Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1905-09-21

pictured 10y many as being driver
speedily along the Roman roads
q crushing beneath them the form, ot
the common ana lowly subjects 30 IN,
Empire. n remained for the rich oi
the modern world, however. "a
develop great speed. and srill greater
speed from some self propelled vehicle
While 20 some poor inventor might b.
ascribed the origin ~ our "spepd-toyS. "
still the world owes o. the rich every
advance made, through their financial
encouragement
The Earliest Bicycle
Al about the time when the Thirteen
Original Coloules were ringing with
shouts Of freedom, a French bllloouist.
named Blanchard. Invented what was
known as "A stTaddlc- wheel" for his
own amusement This was nothing
more than two wheels connected hv a
simple framework, with no pedals. The
rider straddled the machine and
pushed IL along with hi, feet or
coasted down grade. The handles Of
Paris and London took up this toy and
had great sport with h.. bot it was too
hard work and the speed wa, not great
enough.
Following this. in about 1S2s. Cug.
not. a Frenchmau. and Tr-yilh.rk. an
Englishman. and oliver Evans. an
American. eXperimeuted with "A sort
Of carriage propelled by steam Nofh-
ing so fast had ever been seen. and the
carriage beca me quite the fashion with
gentlemen who had money 90 spend
and whose aim In life was enjoyment
But these carriages were noisy. clumsy
and very dirty Affairs and were dis
carded
The Wheel Of the Last Century.
The bicycle with the high wheel i'm
front aud little wheel behind came
next, and being fairly comfortable.
speedy. clean and creating no noise.
quickly Sprang into fashion. hut there
was always an element of danger 10
the speed seekers" through concealed
stones Ina the path. which meant "A
header. 50 that something even more
speedy and safe was called for.
The safety bicycle was an evolution
coming some twenty years later.
whose high price M first placed n as
luxury much 10 bee desired BICYCLES
were for long time placed I'm the
same category rs pianos ana carriages.
though they were of little use other
than for pleasure. Tho safety was
as it's name implied. safe. swift and
noiseless. by 1873 the bicycle boom
rose beyond any proportions assumed
by the previously demanded speed
toys. In the United states four hun
dred factories. representing a capital
of something IKE S1j.OuUuDO. turned
out nearly million machines year
Half Mile Minute too Slow.
The fad lasted five years. when a
demand arose for something even
faster than the speed OF a mile I'm two
minutes or so, attained by the bicy-
Gle. and more comfortable seat than
that afforded on the bicycle frame
Inventors were already at work. and
while II may not be true that out Of
the bicycle developed the automobile.
yet the two-wheelcd conveyance. with
its pneumatic tires. created the
demand for something better
Mea like w. X. Vanderbilt. Jr.
John Jaco, Astor. and Albert q.
Bostwick were among the pioneers
In America 10 bring over from Europe
the speed toys of the rich. and their
machines were the targets for thou
sands Of pairs OF syss in the streets
Of New York.
n Nile I'm Thirty Seconds.
When one of these men made n
record OF q mile In something llks IS