The morning times., 1896-08-07

The wbeelmen of the city have been
stricken with greatrear.
Yesterday the fumor was started aud
it spread like fire on a prairie ahead
of cyclone, that the Commissioners
were considering the advisabiiity OF clos
ing certain streets OF the city against bi-
cycles during certain hours of the day.
The particular streets mentioned were
pennsylvania avenue and Fourteenth street,
1t was claimed by the Commissioners,
so the rumor had it, that these two
thoroughtares We're SO crowded 10y wagons
aud carriages during the day that eveu with
these veiIc.esft was exceedingly dangerous
for pedestrians. To add to these the bi-
cycle was 20 make the streets absol lutely
unfit for WAXING purposes.
STIRRED EVERY ONE UP.
The rumors was SO seemingly well founded
that it was accepted by all the wheelmen
who heard it as true. No one seemed to
doubt it. Each accepted it and began to
tell what he would 60 when the order went
into effect. The number of daily arrests
that were promised tade fair to make an
increase in the police force necessary and
a large increase in mounted bike officers
certainty.
The riders generally believe that they
are Disseminated against by the District
authorities, so it was easy TO believe such
runIor. They think they are arrested on
all kinds of complaints and that justice is
very blind when they happen TO be brought
up in police court So no one stopped to
argue the legality of such action, but began
e c.r hr
Mt. Thomas, the attorney for the Dis
trict the rurnor said, was at present de-
voting his energies to studying out the
kDotty problems OF the law by which traf
fic on the streets was regulated. 1t was
said he had orders to see if it were pos-
siDfe to put-any such construction on the
DISTRICT laws. If he could such regula-
tions would be enacted as would keep
all wheels off the Avenue and Fourteenth
street during business hours. The fact
that Mt Thomas was known 10 be getting
ready a decision on several bicycle oints
gave some sort OF color to the rumor.
One Pennsylvania avenue business man,
who is fond or riding the bicycle said,
when he heard the rumor:
We'll. the police can have the pleasure
of arresting me every day in the week
for l most surely. Will ride to and from
my business on my wheel. l shall pay
DO atterticn TO the clock, either, when 1
want to start"
This gentleman only echoed the senti-
meDts of Il number OF other wheelmen who
were seen.
WHAT THE COMMISSIONERS SAID.
\ Times reporter called on the Com
m!ssioners dIhng. the afternoon, to see
how much truth there was in the story.
He found Commissioner Ross first and asked
him about it, Mr. Ross said:
II do not think the matter has been
mentioned among the Commissioners. do
not know abso utely, for haze Just come
back from my vacation. Something might
have been done w hile / was away.
But L DO not believe the Commissioners
would have tn G power to pass such a regula-
ton. think it would have TO be passed
by Congress-
Commissioner Truesdell, Who is just
leaving for his vocation, said: This is the
first i kave-h heard of it. 1 know of no
such Instructions being given Mr.. Thomas"
So with this, it seems, that the rumor
was only rumor after ALL and that
wbeelmen can resume their normal tran
guilty.