New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-02
IrAGl-r OF AMERICAN WHEELMEN.

I'm, hi. ability to do so should not be put to too
severe test
| LEAGUE OF AMERICAN WHEELMEN.
| The League of American Wheelmen ia National
! organization of bicycle riders. formed at Newport
on May 81 1850 and has little over $500 mem
! bers Last year II had ZOO. but hard times, pre-
| surably lnterefered with renewals Of membership
! Although comprising only a small percentage OF the
riders In the country. Il exercises controlling In
auence among them and has been OF great service
in several ways. Its pracipal work in which every
body should have strong sympathetic interest,
has been It's crusade for good roads Acting
divisions-which are state organzations-it has al
ready procured noteworthy Improvement OF the
made popular an agitation in that direction. Last
year the New-Yo division printed and circulated
farmers how to make and maintain good roads and
awakening them to c9nsciousne's OF their dire,
VIII be brought upon legislatures all over the coun.
road improvements The magazine Good Roads"
started and controlled by the League has been an
a. a publishing enterprise There was formerly a
considerable anImosity shown toward wheelmen by
for their injury but the good roads campaign has
moded that feeling throush making the farmers
common interest; Not a little restraint has been
the mGs Sna 'pe a e
League could be relied upon to WELD sufficient In.
for the eSemPsTy who OF IN the r2ad
them down. The statutory enactment declaring
other vehicles bound to respect. was procured
by the League and has been of inestimable value to
wheelmen.
Not the least Of the benefits conferred by the
League upon the great body of bicycle riders has
been the preservation OF this form OF sport In this
country from the communicating and degrading
socatons Of professional gamblers. Immense
is the popular Interest in bicycle racing. the book
ma ker been abe to utilize it, This
Is due the fact the. all races in the United
States are rgiily controlled by the Racing Board
OF the League. who draw their lines so sharply
10 exclude professional racers entirely and prevent
All track gambling upon events.
Another general benefit. for which credit should
he given 10 the League Is its procurement OF special
Concessions to wheelmen by railroad corpora tons
al over the country. Nearly all railroads in the
United States now carry bicycles free. The Long
Isand New En- gland and New-York, New Haven
and Hartford are exceptions. From New-York to
port Cheste r the last named road. the wheemen's
fare Is 10 cents. but the transportation OF his
thirty-four- pound roadster Will cost him % cents
The New York Central. on the other hand. is ex-
ceptionally liberal For wheelmen going to the re-
cent meet at Denver this road supplied q special
DAYS with use of the cars as a hote. while In Dem
yer everything Of the best" the excursionsts
report. and all for only SIS per head
Each division Issues road books and maps for
the of members. covering the territory of Its
own State and much OF adjacent States may
seem desirable. Those put out by the NETWORK
and Massachusetts divisions are exceptionally good
in the elaborate information they supply concern