Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-05


officials have been aroused 10 the necessity Of
improving the highways. and In some sections
the fruits Of their harvest Not only has the
action Of the league aroused the people in the
country districts, but in large cities the
authorities are listening to suggestions and
have started the work OF providing better
| streets for the cities.
In Philadelphia better streets arc promised,
and during the coming year the wheelmen ex-
pect the Improvement of several streets in .
manner that will render city cycling much bet
Ter than heretofore. The St. Louis street de-
partment has published pamphlet describing
the proposed system Of bouleyards with which
that city il to be provided in detail. The
boulevards are established under a special law
passed at the last legislature, and the main
point gained il that the city now has the right
10 regulate and to exclude traffic Of ali kinds
over these boulevards which may in the opin-
ion Of the board Of public improvements, prove
to q injurious.
pervisors the other day their duty in road max
ingiu most interesting way. John Glaub drove
over an unprotected embankment and was in
jured. The supervisors claimed that they had
not money enough to make needed repairs
The court In charging the jury said that the
should not be considered, a. they had the
privilege OF appealing to the county commits
| Honers FOR assistance in maintaining proper
roadways II they felt burdened by taxation in
$1,000 damages Road supervisors will do well
70 make note Of this case. 1t may save them
trouble when they are In doubt County Pepper,
Aatord, NJ j.
This months edition Of Good Roads contains
! Illustrations OF the conditions of country roads
In the spring of the year, which will also apply
70 wet seasons generally. In tho same issue
appear letters from prominent persons on the
question OF road Improvement Among them
| ID communication from Vice President Nor
ton. he says: II am in hearty sympathy with
the objects OF the league, particularly the i'm
| provsment OF the common roads of the coun.
try, and send best wishes for the success of the
| movement inaugurated by your association"
| Secretary Rusk 10 quoted as saying: II con-
graduate yon very warmly upon the success
you have 80 far achieved in your efforts to or.
ganize concerted movement in favor of this,
q much needed reform. Unquestionaby the
present unsatisfactory condition of our Ameri-
can highways causes the country, and espe-
| clally the rural population, heavy loss and it
would give me pleasure to do anything in my
power to abste this evil"
Secretary Elkins writes: II am glad to hail
this undertaking Of your body. II is one Of
the many new and remarkable developments Of
the time. IL 10 but a few years since saw the
first bicycle on Pennsylvania avenue and put it
| down as wild plaything. 1t has not only be-
come common vehicle here, but throughout
the country, and your league could wisely issue
bonds for the purpose OF improving the country
roads. Under a proper system 1 DO not think
any expenditure of public money would give SO
large return to 90 many people,"
The Question of Cash Prizes.
The question Of cash prizes has proved
troublesome one with the L. A. w., and it 10
stated that large majority Of cycles are op-
posed to any plan Of that kind that would place
cycle racing in America on professional basis.
I'm the many conversations have had with
cyclers representing all sections of the country
have yet to record one in which the CASH
prize system was favorably commented upon"
writes the cycler in the Cycle World The
question has never been brought before the
l.. A. W. in such form that it could be def
nitely settled, for if it had been am positive
tnat the wheeling world would have found that
the League of the American Wheelmen does
not want cash-prize system, though possibly
1t would like a few changes in the present sys-
tenn OF prize giving. The general public has
CONCEIVED the ida that the A. A. U. and the L.
A. w. are not in accord on the prize-system
question. This is true to a certain extent. The
l.. A. W. does not believe in the limited
prize system advocated by the A. A. u, nor il
the latter q believer in the unlimited prize
system. II these two representative American
t 1oaies would but strike a happy medium on
this prize question there is no doubt that the
entire athletic world would be better satisfied,
and that that bugaboo, the cash prize would
not harass the racing world"
Bicycle Thieves Busy.
During the past few weeks there has been an
unusual activity shown among the bicycle
thieves and the result is that several cyclists
are now compelled to walk or ride in street
cars until they recover their stolen wheels
or purchase new ones. Two bicycles were
af0au IN 10
yet the police have found no trace Of them.
Last saturday several ''bikes" disappeared
from different localities. One thief stole q
bicycle belonging to Fayette Montgomery of
NO. 1913 Massachusetts, avenue and then rode
70 Columbian University, where he found a
better wheel that belonged to Mr.. Harry Hud-
dleson. The thief thought that fair exchange
was no robbery, and SO traded wheels Mr..
hontgomery's wheel was returned to him, but
Mr. Huddleson's silent steed is still missing.
Fred b. Pyies bicycle was taken from the
corner OF 9Th and + streets, while Mr.. B. W.
Hannas wheel disappeared from the State, War
and Navy Department.
Arthur J. Raub and Edward Portner were
fortunate enough to get their wheels again.
Cycling Clips.
''The broadening Of the scope Of the Century
Road Club to permit of that organization as
Stunning jurisdiction over road racing and rec
ords is q move in the right direction, and will
greatly increase the prestige and influence Of
the Century Club, says the League Bulletin.
"While for obvions reasons the Law. cannot
countenance or recognize road racing,
pledged as it Is to the construction Of improved
highways and the lawful use of same by Wheel
men, it cannot be denied that the sport of road
racing has firm hold upon the hearts of many
League MEMBERS and any plan which sees that
these contests are properly managed and con-
trolied must meet with the hearty approval of
every one. We therefore extend TO the Century
Road Club our sincerest congratulations on
their proposed assumption Of authority over
road riding contests, believing that the same
energy and ability which has already made the
club famous throughout the cycling world will
| also aid in making in equally successful in the
| broader field of usefulness it intends to enter"
The Laramie Cycling Club Laramie City,
Wyo,) contemplate q fifty-mile road race in
May. The roads near that city are good and
there are several men who are hard riders to
help make the contest exciting.
i An Irish cycler has introduced an attractive
| invention in the way Of cycle alarms. II con-
| sists Of the attachment Of q number of small
| tuned bells to the handle bars, by which all
| simple tunes can be played at will by even the
| most unskilled musician. At right angles to =
small L-shaped rod are fastened four bells, and
| in . position convenient to the riders fingers
are corresponding spring keya By an in
| genious contrlvance these can be set to any
distance from the hand the convenience Of the
L Lola