New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-06
IN THE CYCLING WORLD.
COOL WEATHER INCREASES THE NUM-
Der OF CITY WHEELMEN

Der OF CITY WHEELMEN.
IMPROVEMENTS WHICH HAVE RECENTLY BEEN
MADE IN UPTOWN sTREETs-THE NrI-
sANcE OF THE BICYCLE CONG
VALVES AND THEIR CARE.
The fall cycling season Is now here and wheel
men VINO have been spending the summer in the
country returning to swell tho crowds on inc
city avenues 1t is not safe to say that summer
weather is all behind. for september often brings
exceedingly hot days and nights; hut for fort
night the riding has been superb as far as at
nospherc conditions are concerned the one
drawback to much out Of town touring has been
the business Of the roads The infrequency Oh
rain and the rays of the midsummer sun nave
left the ordinary country roads In unpleasah.
shape. In the city the state OF things is not so
bad Indeed. those who have confined their rid-
ing to t-of town places for the last two montns
will find that various improvements nave peeh
made in the summer which add to the comfort
pleasure and safety of city cycling.
II IS surprising how quickly the asphalt on the
east side of the boulevard between Ninety
second and ne-hundred-and-s sixth streets was
laid when once an actual start was made on II.
There were all kinds of annoying delays. chiei
among which was that consequent upon tbs
time to change the grade of its tracks How
ever successive difficulties were overcome. ana
as soon as pickaxcs were laid to the old mac
adam and the asphalt delivered. 1t was
short job to lay the smooth pavement The
traffic along here. which was formerly congested
on the west roadway. is now divided. and the
danger Of riding on the Boulevard has been
greatly lessened. The aesthetic features Of the
thoroughfare have also been looked after as far
as possible under available funds. Sods ha's
been laid on n number Of the centre plots the
walks have been neatly covered with crushed
stone. and the whole appearance Of the Boule-
ward has been frightened up. II Is not easy to
believe that the public will show its full nppre-
citation Of all this for in few days after the sod
laid at Sixtleth-st. some OF II had been
trampled away. Further up certain Of the plots
have been surrounded with n light steel and wir-
fence. This is an experiment. explains the De
partmcnt Of Public Works. and the spaces " Ill
be thrown open If public sentiment seems TO de
mand il.
With all this. the boulevard Is not one Of the
show streets Of the metropolis. Its surroundings
are not depres sing 70 look they were
few years ago. but there remains number Of
shanties tumblc-down buildings and vacant lots
Uttered with cans and other rubbish. What
might almost be termed building boom has
struck the Boulevard and many new houses
have been begun or NnlSned there. In due time
the aspect will be great changed. The Boue-
ward has been the great centre Of cycling in
this city. but with the laying Of asphalt on other
streets it will lose some Of its pre-emnence in
the public favor
Since the spring West hundred and
feminist. or the Cathedral Parkway. has been
improved IN way t. add appreciaby 10 the
convenience Of city cycling Until recently One
hundred and sixth-st was the common route be-
tween the upper end II Central Park and the
Boulevard and Riverside Drive. 1t is broad and
paved with asphalt. but has been in chronic
state Of being torn up. There has been n great
deal Of building between Columbus and Amster
dam ayes. and the laying OF car tracks there
also made a good part Of the roadway useless
for months Besides. the crossing at Columbus
ave. is a dangerous one. on account OF the cable
cars The widening OF West one hundred and
tcnth-st and the completion 81 the paving gives
straight road from the Boulevard to tn" Park
There is 70 be a new entrance 10 Riverside Drive
AT observation-disclosures which has been
under way since spring and which should be
finished before long one hundred -and-tcnth 81
Is be- Widcned all tn" way to Fifth-av" and
also repavcd that new and convenient
crosstown cycling route Will be opened ncNt year
There has been some comment that West one
hundred and -tenth-s.. from Manhattan-ave TO
the boulevard should be paved with granite. the
explanation o, the authorities being tho grad"
the riding IL not bad. II IS 70 hc hoped. how
ever. tina, tho Park Department will lay strips
Of aspha:t along he curb lines 81 that AS far a.
wheeling is concerned this shall really he "A
parkway 1t Is also unfortunate. looking AT the
subject purely from the point ~ the cyclist that
the plaza at one hundred and tenth st and
Eighth-ave. should have been paved with gran
ite This Is part OF the park system legally
az well as in fact and granite IL essentially the
paving for heavy trucking 1t Is likely that the
contract was LET before the tendency toward
asphalt pavements became strong II is
now. At any rate some strips of asphalt would
make the riding plcasanter here. The plaza at
one hundred and -tcnth-st and Fifth ave. was
paved with Belgian blocks some years ago. and
is break in N" smooth going on Fifth-avc..
which now stretches from Ninetiethst to one
hundred thiriy -hfth-st. Many cyclists ride
on the ston" crossings. which are. Of course.
meant for pedestrians. Two strips Of asphalt
here would bc a boon 10 wheemcn. The present
Park Board. by deciding 10 pla'" asphalt on the
plaza at Fifty -ninth-st. and Eighth-ave.. has
shown that il favors smooth approaches 20 the
Park Asphalt strips four feet wide laid across
the two upper plaZas would cost little.
Probably few wheclmen know that the en-
frances 10 the Park at one hundred and tenth
st. have formal names. That at Eighth-ave..
which has recently been finished. TX the
STRANGERS: that at Scvenih-ave the Warriors.
at Sixth-avc the Farmers. and that at Fifth
ave (Which Is for pedestrians only) IS known az
the Pioneers.
a considerable amount Of asphalt has been
| laid this summer Much Of it has been on
stretches Of n few blocks only. and some on
! longer thoroughfarcs The work on Ffth-avc.
| between Ninth and Fifty-ninth SITS is now of
greatest importance II will in part be finished
| this fall The Park Commissioners are consider
ing the advisablity of putting asphalt on the gap
| that will exist between Fifty ninth and Nine
ticth sts The granite paving is stil In excellent
| condition on the upper part of this stretch. and
that causes hesitation to whether the money
| eh,uld he spcnt at once. Below Seventy second p