The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-09-12
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
BICYCLE BUDGET.

NAE55ES4515251
How would you like to be the bicycle
trust?
A very little glass goes a long way to
manufacturer.
If only the street sprinkler was a BIZ
cyclist, he might probably be made to
see the error of his way.
-:
There is no tire, so good as tits adver-
tised to be, but 1T pays to get tire of
standard make-the only tires which
are widely advertised.
-:
What the banana peel is to the pedes-
trian is the broken glass to the wheel
man, and what the expectorations are
to a lady on the side walk, are the
flooded streets to the wheelman.
-:
Who first rode q bicycle in Canton?
It would be of interest to know, now
that there are so many thousands of
wheelmen in this rapidly growing city.
Who was the pioneer, and what kind of
a wheel did he ride? What were his
sensations when learning to ride? Did
he enjoy 1t as much as he does his
wheel today, who knows?
Every boat had a record, as have all
professional bicycle riders at the pres
ent time, and the rivalry ran high in
those good old days before the war, as
to the outcome of a race between fa-
vorites, thousands of dollars being put
up by the hackers Of each, and still it
has died out and is merely a matter of
history. Newer and perhaps better
models of bicycles will be put on the
market but 1t is highly improbable that
bicycle racing will be revived after dy-
ing a natural death as 1t is doing at the
present time. If this is not the case a
greater interest must soon be mani
tested.
The man, who operates the street
sprinkler, is supposed to leave path at
the side of the street for the use of bicy-
Gle riders and in all probability thinks
he does so, but if such is the case, the
path so much resembles the course
traYersed by a drunken man that the
average wheelman either has not the
time or finds it impossible to follow
this reputed track. Especially is this
true at night when one is desirous of
going his way without being hindered
by wet street which throws him from
his wheel much in the manner of a pc
destrian who has just slipped on ba-
mana peel left by some careless person
where it will do the most possible dam
age in the least possible time.
-:
There are at present several blocks
in this city being cleansed by the block
sysem. They are the best kept of all
the city streets, there being no small
bits of glass left to flatten the tire and
purse of the first wheelman who hap
pens to pass. Decidedly this is a good
method. When the streets thus treated
are compared with what the condition
of the streets has been for some time
past the improvement cannot help but
be noted. The main beauty of the block
system is that it does away with the
street sprinkler which leaves the thor
oughfareS a sea of mud after width and
breadth have been once, ,traversed by the
nuisance. What is the effect then of
the continual play of water on the
streets but filthy avenue of traffic.
-:
1t has come to the point that cycling
is almost practically at standstill, in,
and in the vicinity of Canton. For the
first time in many years, in fact, since
cycling first gained it's hold in our city,
has the year been left go by without
any demonstration on the part of the
wheelmen. For years it has been the
practice to hold two race meets a year
in our city, but this year not the sem
blance of race was held.
While the wheel has come to stay the
novelty has worn off and it seems that
all interest in cycling has vanished with
it. Other than a means of conveyance
the wheel has almost become for
gotten object of attraction. With the
withdrawal of the l.. A. w. from the
racing field after February next, the
prospect for professional and other
cyclists, by whom are meant the anna
teurs, is very black indeed, The n. c.
A., which has gained quite a foothold
in the east, in all probability. will take
the place of the league, but to all ap-
pearances the interest which was for.
merly manifested by devotees of the
wheel will never be again felt, Other
means of enjoyment will take the place
of bicycle racing, if they have not al
ready done so, and in the course OF 6
| few more years bicycle race will be al
great a curiosity as q horse car is nov
days. Newer types of wheels will taxi
their place, as have the trolly and cabl'
surface cars the place of the once ia
miliar horse car, and men will continue
| to use the wheel as means or locomo
| ton, but the time will come, and in tn
near future, when there will be as lit
tie interest displayed in a bicycle rae
as there is in the racing of freighters ol
the Mississippi today, and what wa
more exciting in the old days and NOR
interesting too, than the racing of rive
boats on the Mississippi.
|
Incontinence Of water during slee