goods and occasion less expense
| for repairs
Ii has been frequently said Of late ana
| rarely c0utradicted. that cycling IS fall-
| ing into disuse as q pastime among the
| well-to-do people Of the eastern states
| and even men Of good general intorma-
| ton are pointing 10 this alleged fact as
| n sign OF decadence OF the cycle trade.
| Reasoning Of this soured order Is some
| what likely 10 be widely accepted as cor
! rect So long as nobody undertakes 70
| demonstrate its fallacy. 10 has a plausl-
I bic color like most other pessimisiic
| views The observation that certain
| class Of people do not pass as many OF
! their leisure hours on a bicycle as form
| erly is most probably true. surmise 10
| the effect that a similar moderation OF
] the desire for being astr.de OK bicycle.
| 10 the derOgatiOn of other legitimate
occuuations Of mind and body viii soon
| be noticed also in central. southern and
western States. seems quite reasonapie'
and hereto is added the insidious sus-
| gestfon that probably a craze Tor moto-
! cycles Is approaching and VIII occupy
| the place IN the public mind SO FAR held
| by the bicycle This is the argument
| advanced and IL Is sufficiently reason
able on the surface 20 gain prose!ytes
| among the same people who once pro-
| claimed cycling a fad. pure and simple
| until they are forced out Of that con-