The evening times., 1897-02-10
THE WHEELMEN IN SESSION
Nearly Every State Represented
at the l.. A. w. Convention.
GOOD ROADS A MAIN TOPIC
Lieut.. Gov. Woodruff Delivered the
Address of weIcome-GreatI Inter-
est in the Race for the Lending
onices-The side Path Question
Touched Upon.

Albany, n. Y, Feb. 10. .-Wheclmen oi
Che highest prominence from all section:
of the country were present today at the
opening session OF the annual assembly of
the National League Of American Wheel
men. The opening gun was fired in the
cause OF good roads, the day being de
voted to the consideration OF this impor.
tant question as regards the highest III
terest OF lvheelmen.
The assembly opened in Jermain Hall
under auspiciOus circumstances, having a
larger attendance OF delegates and leaders
from every State than at any previous
one. Every State in the Union is repre-
scented. with the exception Of Florida and
Louisiana. IL is doubtful If there viii be
any one present from the latter State, but
a delegate from Florida is expected To
arrive during the day.
Atpresent about 2O3 delegates and about
rorty-Sx eX -officio voters are here, being
equivalent To SO per cent OF the member
ship OF the league There was quite
little interest ATTACHED 10 OEe delegate in
particular This wa Miss Mabel Wood
berry, OF Danville, IN, who bears the dis
tnction OF being the first woman to act as
q delegate in an L. A. W. assembly.
The fight for the different offices goes
mcrrily on, and has tended TO Counteract
on the good roaGs discussion, many Of the
delegates being absent, sothatthey woulddO
something to build the fences OF their candi-
dates stronger The New YoNS delegates
VIII I old a caucus at the Stanwix tonight
An the Western States, with the eX-
CeptiOn of Illinois, are united on A. Cresy
Morrison, for first vice president, and it
iseXpected that a deal viii be made where
by New York will support him, and thus
strengthen POtteT's chances for the preSi-
dency. Aninformal cauc Is Of the New York
delegates was held in the StanwiX this
morning 1t was more 10 show a front
OF a united delegation than otherwise, and
Will be continued again late this after
noon.
The delegates to the assembly took their
seats at 1920 O'Clock, when about 300
persons had arrived. President Elliott
raped for order. He said that all appre-
ciated the work that could be done on this
occasion, and the L. A. w. had taken an
important step i'm setting aside day Tor
good roads discussion.
He asSerte that the side path was a good
thing. buJ was not certain NntiitcE lUe
wheelnen were Justified in building them,
as it seemed that such work retarded the
good-Toads movement. At the conclusion
OF his remarks he introduced Chief Consul
b. Potter, OF New York, as chairman Of
the day.
Mr.. Potter received an ovation when he
assumed charge OF the meeting. He would
take up the side-path question where Mr..
Elliott had le:t il, and introduced Lieut.
GOV. Woodruff as having been instrumental
In securing the celebrated path from Brook
lyn to Coney Island. The lieutenant gov
ernor was received very heartily.
J. Cohen, Of Portland, ore, was next
intro1u 1uced, and talked onthe rCad adSCUeStlon
on the Pacific coast, especially in Oregon
and California. lie said be believed the
average American man was oyerworked,
and that he lived TOO fast lie approved
of having a hobby. His was good roads.
There was a serious problem to contend
with in Orcp on, owing to the way the State
was situated, and because the climatic con-
ditions had the effect Of retarding the
work