New-York tribune., 1896-05-16
CYCLISTS IN MASS-MEETING.
THEY ASSEMBLE AT THE GARDEN TO
HEAR ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS
LAWSON y. FULLER ROBERT b. ROOSEVELT.
ISAAC p. POTTER AND DR.. oTToLENGUI MAKE


dressed and sensible assemblage. and there were no
pyrotechnic speeches and unreasonable demands
made The riders OF the wheel are no longer an In
significant body in the community. and. recognizing
their power in numbers and in their well-oaanced
organization they know that 1t is only matter OF
time when they will get the rights and accommoda-
tions which belong to them
The meeting last night was held under the aus
pces OF the New-York Consulate OF the League OF
American Wheelmen. an organization started re-
Gently to look after the local interests OF the wheel
ing community 1t Is the purpose OF this consulate
divide the city into about thirty-ive districts and
put a local consul OF the l.. A. W. in charge OF
each district. Each consul will have entire super
vision Of his district and he will have to look after
the condition Of the streets and welfare OF cyclists n
that territory Il was the sense OF the mass-meet-
ing that the cyclists should not make any demands
OF the city authorities which were not just anu II
at onre that the wheelmen DID not ihtehu
to demand unjust concessions simply on account OF
their numbers
James B. Townsend the senior consul OF the
New-York consulate formally opened the meeting
He spoke in general way about the rights Oh =
wheelmen and the good work accomplished py 'he
l.. A. w. He advised every rider of the wheel 10
join the L. A. W. first. and then join the consulate
later He argued that the cyclists had rights which
must be respected but he advised conservative
course throughout. and suggested that cycIists
ask only for their Just dues. Mr.. Townsend sa'u
that there would be thirty-fve district organiza-
tions, with local consul in charge or each uis-
trct.
He then announced the following as members OF
the consulate. appointed by Chief Consul l. b'
Potter: r. a. Myrick a. 7. Black. George Is. fard'
j. A. King. Walter d. Rockey, L. {. lie Roy George
c. Pennel, A. y. Jacobus. Justice William 1ravers
Jerome. George W. Oppenhem. William r. Pit
man. A. II. Curtis, VI. l.. Rhein, Louis Rosenfeld'
George A. Heaney. w r. Mccormack, Theodore
Wentz John T. Roosevelt T. A. Rasbeck. Eugene
Grove Robert Brdger, Hubert II. Brown. F. L.
Rodewald, Oscar T. Walter Philip Wendland, B.
W. b. Brown and j. W. Walters.
LETTERS FROM WELL-KNOWN MEN.
DR.. r. OttolenguI the junior officer OF the Consul
ate then read some letters from well-known peo-
nle including General c. II. r. Coils. the Commits
sioner OF Public Works; Theodore Roosevelt. Avery
D. Andrews and J. B. Hilderbrant. who has charge
of the street sprinkng for the city All the writer's
spoke in high praise of the wheel and regretted
their inability to be present. Dr. Ottoengui read
also a letter from Colonel s. Y. l.. Cruger. or the
Park Board. which was well received While the
Colonel did not favor the cycle path idea IN Cen
trail Park he at least gave the cyclists some COM
fort The Colonel said that he had received COM
munication looking to the putting Of bicycle path
around the parade grounds. which he sa'a ne
would consult with his colleagues about
Lawson y. Fuller. who is beginning TO thlhK OF
sending his horses to the country and taking les
sons a bicycle. made a happy speech. which
was greeted with frequent applause. lie SAID IN
part:
You riders Of the bicycle have rights ana and YOU You
a delicate. poetica little thing Ike bicycle
smong shTsg them and be- with them ,5r they
happy and healthy. and they seem 10 en)oy ne SO
m%f" haa coson oin SlS"S NTH 15i 5icyce ihnkas
seriously OF sending my horses 10 IN" % H. TO be
beaten. and admit that while ! nave some mn" IN"
horses. they cant outfoot me whe, ~, Wag6attan
Island there is not rod ot road III TO spcri ,r
hofse or ,h oiyce ime W have better roads IN my
little town In Vermont, few miles from ,,, ne ana
driveway along the west side OF Central P3rk; but
svda we did @ nGs fSS fSou t. Of M aPToG"' are '
After Secretary i. VI. Frobisher had read the reso
lutions sent TO tho Board OF Aldermen. Robert H
Roosevelt, spoke. Mr.. Roosevelt was vigorous ana
the point. He said:
Whoclmen do not have TO apologize to anybody
upon having them. We people - New ork ough'
10 be ashamed OF ourselves to let Brooklyn get 50
far ahraI Of us I'm the matter OF cycle paths and
other accommodations for whee.m"n The bicycle
prcparcG for it The cyclists ought TO have an
elevated path down Broadway, and believe that
bride path in Central Park and the cyclists have
nothing. although they outnumber the epuestrians
hundred am not afraid OF the scorchers., for
they know how to take care OF thenseivrs 1ut @ an,
afraid Of the brewery wagon and IT'S haf-tlpsy anu
half-aslcep driver They ought 70 Stop the t caoie
cars al the dangerous crossings Talk about poltl-
cal reform, What want IL bicycle reform.
RESOLUTION OFFERED BY MIR ROOSEVELT
Mr. Roosevelt offered the following resolution
which was adopted unanimously:
Whereas The bicycle having been declared 10 be
a vehicle II il therefore Legally entitled 10 equal
rights upon the highways with other vehicles:
And whereas. There are at present about lwVV
bicycles in use in this city;
And whereas. There is a restrictive ordinance now
In force which relates exclusively to bicycles other
ma wberess The death of several citizens and
hundreds OF painful accidents which have occurred
recently abundantiy show that the present ru;eS S ol
citizens who the highways; -. -.
Therefore be II resolved by the citizens present az
this mass-meeting. That the honorable boafd Ui
Aldermen be requested 10 rescind the present 0rd-
which relate exclusively 10 dhe use bs %. en-
cycles and that In their stead an ordinai.e oo
acted which shall. with justice 70 az ana ptotecon
shall be used. with due regard to the comfort ana
safety of pedestrians drivers hoFSe"'eh anu VI
~ ''snd he It resolved, That the Aldermen be re,
ouested TO set aside some time when an ih'eres'eu
NAV be heard In public upon TINS question:
chief Consul Potter was received with cheers
Said he:
The wheemen OF the State pay more taxes , than
do the farmers. We are now power. out i "oud Nnd
judgment and tact and in that way we can com com
mand the respect OF everybody Tn rno ,aF for athy
paths for wheelmen The equestrians nave risnrs ,
as well we have good ngh, lor US ,o, 10 S,Sro ,mo
inches OF mud on the drives OF Central PARK on an
average of about eight months each year. ss Ihesr
hing for us to work for is that proper signs shoud
be put up In the streets so that wheh we poo,
strolers from Brooklyn come to town we won't get
lost.
The other resolution. which was passed. referred
TO the scorcher and there was not dissenting
voice even from some OF the speedy riders wen III
the rear OF the hall 1t was as follows:
pso,yed That this ma So meeting OF wheelmen OF
tho Netropoltan District heartily indorse the Ver-
dict of the press and the public. ana urge the au-
tborlties 10 continue their present enorts 10 sup
nress this evil and we. the officers OF the l.. A. W.
Conslate OF New-York. pledge them our hearty CO.
operation and support