New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-18
TWO EVILS or THE STREETS.

Disasters often expose abuses; generhii!'
when they are of human origin. That one doe'
which occurred the other day III brOohi! u
street. ia which ball-playing boy was kiilen
and n bicycle-rdng man narrowly escapeu I"
like fate. The story Is this, in brief: Ihe DO!
was playing ball with his companions III the
street: probably too intent upon the game 10 no.
tice wheclmen or other passers-by. The man
came riding through the street, whether scorch-
ING in apelike attitude or not Is not established
hut apparently so intent upon his wheel as not
10 notice who was in the roadway. For he Is
reported TO have said he did not know. until
told after the accident, whom or what he had
run into but thought it was another bicycle. III
he had been keeping proper lookout he might
not have avoided running down the boy 10?
the collision may have been the boys fault, but
he certainly would have known whom he had
run down. The fact that he did not know indi-
Gates that he was not properly looking ahead.
Here then. is one evil which, despite salutary
ordinances against 1t, is still widely prevalent
ScOrchers are numerous. and they are still more
numerous who. whether scOrchers or not, ar
feet the monkey attitude upon the wheel ara
thus iDcapacitate themselves for seeing what IS
before them. Every BODY knows that attitude
Is sheer affectation. A whcelman can ride more
easily and control his wheel more readily by Sill
ting erect If he cannot actually ride faster
and he probably can-in an erect attitude, he
can at least ride as fast as the law allows.
There is absolutely no excuse for STOPPING, and
the simple fact that any rider does ii should
mark him as a probable vioator Of the law AMI
dangerous person. How dangerous this
tragic incident shows For whether or not this
man was STOPPING over the handle-bars he dld
just what every one who stoops is likely to do NJ
any time. DR.. Holmes in a memorable passage
reminds us what a dangerous operation mere
walking is, and with what headlong velocity we
hurl ourselves forward ut every step. But in
even moderate cycling that velocity is multi
piled many times. If TO walk blindfold in
crowded street would be folly TO ride bicycle
bndly is crime.
But that is not the only evil exemplifed in this
disaster. The other Is the playing of ball games
in the public streets. In this case one of the
players was the victim. Generally ii is some
one else. There is no .exaggeratlon in saying
that at this time of year many of the city streets
are places of terror and of extreme danger TO
most pedestrians. Companies Of boys are play
ing or practising baseball with the utmost rcck-
lessness. They pitch AMI bat the ball with all
their force. with scarcely the slightest regard
for passcrs-by. Yet blow from that ball might
easily kill child, and might kill and probably
would seriously injure an adult. The practice
is only a little less dangerous than target-shoot-
ing with pistols and rifles would be. 1t is
pity of course, TO interfere with the healthful
sports of the young. But when these are so
practsed as to be a menace TO life and limb They
become evils that require prompt suppression.