New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-19

)AY, JULY 10, 1896.-TH1RTY
reason for the difference In the cost although by
| stimulating competition among several concerns
| Commissioner White during his term was able to
reduce the cost Of the asphalt work almost 90 per
cent. 1t Is a mistake to say that In Brooklyn
the contractors merely cover the old stone pave
! ments and that three inches thus added to
| the height of the street As have said In most
cases now require a concrete foundation; In
those which exceptions to the rule the stones
are usually relaid and the grade of the street Is
not changed. unless there is some special reason
! for doing this. In New-York. where the asphalt
| Is laid on block pavement, the cost ought to be
less than it is here and presume 1t would be Il
! 1t were not for the longer guarantee.
The rule that in passing carriage or another
bicycle moving in the same direction wheelmen
should go on the left side is excellent one. but
of course there are times when it is necessary to
depart from it II is question of good judy
ment here and everywhere else on the bicycle
In passing vehicle on the left rider must al
ways keep n sharp lookout, lest he come face to
face with some one riding in the opposite drec-
ton who has turned to the right on meeting the
vehicle Obviously. the second rider, in such IA
case. would have the right of way and the first
one should slow down until he sees that his road
| is clear.
Two things which have been observed within
a week not a hundred miles from the NewYork
fields and making them its own. The first was
a butcher boy making his deliveries wheel.
| with basket slung over his arm. The second
was the placing of a rack for bicycles in front of
q drug store, obviously for the Of the drug
gists customers. AS the drug store in question
Is situated on street paved with asphalt, the
| inference was that many Of his patrons are
wheelmen or women. drug store with such an
attachment would be sure to attract the favOrins
attention Of thirsty riders intent cooling
themselves with sodawater or phosphates.
1t is curious thing which all riders Of expert
ence have noticed that at times the obstructive
power of the wind is much greater than at
others AS one rider says. 1T has more push"
Last Sunday one of these occasions. as
, wheelmen bound to the west and facing the wind
| found to their cost. The wind not strong
but 1t caused those on bicycles to put forth more
than the ordinary amount OF effort Just why
there should be this striking difference in the
quality Of the wind to he of the
| things no Teller can find out"
Referring to the route to Prospect Park In
Brooklyn. from Bedford-ave.. by way Of St
Mark save. and Sixth-ave. a wheelman OF that
city calls attention to the fact that the distance
| is considerably longer this way than by the
usual course up the Bedford-ave. hill and along
the Eastern Parkway. According his cy-
clometer. II Is three-quarters of a mile further
| 10y St Mark save. unless one turns TO the left
at Nanderbilt-ave, and goes over granite pave
distance can he cut off also without leaving the
asphalt by turning up Flatbush-ave. to Seventh
ave. and going along the latter to Lincoln Place
The difference Of opinion between the advo-
Gates Of single-tube hoseplpe tires. and those
who believe In double tubes, Is likely long to
continue. Those who became attached to the
doube-tube tire soon after pneumatic tires came
into are convinced that that style has de-
cided advantages over the other One of them
remarked i'm casual conversation the other day:
II suppose conservative enough to stick
to the dOublc-tube tire as long as | ride. though
II is possible that something may occur to
change my mind. | do not believe in those
which cemented to the rim, but in the de-
tachabe tire find that it is very easy to mend
this even If one gets large cut. such as would
make hoscppe tire useless once ran over
a sardine box and cut my tire open with a long
| cash. I took out the inner tube. put patch on
| IT, and sewei up the cut III the shoe. and rode
! 800 miles on that tire just to see how thorough
| " the work done" Newer riders, as rule.
are inclined to favor the single tube. especially
| if they have once wrestled with the question OF
! getting the inner tube out of a cemented tire
! and learned by experience what a difficult job
| IT is The ease with which hosepipe tire can
he mended in case Of puncture Is the strong
| point In its favor for unless some serious mis-
| hap occurs II is never necessary to take the
| tire from the rim
Concerning the narrow openings In the aque-
duct path between YOnkers and Hastings. a resi-
dent of Tarrytown who wishes 70 ride over this
| course frequently writes follows This path
IS the link between the asphalt pavement in
Warburton ave. Yonkers, ard Broadway. at
| Hastings and is used by thousands of bcycers.
| When they come to an opening they have edge
! sideways to get their handlebar and pedals be-
tween the posts Oh the sides. This takes pa
tience to say nothing of time. On Memorial Day
7 saw at one opening ten riders awaiting their
| turn The openings made narrow. so that the
COWS pastured on the aqueduct by the care
takers of Il may not pass through them. Still.
most of them narrow that a cow that could
| get through must he thin indeed. Even a fat
Z man would have difficulty I'm making the passage.
| Ever since the aqueduct was built the path on
top of it has been short cut for walkers between
| Workers and Hastings. and of late il has been
| much used by wheelmen. The aqueduct belongs
to tho people. In this part II does rot infringe on
any ones privacy. and the scenery is beautiful,
with the river at ones feet. If the fences cannot
be removed here. il is certainly possible to have
the openings made wider What | have said APP
plies also to extent to the path on the aque-
! duct between Scarborough and Sing Sing: only
there are not many fences or bcycers there.
| II some people say wheel riders have no right to
use the aqueduct should like to know why 1t IL
| that the COWS have rights so carefully protected
! All riders who have undertaken To make their
way along the aqueduct will heartily second the
motion for the removal of the fences. with these
obst ructions out Of the way. the path between
Yonkers and Hastings would furnish as fine n
bit Of riding as is to be found within days jour
ney Of the metropolis.
Mention was made week ago Of the fact that
the Rev John Britain Clark who was the victim
Of a serious accident in New-Jersey recently. had
lust Joined the League Of American Wheemen.
1t is noticeable that the issue of The Bulletin"
following the IN which his name appeared
contained the names of Mr.. and Mrs. Henry y.
Powell of Brooklyn Mr.. Powell Mr.. Clark s
predecessor pastor of the Lee Avenue COngre
gatiOnal Church. and Is now. by Mayor WurSter 3
appointment the Registrar of Arrears in Brook
lyn. and his wife is member of the Board of