The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-14
NEWS OF THE WHEELMEN.
GROWING AGITATION FOR GOOD
AND CYCLE PATHS.

Inc tuUJect OF special cycle paths Tor OiCycIe
riders is receiving consideration throughout the
country. In some sections riders are divided In
their opinions us to the wisdom OF building
special bicycle paths instead Of working for the
general Improvement Of the public highways.
Special pathways have been laid in several
cities aud towns this spring, and some wheel
men seem convinced that such pathways will
relieve the uuhlic ioads OF the bicycle riders
and lessen the danger OF accidents.
X. Philip Gormully, one OF the officers Of tho
National Cycle Board of Trade. handles the stu
alton as follows: Much work has been done by
the league, wheeling clubs. and wheclmen in
general throughout the country in road improve
ment by their constant and persistent efforts
with Commissioner of Roads and other officials
who have the matter OF roads In charge and
the Improvement Of public highways. Their
attention has been directed mainly. MS far as |
know, to the Improvement of the present style
OF roads only. This would result in a benefit to
nil the present users Of roads vehicles OF all
kinds, pedestrians. and cyclers. But tho
thought has intruded itself on my mind that q
change should be made |. the laying out OF
new roads especially, and more particularly in
the streets OF cities where traffic Is likely TO be
great. mean by this that a separate roadway
should be provided or a portion Of each road or
street should be reserved for cycling vehicles.
From time %immemorial roads have been con-
strCcted only with a view to recommendation
the traffic of vehicles drawn by horses. They
were never expected to be used by pedestrians
or vehicles propelled by man power alone. For
pedestrians special side ways have been pro-
vidcd for the reason that 1t was dangerous for
people to walk among vehicles drawn by horses.
The streets OF cities are crowded with vehicles
with horses attached as well rs with cable and
trolley cars. 1t is q well-known fact that horses
at times become manageable, and also that
cable cars. through grips getting caught in u
strand of the cable, have become unmanageanle
and run away and have created great havoc and
damage 10 anything they met In their wild
"Now, 1t does not seem meet or proper that
people on bicycles should be expected to ride
among animals that are likely to become I'M
manageable. or vehicles controlled by meChan-
ical means, which also get out of order aud
become untnanageahie or hnodlums or unprin.
ciplcd people who drive horses, sometimes with
the expressed desire to annoy cyclists, through
especially Il they see that the rider Is mewhat
nervous. This is a common practice Of prac-
tical jOkers who drive horses. thinking it great
fun to themselves. not considering the nervous
state into, which they are throwing the cyclist:
who probably Is not an expert rider, and
possibly may be IA lady. In many parks. public
drives, and ,boulevards especial provision has
been made for cuuestrians Mt large expense to
the public; and. asa matter of fact, those eques,
trian roads are comparatively little used. and
the number OF, equestrians in comparison with
the cycling public is scarcely anything. There
fore. 1t would, seem that the interests of the
cyclists should be far better conserved than
Good work could Ire done by advocating that
all roads or streets that are being laid out or re-
modelled be made with IA separate cycle road.
If necessary taking n portion from the cques-
trian path and the road and sidewalks. as the
drawn from these sections of road, AMI cyclists
are now a sufficiently strong body to demand a
separate course for exclusive use. Local Boards
of Trade should pay especial attention to this
subject. 1t might be well for them to appoint a
Road or Street Committee; SO as to watch the
nvA ~ N . A N DHA "a th. - tranta ~ nttt n-
modified rs suggested"
ride to san Francisco sends the following COM
municatton to n friend in this city from SYRIA
cuse IN relation to the condition of the roads he
You will be Interested to know that | have
teal interest maniHfested in regard to good ROADS.
The chief difficulty seems to lie not in an un-
willingness on the part OF the local cyclists and
dealers to submit to an assessment. or to exert
themselves in the interests of good roads and
cycle paths, but in the fact that no one seems to
have the time or executive ability, to practt-
caliy tnaugurate n movement tending to the
creation OF II fund and the regular replenish.
meat OF the same for the establishment and
maintenance of local cycle paths. With scarcely
an exception dealers and cyclists are willing.
ray. eager. to follow the lead OF some enter
prising man who will give the first muscular
turn to the wheel OF progress in this direction.
All that seems to be needed is n leader. Some
thing, of course. Is being done In this way, but
Considering The season of the year. the roads
generally from New York to Albany | found to
be in n fairly good condition. The most notable
exceptions are to be found on those SECTIONS Of
the route living between Sing Sing and Peekskill.
Peekskill and Cold Spring. and the country i'm
mcdiately adjacent TO PoYghkeepsie, where the
condition of the roads is a disgrace to the cyclists
of those places. The same statement holds good
In regard TO the road between Amsterdam and
Little Falls. On the last six miles of the latter
stretch, however. the cycle path is now in course
of construction under the auspices OF the local
Gycle clubs OF Amsterdam Cana1oharie, and
Chairman Gideon OF the Racing Board issued
the following official bulletin yesterday:
Suspended from all track racing for sixty days.
fr'mk AP K. R 20, fo H4 GGms' i. SSn III "nsaP Edssrt + ra Gray,
all OF Fort Collins. Cal.
lln hsaP EaSt: e Sa nrI i'%tiS2. Ga nissfnM; r, MMa ass. oS wa
rrqusst; Frank Wing; ottawa, III. own request; Al.
Tsn FT.s ssn sf"p n ! 3 oT Tita rsq J .ss;o !; + Ea aws 4::
quest cnariss i. Marshall, Chicago, own request +.
g.: Barnet, "n,GasG' 1wT rsSaGSt; w {; + Wi'R Knn d%
request: Joseph Griebler, 81. Cloud, Mimi, own re-
NOTES.
Frank !; rrial' the Gni,in h1nG,caFpsr Of the M,
course record ~ill'be lowered 10 | nour and ; minutes
the town authorities OF Jamaica are enforcing the
ordinance Formulating bicycle riders to use the side
Racing experts are % tNe opinion that Arthur Gar:
6 man on ,G the c Amefiea TaT oath w thi ," "Ms of the fastest
The annnsL ra1e mret Of tne RI"rr.'ds wheeimen
4. IL. Haus, N the lung.distnnrc rider Of Minneapo-
I pSct 4 t ast "oaST sGau at'pP loo t" rniics Il y Gay S" our about hs 5000
miles In two months.
Walter "a niger has decided to race In this country
this year. H." intends TO train at Louisville. ana
agrees 10 meet all the rihers who are 50 free with
challenges for match races,
The Board of On1c"rS ~ the New York state division
OF the /. A. W. Will hold IA meeting at Utica on June la
The Greenwich wh"rlmen of THIS CITY have arranged
tn" following club runs: May II. Workers; ~, Free
port; 30, lrvington, 81. Conry Island; June !, Cen.
Jury; IL, New Rochelle; 81, Far RnckawRy; July I
and ;, Long lranuh, -. Nyack' ~, Paterson: ~,
Fort schuyler.
division OF the !" A W, has resigned. lie Is coming
to New York TO live.
4. {. Morrison. second Vice President OF the L. A.W.
IL residing tenn orarIly In this cIIS.
The Long Island century Association VIII hold an
open 100 mile run neat month,
The Paris correspondent OF the American Wheel
man cables that the. second sCrics Of races he,
tween the American team and European cham.
pIons resulted In "A defeat for the Americans. The
ono.milc grratrh race WHs won by Jap Eden, the