NOTES BY DEMON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2319, 11 August 1898, Page 41

NOTES BY DEMON.

The chief topic of interest in cycling circles is the annual meetings of the Otago And Dunedin Clubs. The Otago Club last week elected their office bearers for the ensuing Reason, and the Dunedin Club will this month hold their annual meeting. The report of the meeting of the Olago Club discloses a very satisfactory state of affairs indeed.

The members of the Dunedin Cycling Club will regret to hear that A. Aitchison, the present deputy-captain of the club, is under orders to proceed to Christchurch. As deputy-captain of the club he has proved himself to be an efficient officer* and as a

cyclist pure nnd simple he has been to me. and to others who know him well, a jolly good fellow. One always regrets the dopartiire of a friend, but in the present in stance the vojret is softened by the knowledge that Mr Aitcheson's removal means promotion, and an opportunity of securing an ex-t-saded knowledge of the workings of the firm ■with which he is now employed.

I must congratulate the Olago Cycling Cl'.ib on their (election of secretary. Mr D. Duncan, tho choice of the club, has an intimate knowledge of athletics generally, and though his connection with cycling has not. been so close <\3 with other branches- of sport, his enthusiasm generally leads me to believe that he will prove (o be a capable officer.

There was exhibited in the window of the Austral Cycle Agency on Saturday a miniature model of an up-to-date safety bicycle. The model, which is complete in every particular, is on a 3-16 scale, and is a testimony of the skill and patience of Mr W. J. Barrie, a cycle expert, of Woodlands, Southland. It is, we understand, the first model of a bicycle made in the colonies, and shows some really fine work. Mr Barrie made it during hid spare time this winter, and he has taken every care to work out a faithful presentment of the bicycle as it is marie to-day, showing such small things as chainadjusters, nipples of spokes, tyre valves, etc., in position and clear for working. The model will bo on view for some days, and is worthy of inspection.

Those of urf who followed cycle racing in the early days when the tail ordinary was the racing machine of the time, will be pleased lo hoar of the success of Mr T. C. Fisher, who now occupies an important position in the Austral Cycle Agency. Mr Fisher's spurt was a thing to be reckoned on in the early day*, and from a .short conversation with him last week ho appears to have retained that spurt till lately. His visit to Dunedin is on bupincsrf, and he made inquiries after the opponents of his day, speaking with pleasiue ol the contests of nearly 14 years ago. ( In the annual road race of the New South Wales League of Wheelmen, won by J. Elliott (Bmin 555-ec), there was a competitor of 52 yo-irp of age. This rider, Mr C. W. Prowse, covered the distance, 21g miles, in lh? sOec — a good performance. ■ At Rushwortli the cycle agent is, says t'.io Mclbourus Sportsman, the local carpenter, who also includes undertaking in hie tq-

porloire. Ilia premises are accordingly adorned with the ambiguous sign, " Agents tor all the be-st makes of bicycles and accessories. Funerals furuif-hed on moderate terms." English nuigi.fu-ptes are slowly awakening to l!>c Ltd that in cycling accidents the wheelman is not always at luult. An interest1 ing decision was recently given in a London t court in ll.e caso of John lilonold, who had i been summoned for riding a bicycle to the *■ common danger. .For the prosecution, Wii7 Ham Thomas Stoire, letter soiler, said he was walking in tlio carriage way in Noble street, when he heard a cycle boll. Before he could get out of the way he was knocked down by defendant on a bicycle He was close to liie path, but did not get on to it when he heard the bell, but walked across the road. Ihe defendant, said he was proceeding at a slow pace, when he saw the pedestrian in front. He knew he could get by, but to comply with tLe law sounded his bell. He thought the pedestrian would naturally step on to the path, but he turned the other way into the bicycle, knocking; it o\er. The magistrate held there could be no conviction. Thorp w;k no iindue pace suggested, and had 'he 3 complainant kepi to his proper side the acci „ ' dent would not have happened. It was an 3 accident, and he dismissed the summons. " Thih caso .-.ifco shows that bells sometimes intensify, and not minimise, the risk of accident.". Bicycle races at St. Louis were postponed for a queer cause. On May 14- a i Naiional Circuit race meeting- was to haro | been run at night. The track was made of wood, and to preserve it it had been painted. This wns a fatal mistake, a3 when the stars shone dew was raised on the suiface, :-o that the other stars, such as Gardiner, Butler, MertciiH, and others, when they tried to ride, ' E'mply .slipped oft, and, fearing broken limbs, 1 [ they refused to race. Five thousand people ! | weie present, and it was a difficult matter to - j pacify them when the- iacmg was declared off. j A new ideo in saddle construction has : been introduced, which presents, besides no- • velty only, a feature of considerable -^alue. It is that" the ten.' ion of the top, or leather, ' shall be adjusted by three Bcews at the back ' ' of the framework on which it i.s stretched, • instead of, as usual, by one single screw at the saddle peak. The value of this method lies in the fact that leather usually settles down at the sides, and not centrally, where little or no pi-ensure occurs, and therefore a tensioning arrangement that only pulls centrally is j a poor attempt to give adequate adjustment. I An ecce-itric suggestion has he-en made I by a correspondent of a translantic journal, ' who expresses his belief in the efficacy of solder as a substitute for brass for jointing cycle frames'. "With proper designing," he says, "allowing sufficient surfaces, theie ran be no queiticn a. 1 : lo the strength : experience has already proved this. The heat required does not injure the tubes, and leaves thorn with the original stiffne^ and thickness, and requiring no filing oi polishing to remove fue marks. " The tubes are not annealed or softened at Ihc?e ends, and require no reinforcing to compensate for the weakness caused by brazing and finishing. It would be possible to life a lighter gauge tube with equal strength if desired. In cose of accident, the soldered frame wov.!d lepair much easier, v.lile the econrmy of the method appeals to the mater strongly, row that Ihe cost of production has become yuc-h an important factor in future suocofp. At least one maker Las produced a success ful machine upon this plan and put it upon i l.c market, and I predict that others will :ollow. Two machines built with common soft soldered joints have been running- f- ! over a year under my daily obsovva tion, having had the roth or unusual experience of being upeel by nil the hands about the f>hop, and up to date they 1-ave been entirely batisfietcry. The orly objection I ueo lo the process lies in the prejudico which seems to exist in the jnincls of buyers against the idea of soldered joints, but this, no doubt, will disappeai in time, and both maker and rider will be the better for it." Of one tiling we ma\ rest a&siual. and that is ti.at high finish in enamel would be impossible, as the frames could ;iot be stoved at a tempera tin c of more than 200deg, which is about the heat to which hollow rims aro usually treated when enamelled. The Chester police hove invented a new way ol liming cyclists. They measured eff 110 yds on Backford Hill, and a constable stood wii'i a slop walch at the top, and a s:pvgeani, who stood at the limit mark,. lifted his leg as a signal when a cyclist passed him. By this method they contrived to prove that eight Liverpool cyclists rode at 23 miles an hour. One ol the defendants was so amused to hear of his prowess that ho suggested that the road to glory was now open lo him as a piofessional rider. No evidence was adduced, by the way, of any dangei being caused to pcclestrian, 1 -, nor us to the machines being beyond control ; nor were the qualifications of | the police as limskcepers legarded by the magistioles as ques'Jorf.ble in any way. Edwards ha. l ; up to the present more tlit. n accomplished his ta*k of riding 100 miles every day during the year 1898. The man, I who is an Englishman by birth, is a thir slab of a fellow, but he is evidently all muscle, for he shows no signs of distress. _ Miss OlgA Nethersole. on being questioned by an American interviewer on the subject of cycling, made the following reply : "I wear a Jong co-it, which is simply a covert coal, when I em in my bicycle costumo but not riding. I never ride in cities, only in ihe country, and then I always wear bloomers, which I find far more convenient than, a skirt. In addition they minimise the danger whiHi is very pronounced when a skirt is worn. I invariably wear a shiit waist with m; bloomers, and my cap is a little fad of my own, and i.s the exact reproduction of the f en age cap worn by officers of the 42nd infantry of the British Army. I have not made any soit of a ftudy as to the benefits or evils of bicycling lo women, and it seems to me that such a question should be more properly put to a physician. However, my personal experience, of now about two years, tells me tha,t bicycling affords sue a distinct gain in health and happiness. The exercise is pro due-live of the development both of a woman s health and nerve, the latter necessarily becoming strengthened. In moderation I strongly recommend bicycling to women as a panacea for nerve troubles ; and though it took me some time before I could induce myself to do \\hat appeared an ungraceful act, I am very glad now that I became a bicycle rider. Of course the exoicise can be abused. Overriding is a.s bad as the excessive use of anything, and I do not believe that women thould indulge in coasting, but, rationally undertoken, I am satisfied that cycling for women is one of the greatest boons that have been vouchsafed to thorn in many years. It promoles a spirit of indej>eiuUnce and hardihood which can do nothing but gocd for women, and helps them materially in their struggle for life. I have some little nieces in England, and when they are old enough to ride, my first presents to them will be a bicycle each." The tendency of e^cessiiQ j^cling 10

produce heart disease is dealt with in the Health News as follows: — Considering the enormous number of cyclists in the United Kingdom, it is desirable that any contribution to a knowledge of the effects of cycling on health and constitution should bo carefully studied by sanitarians, and by cyclists themselves. This mode of recreation has undoubted advantages and attractions, but it also has, like all mundane pleasures, its drawback?. In fact the majority of cyclists are in constant risk of overdoing what, in moderation, would be a healthful exercise and an agreeable pastime. Their main topic of conversation seems to be about ".spinning along," "scorching," and "record-rivalling." The consequence of these foolish attempt-o to annihilate time and distance is that no small portion of them most certainly succeed in doing themselves personal injury of some sort. . . . The most frequently met with of these are acute dilatation of the heart, and func tional derangement, more especially in (he case of novices or untrained persons. There is ono section of cyclists who ought to be particularly careful not to overdo the pastime— viz., those who have already reached or passed the middle period of life, and in whom ciianges may have begun to take place in different organs and tissues, such as the coats of the blood vessels. Holland and France were represented, in the persons of Cordang and Hmet, in a recent match over 100 kilometre,! (62% miles). The race took place at Paris, and resulted in an easy win for Cordang, who was splendidly served with the Dunlop pace, which he took across the Channel with him. These Wo riders are the finest long distance ridors of the day. Cordang holds the world's record of 616 miles in 24 hours, the previous holder being his rival, Huret. All French records were lowered from 10 kilometres upwards. Time, 2hr lmin 53sec. Not bad for 62£ miles ! One would imagine that a blind person could find no pleasure in cycling, since its greatest charm is the ever-changing scenes it affords one as one whirls along through iho country. That such is far from being the ca&e is apparent from the fact that the sightless student 0 , of the Royal Normal College, Norwood, find in cycling one of their most pleasant diversions, and that both male and female students indulge in it daily. Though the green fields and blue sky is darkness to them, they can enjoy the exorcise, breathe the pure air of the country, and list to the Pong of the birds and the wind. Physical training is essential to the blind, for their vitality is generally lower than that of those blessed with sight, and Mr Campbell, who is principal of the college, states that cycling is one of the most suitable exercises, inasmuch as it raises the vitality and teaches his pupils independence and self-reliance. There are several cycles at the college, some being built to seat six, eight, ten, and twelve porsons, and the last-mentioned is the longest multicycle in existence. They are usually steered by a gentleman in charge, who possesses his eight, atid are familtar objects to Londoners. The One-mile Championship of America fell to Tom Butler Taylor, the nigger lad, who dd&hcd into prominence in the six days' race, being close up second, and Cooper third. Taylor defeated the crack, Bald, in the preliminary heats. In Ohio, a bill Las been passed into law, authorising the construction of bicycle paths along the pxiblic highways, and providing for the punishment of those who destroy them or drive over them. In order to pay for the construction and maintenance of them it is further exacted that e\ery person in any uistrict where such bicycle paths are constructed shall bo taxed to the extent of one dollar annually m respect, of every bicycle which he possesses. This fund will be augmented by the lines imposed on persons who drive carts or carriages or animals upon the cycle j?aths, or who do them malicious injury. The ido.i of erecting cycle paths is good, but the special taxation is bad in principle. Roads are maintained out of general rates for the genor.d good ; so are footpaths, and so, to bo consist ont, ought cyclo paths to be similarly paid for. Cyclists aro no more a special class than car-riage-users or pedestrians ; and, as they bear a share of the cost, as ratepayers, of the up keep of the highways for non cyclists, it wouH be fairer to make non-cyclists also share the cost of cycle paths. At the same time, it is a more appropriate application of a cycle tax than the various suggestions of relieving depressed farmers, or assisting curates, that have from time to time emanated from proposers of a cycle tax in this country. — The Hub. Cycling has led to discoveries in England of which professional antiquarians were ever ignorant. Jn the search for good roads patches of splendid flat hard surfaces have been found by touring cyclists, and ridden over until they have come to be recognised cycling tracks. Recently, however, it was noticed that all thebe patches lay in the same straight line, and further inquiries showed that they were nothing else but the occasional outcroppingedges of old Roman roads which had been unnoticed for nearly 2000 years. It would be amusing if someone would compile a list of the places whero a cycle tax has been proposed, but without success. Kimberley is the latest case ot failure. Now it is (says a Home paper) being attempted in Mew York, where one Alderman Lang has moved for a, tax. of one dollar a year on bicycles, the money to be vised "for road improvements." Mr Potter, the president of the League of American Wheelmen, predicts a speedy end to the proposal. "It is a great scheme," he says, " to tax the only kind of velnclo that does not injure the roads a bit, and let all the heavy ones that keep highways m poor condition go scot free. The bill will never pass. I do not think it could stand five minutes under legal test. Why don't they tax shoes and boots for wearing out the sidewalk? It would be just as sensible. Some ridiculous move of this kind is brought up every now and then. I think it would be a good idea for someone to introduce a measure taxing everyone who does not ride a bicycle, and have all hands rounded up at Central Park for inspection. Now, for frank ideas, what is the matter with that? " Senior Consul Rosenfeld, of the L.A.W. Consulate, smiled when spoken to about Alderman Lang's motion. Ho said that when it came up before tho Law Committee, tho consulate would l«o on hand to endorse tho measure, but would approve of it only after certain amendments had been made. Tho league will suggest a general tax for road improvements, with all classes of vehicles paying in proportion to their weight and the amount of damage they do the roads, U'o simo as is now required at St. Louis. The law in the latter city is a part of the widr-tyre law. It was passed in March, 1897, an.l requires certain widths of tyres i»n dif-fr-rcnt vehicle, the width for each being proportioned to tho diameter of the axle. In conjunction with this all have to pay an annual tax to the fund for improving highways. The tax schedule at St. Louis which tho consulate will urge as an amendment to Alderman Lang's bill for adoption in Greater New York is as follows: — Trucks drawn by eight hoyfiQi^ 30dolj, by six horses., 20dol; by

four horses, 15dol ; by three horses, 7dol ;. h$ two hordes, 5dol ; by one hor3e, 2dol ; omnibuses Avitli four horses, lOdol ; with two I horses, 5dol ; drays .with four horses, lOdol ; ! hacks with two horses, 5dol ; with one horse, 2.50d01 ; private carriages with two horses, 5dol ; with one horse, 2dol ; buggies, 1.50d0l : bicycles, Idol. This is recognised as being an equitable arrangement. The consulate will

I plead for it, but it is believed that tho bill so amended could never be passed. As ona member of the consulate puts it, " I think you would have a bigger howl from the horaemen, if it was attempted to include them in any general and just plan of taxation, than is now heard from the wheelmen when they j are singled out for a special levy." Writing witli reference to tho " pull or draught" of a bicycle, " Graphis," of- the Irish Cyclist, informs her readers that a skirt is a very serious drawback to fast going ; that a skirt which 19 deemed comfortable for riding up to, s-ay, 12 miles an hour becomes a very serious handicap once the speed is increased beyond that point, whilst for a para approaching 20 miles an hour the best-cut and best-hung skirt in the world becomes s,n "unmitigated nuisance" on account of its tendency to roll up over the knees or dV*gat the ankles. Allowing it to be a fact that a skirt is incompatible with a speed of 20 miles an hour, it-is not very likely that the skirt will be therefore cast aside. Very 'few ; women (fortunately) aspire to the speed which I we may infer is indulged in by " Graphis," I but are qni'e satisfied with the modest 12 miles an hour, which she apparently scorns. I The man that borrows your bicycle because you lent him your umbrella is worse ' than the wind that first freezes your fingers '. and then blows your hat off. I St. James's Gazette, of London, has I been looking up early newspaper comments on matters cycling. It has found one of the leading writer of the day paid:-— "Just 22 years ago Mortimer Collins remarked in a column of newspaper gossip: 'The bicycles are coming to the front. The champion is to raco a four-in-hand from London to Brighton, or vice versa. All very fine, gentlemen; but you will discover your mistake in time. You ; nave to use muscles unnaturally. I know two j men who have had to give up the bicycle j simply because it, was knocking them into j iotas of imbecility. And what pleasure is j there in racing through the country on high roads at 10 miles an hour?' And a few months later, in the year of grace 1876, a writer in the World denounced ' that ne plus ultra of snobbishness— bioyclism.' The ,So- ! cioty journalist of those days had no provisioning eye for the parades in Battersea Park, lor the universal acceptance of the all-con-quering wheel by society in these latter days. The name ' bicycle ' dates from about 1867. .At first the spelling was a little uncertain. The Daily News of that prehistoric date (from a wheelman's point of view) wrote of ' bysicles ' and ' trisicles ' ; while an Ameriun journal wrote of the ' bicycular velocipede.' Bieycular velocipede! What a portentous mouthful !"

The latest modus operandi of the cycle thief is one which does credit to even his inventive mind, and which has succeeded in hoodwinking more than one cyclist who flattered himself he was too wide-awake to, be beguiled with such practices. But the simpler the subterfuge the more victims does it seem to capture, and therefore does the latest plot, by reason that the actual thief is a small boy, seem likely to have a successful " rup." The small boy, trained, of course, by >an older head, hangs around a suburban cycle depot. Presently up comes a cyclist, wheeling his machine. Small boy is all eyes and ears. After a short confab inside the shop tho proprietor and tho cyclist come out to the front to finish the talk. Small boy gathers ncai". " Very sorry, Mr So-and-so," says the man of steel and rubber, " but I cannot possibly do that litfcle job for you to-day. Let me have the machine to-morrow moruing and i will put a man on it at once." " All right !" replies the cyclist, and walks off with his wheel. He has not gone far, however, when to him comes a rushing, breathless boy. "Oh, if you please, Mr So-and-so," gasps he, " the gov'ner says he will do that little job for you to-day, and let someone else wait— it you will send the machine back at once." The cyclist gives his machine to the boy, whom he recognises as one that stood by tho shop door — and is quite- surprised to find later in tho day that the youngster, despite his black face and oily hands, has no connection with tho "gov'ner" in question.

A committee meeting of the I). CO. was held in their rooms on Monday night, the Captain (Mr A. J. Sullivan) occupying the chair. Tho proposed haiadsome new club rooms in Moray place were reported to be takii'g definite shape. It was decided -to support the League of New Zealaod Wheelmen in thtir proposed refusal of affiliating trade clubs to that body. The annual report and' a highly satisfactory balance sheet were discussed and passed ; whilst further prelimiucrics in connection with the annual general meeting, which takes place on Wednesday, August 17, were attended to. Oth- r club matters were also disposed of.

A mteticg of the Dunedtn and Suburban Cycling Tracks Committee was held on Friday evening ; Mr G. Mondy (president) in the chair. Two members were appointed to acfc in conjunction with the delegates from the cycling cluLb in making arrarigements for holding a cycling carnival on the opening day. It was resolved to ask the C> cling Coipa toco-operate. Collecting cards circulated amongst the large business firms bave helped considerably to augment the funds. The committee expect at an early date to commence improvements to the track.