New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-01

local Improvements in the Twenty sixth ward
paid for by the property-owners In install
ments. SO IL has been decided 10 place asphalt
over the granite blocks thus the people assessed
for the granite will get a better pavement tnan
they are paying for while those who wheel ana
drive will get perhaps better pavement ior thls
distance than the macadam Will be on the resi-
Of the As soon as the bill Is passed IL
is understood that the Park Department VIII
take prompt measures TO let the contract ana
will endeavor TO push on the work as TapiuI! as
possible. Few things are more needed In BROOK
yn than this outlet 10 the sy stem OF good ROADS
Long Island.
With the opening Of spring a variety OF i'm
provements Of interest to the riders Of the metro
politan district and especially to those of Brook
lvn. will be pressed forward in that city. one Of
these will be the maoadamizing OF the western
roadway on the Ocean Parkway. Immediately
adjacent 10 the Cycle Path. This work was be-
gun last fall but rather slow progress was made.
The appropriation available will carry the mac
adam little more than two miles. or nearly to
Howe's OF course. smooth roadway here will
largely relieve the pressure on the northern part
of the Cycle Path A contract will soon be made
for ma cadamizing a part of Fort Hamilton-ave..
but the indications are that the work cannot be
carried {
pratiOn secured. This avenue Is 100 feet
wide. and is at present in bad condition. An
official of the Park Department says That the
money available will hardly serve 10 provide
macadamized road for more than mile. which
will carry II only a short distance beyond Green
wood Cemetery Eventually this smooth road
will be extended SO T. connect with the north
ern end Of the Shore Drive. The unimproved part
Of Twenty-second-ave. will also be taken IN hand
as early may be- the contract for THIS was
made last fall, and part Of the work Is done
Outside Of what the Park Department will DO
in Brooklyn. good deal Of asphalt paving will
be done under the direction Of the Department Of
City Works The most important thing will be
the completion Of a through route up and down
town by the repavng Of ST. Marks-avc between
Vanderbilt and Franklin ayes; and the greater
part of another through route Will be supplied by
the placing OF asphalt on Gates-ave. between
Classon-ave. and Fulton-st. Doubtless that KIND
Of pavement Will also be placed on this avcru
between Franklin and Bedford ayes, although
there is a railroad track on that Block. one of the
plans in contemplation Is - put brick pavement
on Grecne-aVe. between Clinton-aVe. and Fulton
ST. und when that is done there Will be two COM
pe,e smooth-pavement routes between the HID
and the Heights. A contract has been made also
for an asphalt pavement on State-st. from Gin
ton-st to Flatbush-ave.. thus supplying an al
tentative route to Schermerhorn-st
,, Complaint has been made in reference 10 smok-
ing IT. the shelter-house al the end OF the Coney
Island Cycle Path. Last Sunday. for instance.
when a large number Of riders went down the
path the air in the building fairly blue with
smoke. An order has been posted forbidding the
smoking Of pipes but clearly that is not enough.
Why should not smoking be prohibited alto
gether? The shelter is designed for the accom-
mediation Of women riders well as for men;
many Of the former are sensitive L the effects OF
tobacco smoke, and some have been driven out oi
the shelter-hOuse when they NlsntI 10 rest di'I
get some refreshments because the Door ~ ON u
ing tobacco was Overpowering. DEPUTY PARK
Commissioner Henry L. Palmer. WhcH asN''
about this matter, said that In MS Juif'nrh'
there ought to be no smoking IN the siru iuTe.
and that doubtless order TO that effect W.u.
be issued II evidence Of desire for one Were laii
before the Park Department simple Ie.I'sh-
ments and soft drinks are sofa al me sHr4t'I'
10 meet the wants Of those who wish II AVOID TIE
regular roadhouses
A woman bicyclist recently had somewhat
unpleasant experience In trying a saddle which
is composed in part OF aluminium. She borrowed
the saddle from friend. in order 10 determine
whether she liked IT, After ride u several
miles she found that the skirt OF her gown had
been badly stained by the metal which had
in doubt whether she Will be able g. remove The
stains or whether another gown viii be the price
Of her unfortunate experiment.
An excellent feature Of The l.. A. w bulletin"
is the description Of Select cycle Tours" which
was begun in the issue II February p. the first
tour described being from the White Mountains
TO Bar Harbor. The Information given regarding
distances etc. is accurate ana valuable, and can
not fail to be useful to those who planning
vacation trips awheel: but one omission is TO bee
acted. Nothing IS said about the character T
the roads through the White Mountains. though
few words about the hills or the absence
l 10 II . a. e
roads, etc. would have been acceptable II Is
true that the writer gives warning against
trying to ride from North Conway 10 Portland.
and. inasmuch as he says this is mostly sand
until Sebago Lake Is reached" il Is fair 10
sumo that there is itt- sand Oh the rest Of the
route described. Definite information on THIS
point should. however, be furnished. With the
itinerary given il will be easy for make up
a route for tour In the White Mountains alone.
allowing for opportunities 20 climb some u the
more attractive mountains, II riders are 80 dis
/ posed.
The bill permitting the Brooklyn Bridge trus-
tees to make the roadways on the structure free
to cyclists has passed both houses Of the Lersla-
| ture. 1t is question whether IT is one Of the
/ measures which have to come before the Mayors
! for their official action. In the opinion Of we'll
known lawyer who is much interested in cy
| cling, 1t Is essentially city bill. and must be
| laid before both Mayor Strong ana Mayor Wurs-
ter before being acted on by the Governor. There
| is little doubt that both these officials will APP
prove II. and scarcely any doubt at All that II
! becomes a law the Bridge will be made free 10
! bicycle riders Bridge Superintendent Martin
has long been in favor Of letting bicycles the
! driveways gratis
Probably place visited by cyclists offers
such opportunity for the study Of human
nature the famous Coney Island Cycle Path.
leading from Prospect Part. Brooklyn, to Concy
Island It's proximity to New-York furnishes
il with riders Of all classes and conditions.