New-York tribune., 1896-05-14
BICYCLE RIGHTS AND WRONGS AGAIN.
THE 1. A. W. AGAINST scoRcHINc, But WANTS
wHEEI.MEN's RIGHTS PROrEcrED-FATAL
OE ORDINANCES.

THE L. A. W. AGAINST scoRcHINc But WANTS
wHEELMENs RIGHTS PRoTEcrED-FArAL
DISREGARD OF ORDINANCES.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir | have read with great interest u'ney eur
oral in your Saturday issue, entitled Bicycle hish'S
and Wrongs" In which you cite the fact that the
bicycle In some ways Is growing 20 be nuisance IN
the public streets While am in sympathy vita your
arguments, in the main. nevertheless shouu es
TEEN il favor II you will grant this letter space IN
your columns in order 10 show that the L. A. W. Is
quite willing to do what you recommend, VIZ, de-
fend the reputation OF It's respectable members
At the outset let introduce myself. and snow
my official right TO speak for the wheelmen. There
being more than 800 members OF the L. A. w. on
Manhattan Island. It has been deemed wise 10 give
these the advantages OF a local organization. IN
sympathy with the National body. and suDserVeht
TO the State division but with the special purpose
OF caring for the rights and wrongs OF wheeimeh
of New-York This local organization IL known as
the New-York Consulate and its chief officer Is j.
b. Townsend the Senior Consul In the absence OF
the Senior Consul the Junior Consul assumes char8e
Of the Consulate and at this time my senior onlcer
is out of the city 1t has devolved upon me to assume
his duties. part OF which at the present moment Is
the arrangement of details for mass-meeting TO be
held at Madison Square Garden on next rriuaS
night.
The main trend Of your editorial Is TO the erect
that many wheelmen disregard the ordnance ana
SO become a nuisance TO pedestrians, either oy speed
ing or by approaching them on crossings Without
sounding a bell as the law provides But you nave
yourself truthfully described these persons as I'M
pudent transgressors OF the law" verdict IN wh'ch
the officers of the consulate fully acquiesce "eae
oui,a willing that these should be puhishea'
More we recommend that they be puhisheu ",''pi'
We are not willing, however that tnelr ac's e"ou'N
be used as argument against the great mass oi i""
abiding citizens who ride wheels, ana pass a'one
the streets with due caution and care OF the rgh's
of others. .
| quote the following siBhihcdhl p"i i"e''F"
your editorial:
II the mischief which Is coming into general recog
nIton continues and Increases, the Indignation now
Enthusiastically rising will become intense anu ~ i Iii
law as IL stands cannot stop II, law thdt cai III
he passed That is prediction, moreover, Oh which
IL Necessary we shall earnestly endeavor 10 pfo-
the fulnment. .
This seems to indicate that you might feel called
unon 70 originate an ordinance which would give
the magistrates greater punishng power wheh oeai-
ing with "scorchers." Instead OF waiting suppose
that The Tribune introduce such an ordinance '''
mediately. l will pledge the support OF the Ne"-
York Consulate We will officially indorse any iaw
which will aid the authorities in SURPRISING III VIC
scorcher. He may be, as you describe MN 81 u ~
wheelmen He is a menace to all. and imperils the
lives and limbs of our women when, IN spi'cii T io9
10 her wheel possible. or forces MS W. way pc pc
tween two persons riding SIDE Dy sue Inc In
sulate and the l.. A. w pledged to aid the
authorities in this matter, but we are not inelpers
of the police force, nor do we control the Bencn
Now however, | come 10 the more serious, REVERSE
side OF the picture. BY curious fatality, IN the
same issue OF your paper In which appears your
editorial | find account OF a lad ntteen years
old Thomas Daley. who was ruthlessly Killed Dy
The driver OF a heavy wagon turning upon him at
a rapid pace, without warning. This occurred ~
Flushing but Is mere repetition OF the Inciuell'
whereby Miss Schumacher lost her lie In this CITY
To-day l read OF runaway morse anu 49,, ~,
night with the result that one OF the men, MI Tie
mann is reported to be dying In the hospital. IN
the account before me find these signiflcant woIus
About two blocks away the policeman saw the IAN
terms on three wheels approaching. THESE Dizzy
cists were evidently obedent to the law Dd they
question Is most pertinent. Had they seen such
signal would they not have been warned IN ume
perhaps to have avoided the danger?
According TO your argument the Dcycnsts VINO
transgress the ordinance about lights, pes at anu
speed become a nuisance TO pedestrians. Inc
League and the Consulate are striving TO aoate tnlS
nuisance But at the same time the heavy wagons
and rubber-tred cabs in the city are proving to DO
a peri 10 whe.lm en-three lives lost within TWO
weeks. Is It not time 70 interfere? ,,
we shall have handed to the Board OF Aldermen
at it's next meeting. VIII you give us the important
support OF your journal in the same spirit OF justice
10 all in which | pledge you the support or the
Consulate II you ask FOR more stringent laws
against the scorcher? At the mass meeting to be
held on Friday evening have invited several city
officials that may have full discussion on ms
vexed question. and would be clad to have
with us and to hear from any citizens who would
be able suggest the best remedy for the existing
RoDRIGTEs oTTOLENGUI, Junior Consul.