Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 November 1894 — BOUND TO HAVE A BICYCLE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BOUND TO HAVE A BICYCLE.

So This Jersey Colored Man 31ade One Himself Out of Raw Materials. New York World. An ambitious colored man over in Jersey who could not afford to buy a safety, but was determined to have a bicycle of some sort, has constructed a machine so curious and

so original that the wonderful “onehoss shay” is quite outdone by it. Some of the traditional points of construction now recognized as essential in the modern safety are overlooked, it is true, but the im portant item of strength is certainly not sacrificed to grace and beauty. With a jacknife, a hatchet and a drawshave the enterprising mechanic ha* succeeded in producing something that “do move” at least. The material used was boards, barrel heads, trees and other nondescript material, so that in its composite character the wooden horse resembles Joseph’s coat of many colors. The front wheel is two inches thick, and in liey of pneumatic tires both wheels are fitted with pieces of old garden hose, securely nailed to the rim. The cranks are in two pieces and look like the handle of an old fashioned churn, though much ruder. The frame, which was cut out of a small tree, is thicker than a man’s arm. Nails and screws were employed to fasten the parts together, with the‘exception of the front post and backbone, which are held to gether by two rusty hinires. The triumphant darkey amuses himself by riding down the bills ij his vicinity and pushing his bike u; again, like the noble of Franc that had 10,000 men] There is n< danger of its running away, even on a steep hilL

THE SPOKELESS BICYCLE,