Wheels and wheeling; an indispensable handbook for cyclists, with over two hundred illustrations . Hobby-Horse—1821. the velocipede of 1866; but, early in 1892, investiga-tion revealed the fact that, about the year 1840, aningenious Scotchman had applied driving levers to amachine of the Draisine type. This man was Peter,Patrick, or (as most witnesses think) KirkpatrickMcMillan. He is remembered by a number of hisold acquaintances, who agree regarding both the factthat he applied a driving gear to his machine, and HISTORY OF THE BICYCLE. 43 consequently could travel much faster than those whou
Wheels and wheeling; an indispensable handbook for cyclists, with over two hundred illustrations . Hobby-Horse—1821. the velocipede of 1866; but, early in 1892, investiga-tion revealed the fact that, about the year 1840, aningenious Scotchman had applied driving levers to amachine of the Draisine type. This man was Peter,Patrick, or (as most witnesses think) KirkpatrickMcMillan. He is remembered by a number of hisold acquaintances, who agree regarding both the factthat he applied a driving gear to his machine, and HISTORY OF THE BICYCLE. 43 consequently could travel much faster than those whoused the primitive method, and also as to the timeat which it was done. An account of the matter wasgiven by Thomas McCall, in a letter to Bicycling Newsin February, 1892. Regarding the application ofdriving gear to a machine of the Draisine type hesays: This was done by a blacksmith by the name of[Kirkpatrick] Peter McMillan, who wrought at Drum-. McCalls Copy of McMillans Rear Driver—1840. lanarig Castle for some time, and latterly on his ownaccount at Pierpont, Dumfriesshire. This would beabout 1845. I remember, when a boy, on coming out of schoolone day, seeing him with his velocipede. I followedhim as he led it up a long hill and made a thoroughinspection of it. On gaining the top of the hill, theman got on and rode away. I ran for over half amile, but he outstripped me. It was after his princi- 44 WHEELS AND WHEELING. pie that I made velocipedes, years after, of which Iwill give account. When I was an apprentice to the joiner and mill-wright trade, I commenced to make one in my sparetime. On hearing, however, that a smith eight milesoff had the remains of an old velocipede, withoutgearing, I proceeded thither, bought it for $s., and setout for home. On the way, however, the wheelsbroke down. I made new wheels, put cranks, con-necting rods, and pedals on, and for the first timeowned a velocipede. A few years after, at New
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