The Washington times., 1901-12-01

els. Some time ago young man by the
name OF j. c. Ryder, of Richmond Hill,
Long Island, invented a flying machine,
the main principle of which was derived
from the bicycle. Mr.. Ryder has actually
flown on his aerial bicycle from Hemp
stead to Richmond Hill, rising to an alti-
tude of two hundred feet, and declares
it runs as easily as an ordinary safety
might down the boulevard. The total
weigh. of the machine is ninetyfve
pounds and its lifting power three tons.
From the heights we descend to the
depths. An Oregon man has applied the
bicycle motive principle to new screw
propeller The contrivance is, of course,
intended for the water. and its inventor
claims for it a speed of eighteen miles an
hour. We would recommend all land
lovers, all who are contemplating this
novel means OF travelling by lake or river,
to supply themselves plentifully with life
preseryers.
cross between these two inventions
is that of the bicycle sail, which, while
partaking OF the nautical, is only intended
duck and cost s. each, and when prop
erly rugged the pleasure derived from
this little diversion of bicycle sailing is
said to exceed even the joy Of the Arctic
explorer. frozen to death, when he found
himself in an unmentionable locality.
We timid ones, however, would rather
keep out of the way when bicycle field,
fully equipped for land sail, appears on
the horizon.
Another wheel, which has just been pat
ented. is that which is propelled both
by the hands and feet. The hand hand
propeller may or may not be used, but is
said to be OF the greatest benefit in
climbing hills or covering long stretches
of sandy road.
A Connecticut man. living up to his
Yankee reputation Of ingenuity, has found
a means of attaching a music box to his
bicycle. so that he who wheels may hear
sweet music as he runs Mounted on
this he is said to be worse than the
Italian organ grinder. since small boys
with short legs cannot compete with him
in speed and the rapidity with which he
gets over the ground Cthe music box ira
Ia-la-ing all the timel enables him to es
cape the offerings OF cabbage and sundry
dairy products that are tossed after him.
Two late inventions are those which at
tach the wheel to the lawn mover and
the baby carriage. Nowadays Americans
really have too much to do not TO con-
dense the necessities of life.
There is at present in France a man
who manages to exc out a very decent
sort of income by making and selling BIZ
cycles from $3.50 upward to $17. Mr.
Paul Clere. the Partisan maker, calls
this particular grade the "celerette," and
claims that it is a bicycle without chain
or pedals, and OF the simplest construc-
tion. 1t is decidedly crude in form and
resembles the first land now obselete)
wheels made. It's inventor claims that
while of course, it is out of the ques-
ton as a sport 1t can be made TO run
from six to twelve miles an hour. 1t Is
doubtful, however, if there are many who
care to straddle a wheel that is propelled
purely by pushing alternately with each
foot. New York man has invented
what he calls an unicycle IA bicycle. as
the name implies, that consists of but
one wheel. the idea of which he thinks
practical The mechanism. as described,
is complex TO those not fully up in wheel