The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-05-08
NEWS NOTES
FOR WHEELMEN

Did you ever consider how much wear
and tear auneumatic tire stands? Did It
ever occur TO you that the two rubber
tires tubes upon the wheels Of a bicycle
made possible the construction OF such
fine piece OF mechanism? Did you ever
compare the tire with the bicycle The
one with It's SOFT velvety surface exposed
to all the hardships of the highway, while
the other. protected by the tire, glides
along through space. it's working parts OF
finest steel encased In steel, dust pro-
tected and perfectly bathed I'm oil or
vaselne? And yet pneumatic tires fire.
uqently outwear bicycles. A man In
Brooklyn bought a pair OF Road Tires in
the spring of 1894 rode them during the
year. an through 1895. and a greater part
of ISs6-going over 2l.OOO miles without
once removing the tires from the rims.
A Chicago man rode pair Of tires over
y 90 miles during 1896, while Jack
George. Of Philadelphia, covered during
the past year. as much territory G2ii9
miles, as falls TO the portion OF the av-
erage rider In four or five seasons.
The average life Of q good pair OF
tires IS IS months TO two years. Time
counts almost as much as actual use Of
the tire.
The Legislature Of Ohio has placed a
law on its statutes by which county COM
missioners are authorized TO tax bicycles
81 apiece for the purpose Of creating a
fund 10 defray the expense OF construct
ing bicycle paths on the highways upon
petition OF wheelmen. There Us In this en-
actment, despite its praiseworthy inten-
tons. evidence of an antiquatcd view Of
the relations Of wheelmen 10 the commu-
nifty I'm which they live II seems 20 be
the assumption that wheelmon as such
have interests I'm common not shared 10y
the rest of the population. The broader
idea that the bicycle IS q machine for all
would lead to general taxation as Tor
common road work or TO no taxation at
an. for it is by no meanns certain that
the owner OF a bicycle Is more i'm favor or
a bicycle path than any o,her public
spirited citizen or feels that any bond
whatever ties him u other persons who
have found bicycles convenient and
useful. The lawmakers have per-
haps failed TO observe that cycle
clubs have ceased TO be- repre-
sentative but that at the same time the
bicycle has become more representative
ana AlAAfNiA fA4NAAANA w. 'AtAN-f-t "--+-
raj recognition equally with pedestrians
and wagons though not more so.
The establishment Of a $50 price as the
top notch would put a stop TO much ac-
tivity in trade circles. Leaving the SELL
ing department out Of the question land
20 must be admitted that activity there
stimulates sales. II is plain that restrict
ions would be placed on designers I'm the
matter OF making changes that would be
very unfortunate, TO put It mildly The
margin Of profit between cost price ana
$50 list Is not sufficient 20 permit a free
field being given to the designer and the
superintendent in the matter Of making
experiments.
70 only needs r critical examination Of
the points Of difference between the $50
and SIS models Of the same makers 20 UNI
derstand this. The former lack the little
changes and improvements that are TO
be found on the latter In many cases
it IS the later only that viii be- found 20
embody the 9S ideas. The others Will
have them a year from now. but by that
time there ought 10 be other improve
ments. These cannot be discovered and
perfected without costly experiments. and
where the money FOR this purpose IS 20
come from IS what makers would Ike TO
know.
While everybody IN rne manufacturing
trade admits that o good bicycle can be
marketed for so, but that the best
work I'm an respects calls for a higher
price. the large public shows an unmis-
taxable tendency to interpret the signs
Of the day wrongly and take it for grant
cd that no higher price than $50 is war
ranted by cost of production. There are
fortunately thousands Of exceptions but
the tendency is strong enough TO affect
manufacturers. possibly to the injury Of
the industry.
one New Yorker prominent I'm political
life and another in mercantile circles
have bicycle stables at thelr country
seats. containing from p to 20 machines.
with q skilled mechanic in charge. Ii is
the custom Of these mon to place the BIZ
cycles I'm their 'wheclery" at the dispo-
sal Of their guests. and TO give during the
summer and fan bicycling parties. tours
and outings The bicycle stable Is fully
equipped with all the necessary parts and
accessories, as well as tools and appli-
anccs for making repairs. This practice
OF having bicycle stables in growing and
promises to become before long one Of
the fixtures Of country homes.
4 dealer I'm Appleton Wis. hits of the
reason for large sales this year when ne
says: Sales are large this year, because
the population which Is able TO purchase
Is more than doubled by the reduction in
prices. The laboTing man who works in
the mills IS the man who Is going TO have
a wheel this year 10 take him TO and
from his work and I'm many cases 10 let
him go home to dinner instead Of carry
ing his dinner with him.
a Washington dealer has been arrested
ON q warrant sworn out by the postal au-
thorides charging him with forcibly in
tercepting the progress Of the United
States mails and interfering with their
delivery. The specific charge against the
dealer is that me stopped a messenger
I'm the special delivery department Of the
pOstofiice. who was then upon his way to
deliver a. special delivery letter. and took
from him q bicycle which he was riding
The dealer made the claim that the bcy-
Gle belonged 10 him and that he simply
took mis- own property. Tho case is one
OF "a somewhat technical nature. and
when arraigned before the United States
Commissioner the dealer. upon advice Of
the district attorney. was released upon
his personal bonds i'm the sum of $50 for
his appearance in court.
Two brothers. machinists by trade are
perfecting "A method of making rims OF
sople vulcaniZed fibre. 10 Is TO be hollow