The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-07-16
NOTES FOR THE WdEELMEN
4 BRAND-NEW SCH EME FOR sIGy
 POSTS.


 The Connecticut division of the League of American Wheelmen is ac- lively interested in securing the en- forcement of the law that was passed by the last legislature requiring the selectmen of the towns to maintain sign boards at all highway crossings Tor the travellers guidance. This law does not apply to the cities and boroughs, which is a matter of regret, as there IS tuily as much need of guide boards there as in the country districts.
 To aid and assist the selectmen in complying with the law the division has decided to furnish a large number of sign boards free for use on the principal highways connecting cities and towns roads which are extensively travelled. These boards will be two feet long and one foot broad. and can be readily dis tinguished; they will bear the L. A. W. emblem-a winged wheel, with "L. A. w" interwoven in the spokes-in red at the top of the board. Underneath will be directions and distances marked in
  is the object of the division to designate the character and condition of the roads. The characters used in the di- vision road book will be utilized and are as follows:
 A-First- class.
 B-Fair.
 C-Poor.
 1-Leyel.
 2-Slightly hilly or rolling.
 Every hilly.
 Thus the characters Al" on an l.. A. W. guide book would mean First class-level" and indicate that the road to the place designated was in fine con- dition for travel. The other characters used in combination would mean as ex- plained by the above key.
 The people of the state, and more es- pecially the users of the wheel, will gladly welcome this innovation. In many towns not a guide board Is at the present time to be found. and experi- enced travellers have at times much difficulty in finding their way through prosperous and thickly settled commit mites. In few months time 1t Is hop ed to have this condition radically changed. E. H. Wilkins of Portland, Conn.,, Is chairman of the committee in charge of the matter for the division. and he Is actively engaged in pushing the work.
 STREET sPRINKLING.
 Of all the results of municipal mis- management and incompetency this is the most exasperating to the wheelman. It does not seem as if 1t would need the intellect of a six-months-old infant to understand that soaking the surface of a street would soften it. Yet cities and towns in Connecticut-which can boast an intelligence at least equal to the balance of the Union-spend good money, and barrels of it, to harden the streets and then throw more good mon- ey after it to soften them up. Street sprinkling is misnomer. It is not done, except in rare instances. Street flushing or flooding would be the cor rect term. After a watering cart or car has passed through street it is no uncommon sight to see the gutters running four to six inches deep in wa ter. Since the introduction of trolley sprinklers in the larger cities these evils have been greatly intensified, in many instances more water being de- posted in a single passage of one of these cars than would fall in a hard
 
 cannot the authorities see that smaller holes in the sprinklers, pulsating valves, more frequent service, the care full avoidance of places that still re- main damp from previous wetting, and other matters of this character, are of vital importance to the life of the pave men?
 KEEP TO THE RIGHT.
 When you ride your wheel remember the rules of the road and obey them to the letter-always and ever. It is as important to do this on a wheel as 1t is on a ship at sea- for your personal safe ty depends on it. In addition, if you are in the right position and your op ponent is in the wrong he Is liable for not only his own damages, but yours, in the case of collision between you. In a collision at sea the first question asked Is which boat had the right of way. And 1t Is the most important Of all. So with bicycle riding. Ask your self this question wherever you are and whoever or whatever you are about to meet or pass: Have I the right of way?" Remember also that the rider who Is in the right has the right to expect that the one who is in the wrong will give way to him up to the time when he--the one in the right has no further time left in which to give way; that is, the moment of col lision. You are not obliged to give away your rights to avoid injury by others, and it is only necessary to prove that the injury or trespass was malicious in order to obtain triple dam ages for the injury caused. CONNECTICUT'S CYCLE TRACKS. l The increased interest in cycle racing is multiplying the number of first-class tracks rapidly throughout the country Here in Connecticut there are two very fast tracks specially devoted to the 1 sport, and they are paying investments. l Both are third-n1ile courses, the one at l Pleasure Beach, Bridgeport, having a | cement surface and the other at Wa terbury a hard pan surface The last | named was first opened on Saturday | July 3, and proved to be very fast, @ | state record for tandem competition of | 2:05 2-5 being created there by Curtis | and Tolbert of Meriden in the tandem ! handicap. The Bridgeport track holds | numerous state records. and on July 5 | a worlds record for handicap competi- |