New-York tribune., 1897-12-12


Village. At the point where the Forest Park
Drive crosses this avenue. II one turns to the
left for thirty or forty rods he comes to another
macadamized road leading to the eastward
This Is the Union Turnpike. which runs along
the backbone Of Long Island. somewhat 10 the
north Of the highest levels OF the range or Nils
u Is a newly built road and is not vet III the
mink OF condition but II passes through a pleas
ant bit Of country. with at least one opportunity
for little coast. A ride Of perhaps two miles
brings the wheelman to the regular road con-
recting Jamaica and Flushing. at a point one
mile from the former and three miles from the
latter and the trip To Flushing can he made
IN this way without the necessity OF climbing
The big mill Just out Of Jamaica. BY contnu-
ing on the Union Turnpike distance fur
ther the Black Stump Road Is reached, which
offers easier grades to those travelling between
Jamaica and Flushing than the old route. This
turnpike also intersects the Hoffman Boulevard
which takes the wheelman over good macadam
10 the ancient village CT Newtown, II he cares
10 go exploring in that direction.
Under ordinary condition. one would say. an
asphalt pavement dries off more quickly than
a macadamized road. but that was not the case
last Sunday. after the snow. ice and rain or
the two previous days. 1t took several hours.
even after the sun came out, for the asphaIt
pavements to get fairly dry. and many put OFT
going out awheel until nearly noon on TINS ac
count Once out Of the city, however. they found
the macadamzed roads in excellent shape WIZ"
scarcely a sign that hard rain had been fall
ing only a few hours before. There are roads
of this kind near New-York, so built tnat tney
ava .dob,e ,or b,cycles at any time In the
wear when 1t Is not actually raining. unless
thew are covered with snow. 1t is regrettebie
that there are not more such roads
II is fact within the experience or every
bicyclist that many Of the movements one
makes when in the saddle are instinctiVe' out
this does not do away with the necessary Vi
constant vigilance and alertness as the price
Of safety It is doubtless equally true an oiu
wheelman points out. that an instructive a'oiu-
ance of bicycles is being developed In the minus
and muscles Of the boys and girls VINO compose
Young America, and perhaps III oioer ioN
also .Jn nv travels about the city and nearby
nla,es" no saws II note a difference in this
ma+ter between now and three four years
ago As rule. il see child In the roao
ahead Of me and touch my bell. the youngster
does NOT wait TO look around but instantly
makes a dash to get out Of the main travelled
way have observed this so often that con-
sider the impulse to be due to the bicycle In
stinct as IL NAV be called OF course II some
times happens that the child runs in the path
Of the oncomng bicycle. instead OF away from
H. but that does not initiate against the point
I am making Everybody knows the sound OF
a bicycle bell and the moment 1t Is heard the
impulse is to avoid danger by getting out OF
the way It is all a matter Of education. TO be
sure but cannot instinct be produced ana
fostered by educstion?'
The number Of complaints about the throwing
OF broken glass on roads used ~ wheeimen haS
been smaller recently than IL was some ume
AGO. vet every one who rides much sees rag
~, nts Of glass here and there which he Is care
ful to avoid Nevertheless rubber tires are
brought in contact with them. now ana then'
with the result that the use Of repair XII Is
necessary or else resort to repair shop must
he had To one who possesses any mechanicai
tact the use Of the repair kits now in vogue
Is an easy matter The simplest Of these are the
tools which allow a small quantity OF some
preparation OF rubber TO be injected into the
tire. In the case Of small punctures they work
satisfactorily and are an improvement on the
nrocess of plugging, although that is not
dif,cult operation Sometimes punctures made
nv glass are SO minute that II is almost I'M
possihIe to discover them. Even punctures that
cause a tire to 60 entirely nat In two or three
DAYS are sometimes hard to find- A man whose
tire was in this condition set about the task
Of mending It a few days ago. using bowl OF
water and a,ssponge to locate the leak he
,ound place where little bubbles were TO be
seen and proceeded to use the repair tool sue
cessfuly Having the matter In nand, ne went
| over the entire tire carefully with the sponge.
| and at length discovered a second tiny leak
! within three quarters OF an inch OF the one he
| had lust stopped. The second puncture was
| scarcely dscernibe. but still he thought II
| wise to take no chances with II. The man re-
| nnembered that some time before he had run
upon some bits OF glass before he saw where
| he was going and inferred that two little sliv-
! era must have penetrated the rubber. In spite
NJ this however after knowing that he had a
slow leak he had been able to ride an entre
day after once pumping UP the punctureo 'ire'
The question of a bicycle path on the Brook
,vn Bridge is expected to come before the Trus-
tees at their regular monthly meeting to-mor-
| row on a report from Chief Engineer Martin,
20 whom the subject was referred by the Execu-
tive Committee after its meeting two weeks
ago The nature Of Mr.. Martins report has
not been disclosed but some things regarding
u can easily be inferred from facts that are
within the public knowledge. 1t may be taker
for granted for one thing. that Mr. Martir
will not recommend the adoption OF any plar
which provides for an approach to the Bridg'
cycle path extending considerable distance
outside Of the Bridge property. Not rev
terested in this matter earnestly hopint
that Mr.. Martin will advocate the use OF IN
present promenade by wheelmen. ana tne erec
| tion of new promenades over the railroad
tracks The existing footway would lend itsei
readily to the purposes OF cycle path sine
q runs ND gradually from the surface OF th
streets at zach end. and only the stairway
would have to be overcome by means OF in
cIined planes The provision Of stairways
Tor the proposed promenades Ia a simple mat
ter Of engineering, and the new footways wou
he exactly on a level with the present one IN IN
immediate vicinity Of the towers. some tnin
thi. plan has advantages over any other ina
has been suggested. and in the opinion OF som
Judges 1t offers the only practicspie method Q
when the Trustees so out Of ofice Is so near a
hand. however. that II is doubtful whether an
/ plan will be agreed on definitely. But an EN-
| sjoner of Greater New-York could not fall I
have considerable weight in the mind OF tina
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