New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-28
~ THE CYCLING WORLD.
.roNAL SHOWS TO CONTINUE.

NATIONAL SHOWS TO CONTINUE
mn THAT THE PROPOSED ROAD FACE
NOT BE HELD on RIVERSIDE Drive
mort THE ROAD BooKs-soME ADD
rroNAL ROAD CoNprTIoNs-NoTEs
AND COMMENTS
.vce show question will not down. and
rufscturers of the country are giving this
v" .,.r nossibly more attention at present than
ever did before In February. just after
'as elbows. the makers were almost OF one mind
u" -,nS future National shows. They seemed
Ns's,,v that the time for such shows had passed
s,,s, the holding OF further exhibitions OF the
al. -,rId he a waste Of time and money Since
change has come over the cycling world.
W." ,ooks now as II the two shows. the one in
-. .,.y and the one in Chicago. will be held as
~,s, At the meeting OF the Board of Trade
~, ueek II was decided 10 put the matter of
,.d,ps future National shows TO a mail vote.
~. majority TO govern. A meeting Of the direc-
IS Will be held this week. and formal letter 10
-, Trade will be arranged and sent out. The
-snufacturers seem TO think that II they should
shandou the National shows promoters would
ntsr the field. and that many Of the makers
would be al their mercy. One promoter has al
,esdv sent TO the Board an offer OF S3OVVO Tor
,be privilege Of holding the two shows peXt win
,sr As this is his first offer. he may he induced
% make a better proposition later. As II looks
a, present his offer may not be accepted. as the
makers are of the opinion that II shows are held
,hev should be held under the auspices Of the
Board q Trade There are some Of the manu-
facturers who argue just the other way. and say
.ha, tho time for holding National shows has
nssseG They say that the bicycle Is no longer
q novelty. and that IL is now recognized as pub
a, institution all over the world. They argue
mat few years ago such shows were neces-
gary but that il is not so any longer. They seem
20 think that the money spent on shows could ne
expended 10 better advantage IN some o'her oi-
rection
The proposition OF the newly organized Associ-
stes Cycling Clubs OF New-York 10 have road
race or Riverside Drive. has caused considerable
discussion The attitude of the New-York Con-
srlats IN the matter is significant. The Consul
ste has said nothing. and the leading officials OF
,he A. ". In this district are equally retcent
When the proposition first made II looked
ss- the race would take place TO a certainty
Since then the completion Of affairs has changed
When the idea was preached to the Park Com
nissoners two Of the number said at once that
they thought II was good idea, and that they
could not see why the privilege should not be
granted Certain things have happened since
which have caused more than one Of the Com
roissioners to change his mind. Few Of the men,
hers Of the Board are well informed in sporting
matters and when the idea was first oroached
they thought that the race was a sort OF cyc4s
parade such as held on the Boulevard ana
Drive last year. one Of the Commissioners IN
speaking Of the proposed race 10 the writer yes
;erdav said: I'VE want 10 do all that We can 90
consistently for the Wheelmen, but / am begin
Ming 70 think that we will make a mistake II We
allow that race to take place on tn Drive /!
have not looked into the matter as carefully as
intend TO do later. but fail to see just how we
would be able 10 get around tha, ordinance whlch
forbids wheelmen from riding in the city thor-
oughfares beyond certain speed limit. Tnen l
question our right 10 tell drivers ana pedestrians
to keep off the Drive during the time OF the race
know that other cities have done il. but because
they have done so does not necessarily make II
right | am inclined TO think that al the meet
Ing OF the Board on Monday the proposition TO
hold the race the Drive will be defeated /
am a good friend 70 the riders Of the wheel, and
will DO what can 10 advance their pest inter,
esrs think that a speedway should be provided
for them uptown somewhere. in the vicinity or
one OF the outlying parks, and ] suppose that
this will he done IN time. There Is nothing 10
prevent the association from holding the race on
the Hudson County Boulevard and understand
that they can hold the race there without oppo-
sitiOn.
-ae suggestion that the association take the
race TO New-Jersey will not be well received by
the cyclists Of this city. The foregoing inter
view IS printed with The idea Of showing the off,
Gals Of the Associated Cycling Clubs Of New
York the exact condition Of affairs. Messrs.
Brock Simms and Gebereaux. who have used
every effort 10 bring about the race on the Drive
should not rest content with the work that they
have already done The apparent friendly feel
ing shown 10 them when they appeared before
IN. Park Boara possibly made them think that
they had the batt!, good as won ana mat IL
would not be necessary to do any more hustlng
1etbeA c. c. Of y Y expects TO get the privilege
81 holding that race on the Drive. IL should send
q committee 10 the Board meeting tomorrow
and the committee should be able TO talk to the
PARK Commissioners in an intelligent and forci-
be manner There many people in large
city like this who always oppose any innovation
and there are a great many more who are pc
oullarly affected by the bare mention OF the plcy-
Gle one OF these individuals, when discussing
the race yesterday, said sucn race Wou1 De an
outrage against the city. W hen requested 10 say
why he made any such an assertion, ne re-
marked: "Oh. am tired Of those bicycle Fellows
anv way They always asking TOT every
thing in sight think that they ought 10 ne
taxed every mothers son Of them. ms man
does not ride a wheel and does not lntenu TO-
bur he be seen on the Toad nearly eVery IdIr
afternoon driving fas' stopper al DISK tOt
- srv one should suggest 10 him the idea that
h could not speed his nags on the uptown drlVtS
h. would have commissions ana peslh 20 now
a0Ou, prudes and people VINO Try 10 lhterle -,
pith the rights Of an American citizen. If the
prOposed race is held in the morning. say De-
tween the hours OF 10 and noon. II would inter
fere with few people. and the race would fur-
rish amusement 70 thousands Of special tors
Some wheemen say that the turn back OF Clare
rnonr would be dangerous 10 riders going at fuli
speed This could be remedied by making tenn
porarv ernbankment at this point, which could
Sc removed as soon the race had been finished
When any one calls the request Of the assocla- p
ton "a foolish whim." he insults the great army
Of riders Of this city. Cycling IS not a foolish
whim, and never will be. The parks and drlVcS
are for the benefit Of the great mass or the peo-
pie and not for the sole benefit OF few. such
race the one suggested by the Associated ~
cling Clubs of New-York would attract a large
crowd and would amuse thousands. while II
would Inconvenience mere handful Such
races hava been held In many cities. and they