The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-05-19
MOTOR Cycles
MARK PROGRESS
Workers Enabled to Live in
Suburbs and Delivery of
Goods fastened by
New Machines
By John Hamilton Giinour

IL AS the nervous man or woman,
when startled either into insen-
sibility through fright. or
plunged into sudden anger by the ap-
pearance and disappearance of a motor
cycle with its rapid fire noise, ever
stopped to consider its relations with
the growth of hamlets, villages, towns
and cities?
Perhaps it is rather too much to ex-
pect of suffering humanity in these
days of electric cars, automobiles, bicy-
cles and motor cycles to maintain a
philosophical equilibrium when life is
constantly threatened by our progress
sive transportation, and to speculate on
the possibilities of the motor cycle as
an agency of progress when confronted
by it's aggressive presence. Yet, the
fact remains that Notwithstanding
the disregard the average man and
woman bears to the motor cycle
it is an agency for the develop
ment of cities. for it means
cheaper delivery to the. store keeper,
flesh air to the children of poor par
ents, and. incidentally, is an encour-
ager of matrimony-for all of which
the motor cycle be blessed.
Some communities have attempted
to legislate against the motor
cycle, but their efforts have been flu
tile, and so strong have the patrons of
the motor cycle grown within the last
few months that they will appear be-
fore that august body known as the
transcontinental freight traffic asso.
citation and demand a liberal reduc-
ton in the cost of bringing them to
the coast.
There will be nothing left for the
railroads to do but to comply with the
request though railroad traffic mana
gers are aware that each motor cycle
means the elimination of its possessor
as a railroad ticket buyer. The auto
mobile has reduced materially railroad
earnings from Saturday till Monday
all over the country, for prior to the
advent of the automobile, railroads
looked upon week end travel as
fixed patronage. 1t is true that this
patronage was confined to the richer
classes, who now use automobiles.
while the Sunday travel. they hoped,
would never be affected by any cheaper
means of locomotion. This hope is
destined to be shattered also The
motor cycle is the poor mans auto. 1t
and now that motor cycle is being
built which can carry more than two
persons. it threatens more than ever
to take from the railroads their Sun
day patronage.
/. This is one phase of the motor cycle
in its relations to the public 1t has
yet second and a more important
part. The humble bicycle. which some
have considered merely as plaything.
has done its part in the development
of towns. 1t has enableu workmen to
live distance from the scene of their
activities. When the surprised stranger
asks why. Fresno, for instance, covers
SO much territory he is told
Inc plcycie is responsible for it.
man can live far out if he owns a
bike
The truth of this is seen by the
numberless bikes" and bike stores
that are to be seen in the aRaisin
city" Now the bicycle will have to
give place to the motor cycle. with
the bicycle exertion is needed on the
part of the rider. and a run of several
miles is exhausting, therefore the dist
ance from the scene of work has to
be limited while with the motor cycle