The record-union., 1895-07-05
BROOKLYN BICYCLISTS.
Opening of the Path from Pros
pect Park to Coney Island.
Thirty Thousand People on Wheels
The Parade Led by Three Hundred
Soldiers in Uniform on Bicycles
Wheeimen from All Over the State
Take Part.

The opening OF the bicycle path from
Prospect Park, Brooklyn, to Coney
Island on Saturday afternoon, June 10Th,
was perhaps the most significant event OF
the season to American wheelmen ana
wneelwomen. Its significance lay not
alone in the fact that this level path to the
sea Is the first which has been built eX-
clusively for bicyclists in this country,
but because its success has been SO COM
plete that already New York has pro-
vided for a similar path over the old
Aqueduct The popularity of the Brook
lyn bicycle path is no doubt largely due
30 the fact that it leads from one OF the
most beautiful parks that we have TO the
best known seaside resort on this CONT
nent. 1t is not a perfect path by any
means, but for almost it's entire length OF
five and one-half miles is shaded on
either side by fine trees. In making 1t
the builders were forced to use material
not of the very best for the purpose. The
ground was merely plowed up, graded
and rolled, and then covered with TWO
and O half inches of crushed limestone,
and cost less than one thousand dollars
per mile.
For number of years abortive efforts
had been made both by individuals and
by the Good Roads Association to secure
3 cycle path along the Ocean Park way,
but it was not until October, 1892, that the
Good Roads Association of Brooklyn was
formally organized and started TO work
in good earnest. The association had
hard struggle for existence for two years,
but when Frank Squier became Park
Commissioner under Brooklyn's present
reform administration, President Angel
secured his earnest and unqualified APP
proval of the pathway, and the proper
grading and suriaclng was begun. AS Com
missioner SQuier had only one thousand
dollars at his disposal for this work, 1t
was necessary for the w wheeimen to raise
the rest, which they did. The path is the
first matter which the Good Roads AssO-
citation has successfully carried through.
Recently the Brooklyn Board of Alder
men passed a resolution suggesting to the
Park Commissioner that return path be
built on the eastern side OF the Boulevard,
and it is a question Of but a short time
before this will be done. Wnen it is
completed it will give an almost ideal
thOrOughfare for Wheelmen OF about
eight miles in length.
ON Saturday, June 18th, it was esti-
mated that there were from twenty TO
thirty thousand people on wheels, lnclud-
ing visitors, in Brooklyn. The formal
only occasion for the bringing together
of this great number of bicycle riders.
The annual Stale meet of the League Of
the American Wheelmen was also In
progress, and the opening of Austin Cor
bins great bicycle track at Manhattan
Beach took place the same afternoon.
The parade was. however, to the great
majority. the event OF the day. It was
scheduled to begin al o'clock, but long
before that time thousands Of people had
collected at points OF vantage, and the
Park and the Boulevard were crowded
with smart traps Of every description,
including several Park drags. The
weather was perfect, and the cool breeze
added TO the enjoyment OF both riders
and spectators. II has been variously
estimated from five TO twelve thousand
riders took part In the parade; certainly
there were not less than six thousand in
line. Lieutenant-C Colonel Charles Ii.
Luscomb of the Thirteenth Regiment,
one of the best-known cyclists in the
country, had been put III charge OF the
parade, and led it with q military escort
OF three hundred nilitiamen in uniform.
The formation was IN columns OF four,
and the distance between lines was about
ten feet; between clubs twenty-five feet,
and between the divisions one hundred
feet. In the first two divisions were the
regular clubs, and in the third members
League of American Wheelmen, and un-
attached wheelmen generally.
The reviewing stand near Parkville,
about a mile from the beginning of the
path was well filled, and here were May
or Schieren and most of his cabinet, other
city officials. and the three judges of the
parade Shortly after ) o'clock the ad
vance guard passed the reviewing stand,
and then for nearly two hours contin-
uous stream of wheels went by. Although
no fantastic costumes were allowed in the
line, the varied uniforms of the thirty
or forty clubs participating in the parade
relieved the monOtony. Many women
took part, and. generally speaking. wore
proper and becoming costumes. although
there were some exceptions. Prizes
were awarded TO the Brooklyn Bicycle
Club for having the most men IN line,
and for presenting the finest appearance;
TO the Long Island Wheelmen Tor being
second in numbers; to the Riverside
Wheelmen tor parading the greatest
mum Der of men OF any visiting club, and
for presenting the finest appearance of
any of the visitors. SO great was the
success of the parade that it is not inn
probable that something similar to it
will be made an annual feature in Brook
lyn.