The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-07-13
A LOT OF TRUTH In THIS
THE BICYCLE ORDINANCE AND
THOSE SPECIAL POLICEMEN.
Rev. Stanley VI. Hunter states Some
Things That Will BE Recognized
BY All WheeImen as Facts
Chance For the Bicycle Clubs TO
Do u Little Good.

Editor Herald:
Allow me. as a bicyclist, through the
columns of your paper to make
double protest, first against the city
council, and second against the BIZ
cyclists who voluntarily act as detec-
tives in citizens clothes with intent to
pounce upon those VINO, Willingly or
unwittingly, violate what is called 1.-The
bicycle ordinance"
Like a great many others, I have
fallen a victim to the derelictions of
the first and to the officiouSness of the
second.
In the first place, then, the city
council passed an ordinance in 1892
prohibiting the riding of bicycles on the
sidewalks in the paved district"
want you to notice this word paved -
Mr.. Editor, for upon that impinges my
charge of dereliction against the city
council. Now, a stranger like myself,
for instance, coming to this city and
hearing of the ordinance would natur-
ally suppose that the paved district"
would be the district that was paved"
But no such thing. You will pardon
his righteousness, Mr.. Editor but he
was unacquainted with the Salt Lake
city council. He soon learns to his
cost to the tune of 81, at least, that the
paved district is not the paved" dis
trict.
On looking up the ordinance at the
city hall, defining what was the paved
district I discovered as much con-
fusion as expected. This is what L
made out: That the paved district eX-
tends from the north side OF south
Temple to the south side of Ihlrd
South, and embracing both SIDES Oh
street: Main and West Temple streets
from South Temple to Fourth South,
not including the sidewalks on Fourth
South" But although this is technic-
ally dignified as the paved district,
in reality it is not so, for neither
Third South nor South Temple is
paved" The sidewalk in front of the
postoffice from West Temple to First
West is also under the ban.
Now. my point is. that in all fair
ness to the bicyclists of the city who
are taxpayers, either directly or indi-
rectly, the city council should pave"
these streets CThird South and South
Temple between West Temple and
State, pursuant to the ordinance which
they so careleSsly passed two years
ago; or failing this, that they should
withdraw the prohibition from the side
walks of those streets until such time
as they shall have fulfilled the ordi-
nance requiring said streets to be
paved-and not on paper only
Now. this seems to me to be nothing
more than what the bicycHsts of Salt
Lake have a right to demand, and it is
a matter of surprise to me that a pub
lie protest has not been raised before.
l might add that I have repeatedly
asked several policemen (who certainly
ought to know what the city ordi-
nances are) what the restriction was
against riding on the sidewalk. and 7
must confess that I have been disgust
ed with the lack of correspondence in
thelr statements. Had [ ridden accord
ing 10 their knowledge of the ordinance
L should certainly have been run i'm
dozens of times.
My second charge is. as 1 have said,
against the self-cOnstituted bicycle de-
tectives who wear a concealed brass
badge authorizing them to arrest any
person violating the bicycle ordinance.
Now. what do these gentlemen think
they are doing? Do they think they
are doing the cause of the Wheelmen
a service? If you ask them, they will
tell you, Yes. But allow me to tell
them that they are the wheelmen's
worst enemy. Do they think that by
enriching the city's Golfers with hun
dreds of 81 fines they are benefiting the
bicyclist? If they do, I am sorry for
their intelligence. If the money thus
obtained went toward the paving of
those streets that ought to be paved.
then perhaps they might be doing the
bicyclists a good turn; but we know
the city council too we'll for that, alas!
Again, I have said that these gentle
men are the worst enemies of the
wheelman. and l will proceed to sub
stantiate this. They rob the innocent
offender Of at least 81 (and [ might add
that most of the fines come from riding
on the sidewalks on those two streets
that are not paved, and what good
does it do? If they are such friends
of the waeelman as they pretend to be,
why don't they club together and print
and circulate a few thousand handbills
setting forth what the bicycle ordi-
nance is? Or why does not some BIZ
cycle dealer, who also pretends TO be
the Wheelman's friend, do it? Then
a pain what are the bicycle clubs of
this CITY about that they do not pro-
tect the wheelmen better by dissent
mating the ordinance? Surely dealer
could get out no better paying adver-
tisement.
AS things are at. present, if you want
to know the bicycle ordinance you have
to go to the city hall and hunt it up
for yourself. for there is no policeman
that can tell you.
For my part, have no respect for
the gentlemen in the positions of self
bicycle detectives. If they
can show me what good they do the
cause of the wheelman l shall be
pleased to alter my opinion To sneak
upon fellow wheelman and put him
to expense and inconvenience in the
name of loyalty is hardly the action of
a seif-respecting man. 1t argues to me
either lack of honor or OF brains.
My letter, Mr.. Editor, has grown tn
greater dimensions than had foreseen.
still, hope you can find space for If
as l feel this to be a matter of much
concern to the wheeling fraternity
Those who do not ride wheel. gener-
ally have little sympathy for the rights
OF wheelers- I feel that something
ought to be done, either in the way of
repeal by the city council or by
wider dissemination of the ordinance
by the bicycle clubs of this CITY.
Yours, etc.
STANLEY M. HUNTER.
II ooete v,,oro 70 naa1ro tba Doro1I