New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-02
IN THE CYCLING WORLD.
THE cHEAPENING PRICES OF ASPHALT
PAVING.
SEVENTY BICYCLES AT A SUMMER HOTEL
OF NINErY-FIvE RooMs-How THE troll
LEY is HURTING WHEELING on


LEY is HURTING WHEELING on
STATEN IsLAND-Two VIEWS
OF TANDEM RIDING
The steady decrease In the cost Of asphalt paw
Ing recently noted In this column, continues.
Bids opened last week by the Commissioner Of
Public Works were low as 81 Is a square
yard. This. 1t 10 true was for strips to be laid
along the curbs, but for an entire street there
was bid of So 80 a square yard A few weeks
ago the average at which contracts were let
was 81 70, and two years ago It was So 40. Bids
were accepted last Tuesday for asphalt strips
four feet wide along Hudson-st.. from Chambers
st. to Bank-st.. and along Eighth-ave.. from
Abingdon Square to Thirteenth-st., and in Mad-
son-ave, from Thirty-third-st. to Thrty-sjxth-
St. and Sixty-sxth-st. to Seventy -second-st.
The strips In Hudson-st and Eighth-ave. Will
virtually give continuous smooth route down
town to Dey-st. The strips laid In Madison
ave, from Forty -frst-st. to Forty second-st..
have stood the traffic well, and have proved a
convenience to wheelmen
Commissioner Coils. by the transfer Of a bal
ance from another fund. has secured money
to improve some OF the plots in the centre Of
the Boulevard. which have long been an eye
sore. Sod will be laid, and the walks will be
laid, and the walks will be bettered Next year
the rest of the plots will be beautifed Com
plant is made, however, that the owners OF
property in the Boulevard do not take proper
pride In planting grass plots around the trees
on the sidewalks. If this were done. the aspect
OF the thorOughfarc would be changed greatly
AS a corollary of the rule that you pass a per-
son going in your direction to the left, it should
be the practice Of slow riders to keep to the
IRENE right. In country road there is room to
overtake another rider, in whatever part of the
road he is but in a crowded city street the
closest calculation Is sometimes necessary. If
the slow rider keeps at the extreme left Of his
half of the road. you forced to the wrong
side of 1t If you wish to pass him. This brings
you into danger Of collision with persons going
in the opposite direction On the other hand, If
you pass to the right you violating rule of
the road. and that is always dangerous.
The anomalous state OF affairs of having to
pay for bicycle transportation on certain trains
between two points and not having to pay on
others running over the same tracks exists
along the New-Jersey coast. The Pennsylvania
road eXacts fee while the Central Of New
Jersey does not. Naturally, wheelmen time their
trips to avoid this extra expense. If pos
sibe, and some even wait over "a train, partly TO
save the money and partly to patronze the rail-
road that has shown its frendliness to wheel
men. The Pennsylvania road has informally re-
scinded its charge far as short rides are
cerned where the Jersey Central trains run on
the same tracks. AS a baggage master
planned. the + nnsyvania road found that 1t
was losing considerable traffic. Sometimes large
parties of wheelmen would calmly Penn
sylvania train go by In order to wait for one Of
the Jersey Central line. the Pennsylv Ania
company now accepts bicycles without charge
for short distances. Wheels not checked.
bat handed to the baggageman on the train.
with an explanation OF how far they are 10 go.
This same practice Of not checking bicycles
also applies on Jersey Central trains.
II last year saw a great increase I'm the number
of bicycl at the summer resorts there has been
an even larger In 1896 The case OF hotel on
the New-Jersey coast Is In point, although It
might be fair 10 call it typical. In 1894 there
were four bicycles there-onc boys and three
mems Last year the number had jumped to
tWenty-fiVe and every one spoke with amaze
present time there are seventy-hve bicycles
crowded in the basement, including ii tandem.
AS there only ninety-fve rooms i'm the hotel 1t
seems likely that half Of the population which is
hey ond childhood rides
Lakew God offers pleasant tour from the sum-
mer resorts along the New-Jersey coast, being
ten miles inland from Point Pleasant. The road
while sandy, has "A good sidepath which. after
rain Is especially fine. out OF Point Pleasant
for several miles the way is through waste of
pines and oaks, with never house In sight. II
is queer contrast. the coast hotels sWarmng
with guests and the great resorts at Lakewood
empty. save for caretakers The roads there
abouts including that around the lake. are the
objects Of continued attention all summer. and
will be in superb condition for driving when the
season opens.
No better. or worse illustration of the way in
" hch fine roads may he largely spoiled by the In
vasion OF the trolley can be found than on Staten
Island. Two years ago that region was the
wheelmans paradise. With thirty or forty miles
Of good macadam, 1t was q delight to go amos:
anywhere on the wheel. Last year the encrOach-
ment OF the trolley lines began. and now nearly
all the roads near the shore have been appro-
priated by railroad companies. Not the full road
way has been taken in most cases, for the tracks
are placed. as a rule side. but what Is left
IS not kept in as good condition as formerly. and
here numerous small stones that interfere
with the progress Of cyclists This year the
splendid road across the island has been grabbed
and trolley line will soon be in operation far
as New-Dorp. and it is expected that by next
year the railroad may be carried all the way to
the right Of way being seized along
he main macadamzed highway known as the
A mboy Road. The part Of this road between
New-Dorp and Giffords has only just been mac
but that fact will not prevent the in
'ason from taking place Definite plans have
1een formed for trolley line along the famous
Pike County Road, between Port Jervis and
8ushkil and a few weeks ago it was announced
hat the company would begin work this season.
These things are as deplorable as they are eXas-
)erating. In connection with this matter Ii Is
TO note that in the suburbs Of Pha-
iephia where trolley roads are laid along public
highways the companies are required to pave the
pace between their tracks with brick thus pro-
'iding a good surface for wheeling, especially in
muddy weather: but that idea does not appear 10
nave travelled as far north the latitude of
lewYork.
The road edge Is familiar to all wheelmen- |
meaning a narrow strip on the side Of a soft
Dad which has been hardened by the impact OF
many wheels and the tread of many pedestrians. |