New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-17
IN THE CYCLING WORLD.
IMPROVEMENTS IN RIVERSIDE rAHxs

ING IN AND ABOUT THE ORANGES
In due time the drives In Central Park ana
Riverside Drive will be in good condition. al
though the work on them is moving with what
seems a leaden pace. The energies of the PARK
Department are concentrated on the western
part Of the Drive between One-hurdreo-"iu
sixteenth and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES econu
SITS A lot OF gravel has been dumped mere anu
been rolled as solid as it is poTsbe with the lN
plements at command These consist OF hve t"o-
horse rollers, which in spite of few stones car
ried to increase their weight. are mere pai'ai''
IN comparison with steam-Toller. The depart
qnent doesn't own a steam-roer and hasn tne
cash Immediately available to buy one; di'"o 49,
the cost would be much less, ooupless' 20, 70
that of employing Ave men hnd ten horses nor -, W
mention the superior effectiveness Cycisl;s ~.
been confined to the eastern roadway Alois '"a.
Iart Of the Drive for ten days or longer AZ
night red lanterns mark the ends OF the section
undergoing repair but number Of riders nave
rad falls through running into the western rT had
way when the wrongly supposeu inc! '''
passed the stretch Of loose gravel.
There are also many places in Central PARK
recurring the attention Of the road MEMBERS
TIE authorities say that the frost, snow ana
rain of winter always harm a gravei roauWd!'
The frost loosens the material and the water
washes of it away leaving niue ,, gTr.'f i,s
The Park Department advises patience uhti us
forces shall have time to do the necessary menu
ing.
Preliminary plans have been adopted by the
Park Department for the shelter and lavatory
IN he erected in Riverside Drive just below
Grants Tomb and overlooking the river Thefe
ts already one for women, and this Will be 1or
men, There will also be booth for the sale oI
simple food such as sandwiches and pie ana Vi
notwithstanding drinks. There ''ill be RACKS lor
TIE storage of wheels Whether fee VIII DE
exacted for this has not been settled; II cnatSe
a. made II will be small The caterer VIII pay
the Park Department for the use OF the pul!uiis
At first the plan was to nave ronpeIia &, oo 1oo
ure of marble 10 cost something like SiUOoo''
hut the Commissioners decided that better .ISe
could be made of large sum IN lnlprONihs
the purely park features me s,ruc e rtorv
fore will be Of wood 1t will be or one stol!'
and low so as not to hide too much Of the view,
and inconspicuous in architecture SO as no ~
detrect too much from the general PARK eIlec ,
When II is finished the neighborhood OF Grait
Tomb will be more than ever attractive 10 'le
wheeling community Carriages are res iu'', w.
Gus on the Drive than In Central PARK ana the
two roadvays lessen the dang er OF accident
The Legislature has been extremely liberal
10 Riverside Park. and thus the work OF I'M
proving it is going on in several localities. Gov
ernor Morton has just signed bill. introduced
NV Assemblyman Austin. which is preliminary
10 a most important betterment there ms
measure gives the Park Board jurisdiction over
the Hudson River, and provides for a vaduct
at Ninety-sixth-st.. and an approach there 70
Riverside Park. This point is the one on inc
Drive at which the cross trafiic is the srea.e t
nuisance At the pier here. large shipments
of COAL wood and brick are landed so that theie
"a almost a constant stream OF trucking. As
there Is a considerable ascent on either sue
from Ninety-sixth-st cyclists approaching II
must exercise care lest they run afoul or Dig
wagon loaded with brick
dray
Gillian Howard an architect of No. 81 Pine-s'"
at the suggestion of the Park Board, and they
doubtless will serve as basis for the final de-
sign The structure, shown by these IS 10
extend block in each direction from Ninety
eixth-st the total length being about hve nun
dred feet 1t will rise gently from either slue
toward the middle Besides space for vehlcies
there will be two broad walks. Rows OF trees
are to be planted along the inner edges OF III
walks. Lamp posts and vases for flowers VIII
stand upon the broad stone ratings Perhaps
the term yiaduct is hardly an exact one IN coi-
nection with this structure, as the Drive IS 70
be filled in on the east TO lever WIN tie VI @ n
The original plan would have left blank Waii
An front OF the houses which may be built racing
the Drive between Nnety-ffth and Ninety
sevenh-s This was SO oe psye same of the
land TO the Park Board so that the space east
of the viaduct might be filled In. Inelr ho nous.
will he built about on level with the Vladu-I
The first estimate of the cost of the work was
Sl5OOOO 1t s not known just how much VIII
be available for it this year perhaps the WIZ
cost can be met with appropriations ared"!
made.
perhaps IL IL the grades at Ninety-sixth-st.
vbich keen many cyclists from the lower part
of Riverside Drive. Most of them enter II ut
one-hundred-and-eig hth-st, go around Clare
mont and then return to the Boulevard by the
came street 1t is not easy to understand why
the greater safety, the more agreeable sur
roundines and the magnificent views do not
draw more riders from the Boulevard 10 the
Drive The lower end Of Riverside Drive is IS
nac,aI,v accessible as West Seventy second-st
il broad and we'll paved all Inc way iiOih Sen-
trail Park With the danger ana the niIi-clir n, .
INC at Ninety sixth-st. eliminated. perhaps ti'e
lower part of the Drive Will De more Visi'eo ~
wheelmen than now
Wooden handle-bars are having a consider
.h,e vogue lust now and promise to gain rap
idy in favor Indeed. the prediction Is ventured
that in year or two they will displace the
metallic ones as completely wooden rims
have ousted those of steel. Some riders nave
long wanted wooden handle-bars. but could not
buy them. Now several manufacturers oHer
them for SALE although the dealers do not seem
10 have a large supply on hand. the price IS
81 so TO S. apiece. The chief advantage or
them is that they absorb vibration wheel
men often complain Of numbness OF the hands
and wrists after long fldes anu eNNi' -
short ones over cobbestones. The wood Is
springy and prevents his after effect, as vel
as adding TO the pleasure during the ride. lhel'
foo there is saving In weight WOODEN
handle-bar was found to weigh liz ounces.
against 25k ounces for the steel one which IL
replaced This. however, Is only SECONDARY
copsideration There is, perhaps. little choice
In strength between the two kinds. 1t Is con,
Hdently asserted that any accident which w0ulu
break a bar of elm or hickory would DO serious
damage 10 one OF hollow steel. such as is II,
general use. The new handle-bars are covered
with cork where they are graeped py the manu-
A cyclist tells what he considers good joke on
q policeman in Central Park. The wheelman mao
broken enc pedal and bent the other trying 70