The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-03-23
TIE BOULEVARD
Afternoon Sunshine Brought
Out Riders, Drivers, BIZ
cyclists and Pedes-
TRANS.
INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS
Needs of the Great Drive and
Improvements in
Prospect.
INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS

The Boulevard was crowded yesterday
afternoon with pedestrians enjoying the
weather with a zest increased by the
bad weather of the past week or more.
The soft, sticky mass which the melt
ing snow has made of the clay walks
was unpleasant for walking, so the crowd
took to the asphalt pavement. The west
ern side of the road was in the better
condition and of that side the big pro-
cession took possession. This seriously
interfered with s~outhbound bicyclists and
drivers. who were compelled to violate
the American rule of the road and keep
to the right. Some tried the soft road In
the centre. They were generally the
drivers of vehicles, for it was far too
lumpy for comfortable riding for the
bicycists.
There were a few accidents on the road
yesterday and it is a wonder there were
not more. Reckless driving was the or
der of the day for the horsemen. A big
express wagon. which Numbered along
with a bowling mob of carousing toughs
aboard. came within an ace of coilid-
ing with a little dogcart drawn by a
pony and occupied by two little children.
There was a great deal of indignation
expressed by spectators as the van start
ed off again as recklessly as ever, fright
ened the pedestrians n scattered them
like sheep before it.
On the northern part of the road, near
the city line. a young tough riding a
colt bareback, ran down a bicycllst.
bicycle got by far the worst of it. There
was a dialogue marked by brilliant pro-
family between the riders: Each en-
The man who owned the wheel finally
wreck. The front wheel was bent out
spokes hung about it like a steel fringe.
A horse attached to a buggy ran away
from somewhere near Salter's road
house in Bayonne. He rid himself OF the
buggy on the way and was not stopped
until opposite E. F. G. Young's house at
Glenwood avenue. Here he was stopped
quite easily by a citizen, for he was
tired out.
The reckless driving, the runaway and
the collision made the absence of police
men on the Boulevard very much felt.
Some of these unpleasant features might
have been removed n the worriment
Of pedestrians decreased by = the presence
the, sidewalks would have kept the crowd
off the road and rendered the afternoon
y Win na m9 1eeis agFssa9 2nfo p p6sition by fbs
bill now in the hands of the Governor,
unless he sees fit to veto, it today. At
m gideraffiun t II the m allomea eoT nis e snd
unless vetoed it becomes a law.
The roadway is in poor condition in
Places, but in the main it has .weathered
well. The northern section is in the.
worst condition and several mud holes
render it particularly poor for bicycle
riders. The Bergen section, too, has a
few bad spots in it. This is the oldest
part of the t~horoughfare and it will be
the first to be repaired.
The work of putting the road in shape
will begin on April /. 1t will be done by
the contractor who laid the road, in com
pliance with a portion of the contract
which requires that any needed repairs
will be done by him at the end of six
months. The six months limit of the
Bergen section expires on April IS.
The trees which are to be set along the
curb of the Boulevard and for which
bids were received recently. are not to
take the place of those destroyed in lay
ing the road. These must be left in a
fiourishing condition at the end of a year
by the contractor. a sum Of money being
retained to insure the performance of
the work for that length of time. The
new trees are to be placed through
Greenviile and ~northward.
TIL work on the new loon is going
rapidly forward. The grading is to be.
finished before the road builders begin
their work. That will not be done before
July 4. and until then the road builders
must wait. Bids are now being advertised
for and before next winter the road will
no doubt be finished.