The record-union., 1896-04-12
A Word ABOUT WHEELWAYS.
Some Hints From a Well-InfOrmed Citi-
zen and CyGliSt.
how Ride From Sacramento to Fol-
som May be Made Down
right Pleasure.

AZ d CoIlVeTSdIlOn yesterday Will d
prominent citizen-an enthusiastic cy-
cllst-who has taken very active part
In promoting the construction Of the
track for wheelmen leading eastward
from this city, a reporter inquired
how work on the new bicycle path was
getting on.
In the first place." he replied, 'al-
low me to say that the term 'wheelway'
should be used instead Of the usual
bicycle path It distinguishes it from
driveway and will not be confused
with the word path which property
refers to one traversed by pedestrians.
The wheelway we have been laying out
Is as yet not ready for travel in some
places, but riders by alighting and go
Ing around these spots can get along
very nicely even now.
by the way" he added, wheel
ways have become very important. 1t
Is computed in the large cities that from
to 5 per cent. of the population use
wheels. The people of Sacramento
have probably 800 wheels, and only a
small portion of them go outside of the
city limits. With a suitable wheelway
In the right direction many of these
wheels will roll far into the country
~NON
q difficult run even for ladies.
''The scenery around Folsom is very
attractive to the residents of the val
ley, hence it is reasonable to expect
that a proper wheelway of twenty-five
miles from Sacramento to Folsom will
be used by wheelmen from even Stock
ton and Woodland.
'Such a wheelway is now being made.
1t will be temporary and inexpensive,
but for this summer, and perhaps next
year. it will be as agreeable as any in
the country.
''It is urged that Folsom shall make
a wheelway three miles westward to
Alder Creek to meet the line now build
ing, and that a cheap and temporary
footbridge be laid across Alder Creek,
to obviate the unpleasant walk across
the trestle.
''It will be urged also that the wheel
way shall be laid from Folsom to
OrangevaIe and along the bluff sew
eral miles to a point near Routier's, and
then cross the river to the latter sta
tion on a cheap footbridge, thus max
ing a loop connecting with the main
stem into Sacramento In the opinion
OF competent Eastern tourists, there is
not a more beautiful route In the
United States than this.
"Once built, this wheelway will bring
hundreds of wheels through Folsom
each week, and we may expect to see
the wheels increase in all towns near
by, and the roads to improve. This
state of affairs is greatly to be desired,
and the citizens of Folsom and Sacra-
mento should act quickly and literally,
for there are still more important things
to follow.
1.-THE driveway from Folsom to Sac
ramento must be macadamized this
summer. If it is not done, it is feared
that the coming Legislature will abol-
ish the Bureau of Highways and dis
mantle the rock-crusher. The cause of
good roads would then be turned back
for ten years, because the whole State
is looking to this road as the initial ex-
pertinent.
1.-The wheelmen of Northern Califor-
MIA must assemble in convention al
Folsom on every holiday and call
loudly for good roads. These wheel
men have just carried the local cleo
tions in Milwaukee, a city of 100000
people, and they can do much here II
they will get together. Let them CEN
ter where they will get the most pleas
ure and the most enthusiasm"
Another of the gentlemen connected
with the wheelway enterprise said last
evening that the more wheels that pass
over it now the better. The surface, he
says, Is fairly good. Riders are re-
uuested to take the left-hand side oi
the road, goin east, from Helvetia Gem
etery to the district schoolhouse. To-
morrow Mr.. Labs will put on his roller
and smooth down the uneven spots
Yesterday sixty-four riders of wheel:
passed over the wheelway, and all bu
two had something good to say of it
The first group to go over 1t was com
posed of Mr.. and Mrs. Morrell (on &
tandem), the Misses Richardson, Mrs
Fitzgerald and ]. A. Woodson- Ther
came Mr.. and Mrs. G. A. Luhrs, theil
two boys and some friends.
Persons are cautioned against at
tempting to pass one another on th'
wheelway at a rapid gait, but 1t can bt
done safely enough by slowing down.
Yesterday a driver of a team anC
wagon went off the wagon road anC
purposely drove over the yet soft wheel
way for the purpose of damaging 1t a:
much as possible At the next meetirf
of the Supervisors that body will b'
asked to pass an ordinance making i
misdemeanor for any person to drive
a team upon the wheelway when it car
be avoided. Then some bucolic 'smar
Aleck' win find himself in trouble i
he does such a thing.