The record-union., 1895-07-20
WHY WHEELMBN ARE COMPLAINING.
Their Rights to UnIittered Streets Are
gnored.
An Ordinance That, if Enforced,
Would Make the Highways
Much Safer.

The number of men and women in this
city who own and ride bicycles is already
large and daily increasing, but the in
| crease in numbers does not begin to keep
pace with the complaints that come in of
the dangerous condition of the streets.
Attention has been frequently called of
late in these columns to the growing nui-
sance OF broken glass, sharp-pointed and
steel-like clinkers from furnaces. Jagged
bits of rock and rolling stones that are
deposited SO recklessly and SO fearlessly
OH the public streets, but the nuisance
continues unabated.
1t has been suggested that the several
bicycle establishments in the city make
the City Trustees each present Of an up
to-date wheel. that they may be brought
to a realization of the abuses that are
daily committed by persons who seem to
have no regard either for the plain letter
of the law or the rights OF their neighbors.
There is an ordinance of the city which,
if eniorced-as all ordinances should be
would correct this growing evil and
largely help 10 make Sacramento a city
wherein life would be worth the living.
The section reads:
mo person shall put or place, or cause
to be put or placed, In any street, alley,
or public place in the city, any :house
dirt, ashes, garbage, shavings, filth, offal.
suds, oyster slrells, glass, or other rub
bish, except in boxes or barrels upon the
outer edge of the sidewalk, and shall
cause the same to be removed within two
hours from the time the same is SO
placed"
Now why Is not this most excellent
regulation enforced? 1t was passed away
back in 1878, long before bicycling be-
came at all general, and if it was a proper
regulation then it is even more SO now.
1t Is Of no use for persons to attem pit TO
belittle bicycling now. The wheel has
become a useful and popular article of
property and cannot be pooh-poohed Off
the road. 1t is said that close upon 1000
wheels some estimatestare even higher
are owned in this city, representing an
outlay of about $500 by the owners.
There is no child's play about that, and
the fact may just as well be acknowledged
now, as later on, that these two thousand
wheelman are going to have something to
say in local politics in the future. 1t
would seem, therefore, to be good states
manship on the part OF public officials
who have not yet reached the limit of
their political aspirations te give some
heed to the wishes of the wheelmen.
The riders OF these valuable motors do
not ask much-simply that an ordinance
that has been ignored for many years be
brought out OF It's ObScurlty and have the
breath of life breathed into it by some
one whose official lungs have not become
congested from long dlsuse.
A few days labor by a few mon with
fine-toothed rakes to clear the streets of
its clinkers, broken glass, rolling stones
Iarge and small. and rubbish of all
kinds-this would make the city look
neat and clean and habitable. There
would be less crippled horses, less pune
tured bicycle-tires, less accidents, less
blasphemy. and happier and more con-
tented community.
Despite all that has been said on this
subject of late, a man could have gone up
X street yesterday and within a space of
four blocks have gathered from the pave
ment enough broken glass to fill bushel
basket. This glass was thrown upon the
street by men engaged in placing insu
lators on telegraph, telephone or electric
wire poles. and scattered about promiscu-
Ously by wagons and horses until much
of it became imbedded in the soft asphalt
pavement that cost the property-owners
so much money.
Along II street and even on street
some careless teamster had left behind him
a trail of flintlike cinders, or clinkers, to
IuiH Iuo lcob VI AOio ooos ouI oPoh WY SiO
tires and help ruin the smooth pavement.
Yet nobody has been arrested and pun
ished for these bold transgressOns of the
law.
Possibly If some city official would look
over and study the ordinances he might
discover that he has duty to perform in
this respect, and having made that dis
covery, possibly he might do something.
Please pass around that solitary book
that contains the city's laws ana let all
hands take whack at it.