New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-15

when II was made TO appear that he was OPP
posed to the bill providing for the improvement
Of CIenmore-ave AS matter OF fact. ne was
never opposed t. the improvement but ala oo
iect TO having the bill made MANDATORY anu
10 having II provide that the money should De
taken out Of the city treasury. whlch IL none
foo full IL WAS mainly at Mr. Wursters suS-
gestion that the bill was changed ana provision
made for drawing the county park iuhu TOT
the cost Of the improved pavement. Inc May
or's remarks AT the opening OF the Cycle Snow
IN BROOKLYN showed clearly that ne was III
full sympathy with tine good roads movement
and there can be no doubt mar svery a. ve
able effort in the direction OF improved pave
mcnts and the like will have his cordial sym
patty and support
with tho exceptionally fine weather In the
first few weeks OF the year a good number OF
Elders have already rolled up large number
Of miles since January !. Since the weather
became such as to interfere seriously with out
door riding one man who has over 800 miles 10
his credit has been going every day 10 rhh
where "A riding school is carried on and taxing
a spin his own wheel As his cyclofne,el Is
on his machine. H. Is. OF course adding stcauiIy
10 his record. Some OF his friends say that
riding under cover ought not to count ana II
would not In the mileage records or r'guiaI
club. but this rider IL one OF the great army OF
.unattached" and believes that the right thing
,s TO go as YOU please" So he Will go on count
ing up the miles. whether on the floor or on the
road. and Will De dDI" 10 DoiSt VI SVN''"' N"'"
sands by the end OF the year.
Every one who has had occasion to ride
through the village II Jamaica. Long Island
in which the famous Merrick Road has It's be-
ginning will be glad to know that there is
prospect Of the Improvement this season or the
pavements in the village itself. rider going
from Brooklyn to the Merrick Road can take
a short cut from Broadway and avoid entering
the village altogether; but all who nave peeh
compelled to ride over the main street know
that 1t IL far from good. 1t has the sembiance
of n cobblestone pavement on 1t. and in the
summer the sprinkling-cart Is used 80 freely
that there is much mud for the bicyclist TO con-
tend with. This main street Is called FUTON
St The principal streets used by wheelmen
leading out OF II are Flushing-ive. on one slue
and the Merrick Road a short distance further
on on the other These are both in good con-
dition a rider who continues on fulton-st 10
the eastward comes into the jamaica ana
Homestead Plank Road-a thoroughfare to be
sedulously avoided by the wheeman. TO rae
over the planks is n far from pleasant task;
they occupy about one-half of the roadway. ana
the other half Is in poor condition. About three
miles out at Queens. the well-known Jericho
Turnpike IL reached but the best way TO get
TO that good road Is to follow the Merrick Road
to Springfield, and then turn 10 the leit Oh II
macadamiZed road.
The bill which Senator Parsons has introduced
at Albany Is modelled after the Johnson bill.
which recently became law In New-Jersey. Its
purpose is TO regulate the OF bicycles, trcyces
and similar vehicles and to secure uniformity Of
ordinances affecting them 1t provides that cities,
towns and villages shall have power to pass ord-
nances in reference to the use OF lamps. bells.
speed, etc, and to regulate the riding OF wheels
on sidewalks Uniformity In these things Is GER
tanly most desirable as different regulations In
different villages are confusing and embarrass-
Ing. The provision In reference TO the use OF
sidewalks is important At present 1t Is viola
tion Of the law 10 use any vehicle on sidewalk,
but every body knows that In most towns there
are sidewalks that can be used by wheelmen per-
fectly well. at least during certain hours OF the
day. and In the streets more remote from the
centres OF the villages there can be no serious OBJ
lection to such use at all hours. That village
officers should have the right to allow wheels on
these walks IL something that no argument Is re-
ouired to prove. There appears to be nothing
Objectionable In the DILL, 80 far as can be judged
from the summary sent out by telegraph.
In connection with the foregoing 1t will be OF
interest to note the provision OF the New-Jersey
law on this subject. 1t prescribes that the sew
eral cities, towns. boroughs. villages, townships
and other municipalities OF the State shall have
power ITO regulate or prohibit the riding OF any
bicycle. tricycle. or similar machine upon the side
walks within the limits OF any city, town. bor-
ough, village township or other municipality:
the term sidewalk as used In this act meaning
any sidewalk laid out as such by any city. town.
borough village, township or other municipality
which IL reserved by custom for the use OF Pc
destrians and which has been specially prepared
for their use. but not including footpaths or por-
tons OF public roads lying outside Of the thickly
settled parts OF cities and towns, which are worn
only by travel and are not improved by the pub
lie authorities by the abutting owners" 1t Is
certainly an excellent thing to have this distinc-
ton drawn in the law between sidewalks and
sidepaths.