The record-union., 1896-04-27
GOSSIP ABOUT WHEELWAYS.
Some Drivers Of Vehicles May Get Into
Trouble.
A Wheelman Who Prefers One Coed
Path to Several Inditfer-
ent Ones

A drive yesterday on the county road
alongside the new wheelway from
Thirty-first street to Brighton Junction
disclosed the fact that IN several places
il has been driven upon with horses and
wagons or buggies, to its injury in its
present soft state, though tine, hard.
eraveled road runs alongside of it all
the way.
Mr.. Fay. who lives beyond the juno
ton, says he has protested to young
men out riding with girls against driv-
ing on the wheelway, and has been
told to go to sheol Above Perkins also
the path has been driven upon here and
there. though it is not at such points
upon county road lands, and people who
dc it have to go out of their way to
reach it.
TT is perfectly evident that some
will have to be punished for the Of
enses," say the wheelmen in their talk
about these things IF we cannot be
protected, if the country people will not
stand in with us and help us punish
these offenders, we might just as well
quit and wait for a day when we can
square accounts"
No bad feeling in this matter should
nine-tenths of the country residents
along the road are with the wheelmen,
and are glad the latter have built their
path, and many have aided them. A
very prominent farmer on Saturday
rendered the use of his team and his
labor, and declared that he would be
one of a dozen to stand watch and
pound the heads off those who cut up
the wheelway."
He reflects the sentiment of the great
mass of people along the route of the
path.
The suggestion has been advanced
that the Capital City Club should con-
fine its efforts and all the means a its
command to the Folsom wheelway az
this time and make that perfect one
instead of dividing it's energies with
others. The argument is used that one
good wheelway twenty or thirty miles
IN length would be better than two or
three Indifferent ones. Speaking on
this subject, a gentleman of consider
able experience in such matters says:
L don't see why the club doesn't do
everything in its power to first make
the Folsom wheelway as nearly perfect
as possible and not bother about one to
Ileted in the best possible shape.
With wellmade wheelway to Fol
som people can ride any day in the
year, winter or summer, unless it
should be raining. Two hours after
storm a man could get on his wheel
and ride in comfort to Folsom if the
track We're laid with decomposed gran
lite or cinders, otherwise he will have to
+
months.
Wouldn't good, well-rounded and
paved track, such as the one to F5l-
som could be made with a comparative
" small additional outlay, be better
than two or three unfinished ones that
would be but makeshifts, at best?
Suppose the present wheelway were
left in the condition it is now, and an
other similar one be made to the San
Joaquin County line, as is proposed
That would mean constant tinkering
and repairs at considerable expense,
whereas the same money that would
lay out two such paths would make ole
perfect one that could be Travelled airy
day in the year.
"A half-made path to the San Joaquin
line would not be used much. 1t couldn't
be used in winter, and in summer no
body cares to go on so long a ride
Most of those who ride wheels go out
for an airing in the cool of the morn
ing, and again in the evening, and there
are no inducements to head toward
Stockton when one doesn't care to ride
more than fifteen or twenty miles and
back again.
There is no comparison between the
two routes. That to Folsom lies
through green fields, orchards and vine
yards, and there is something to please
the eye. Besides, one of.the inn Ike apers
along that road CMr. Patterson) is, /
understand, preparing to lay in n stock
of wheels for the use of wheelmen
whose machines may become disabled
He intends also to have a repair shop
where wheels may be mended in case
of slight accidents. Others will do the
same, no doubt, if assurance can be
given that most of the country riding
would be in that direction.
MY idea is that the present wheel
way should be made as wide as pos
sible, say six feet, and covered with
decomposed granite, which is plentiful
and cheap, and then we would have an
all-the-year road equal to any in the
United States This done, it would
then be time enough to branch out, and
by showing what can be accomplished
with a moderate outlay 1t would be a
much easier matter TO raise the money
necessary to build another track of
the same kind.
by all means, let US not start cat
on the tinkering plan, for If we do we
VIII never have a perfect wheelway,
and the wheelmen will forever be as
sessed for repairs OF temporary char
acter Like roads and levees, the
best is the cheapest in the end, be-
sides being a comfort at all times"