The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-05-22
JERSEY HOSfELRIGS.
Quaint Inns by the Roadsides
Where Cyclists May Find
Refreshment.

Bicycle riding, says the Newark Sunday
Call" has awakened a new interest in
oadsi inns throughout the country, and
New Jersey is no exception to this rule.
AS q general thing owners of the old
aravansar on our highways have not
been slow to recognize the Importance of
the wheel as a vehicle of trade. 1t is said
that there is one exception up in Morris
County. where a hotel keeper, who has
earned an enviable reputation for serving
country dinners, has put up a sign warm
ing cyclists to keep away. 1t is said that
he does not care for cycling trade. and
that while he does not refuse wheelmen
the ordinary comforts of a country hotel.
he does nothing to encourage them to
make a second visit. He is a singular
exception to the general rule, however,
and other hotel and tavern keepers do
their utmost to invite the wheeling trade.
They provide racks for the wheels. make
special rates for the cyclists and put out
the L. A W. signs, having made ar
rangements with the league for a reduced
rate for its Members. There al be no
doubt that the cycling rag has done a
great good TO revive the declining fortunes
OF many old inns in this and other
States.
a prominent cycling man who has been
agitating the subject of good roads for
several years aid recently: Give US
good roads and we ask for nothing else.
The rest will come. Cycling has already
improved the standard of the rural ho-
tells all over the country Hotel keepers
whose business was languishing have
spruced up amazingly. You will find seats
for cyclists out under the trees in front of
places which a few years ago did not
look for any business except in the bar
rooms and dining rooms. The cyclist
has refined the business in many ways,
and it will be difficult to find a roadside
hotel in Northern New Jersey which IS
not better for the visits of cyclists of
both sexes
AS a rule, people who ride wheels do
not make good patrons of the bar. They
must have refreshments, but few of
them care for intoxicants. A clear head
is essential to a sure return when out
upon a long trip in the country.
Cyclists like quaint old places as a
general rule. and there are scores of them
Quayle's place in the old Van Rensselaer,
homestead at BeIeville is one of the pop
ular places nearby, and another is the
old Meeker tavern on the Union county
road between Hilton and Elizabeth.
The older the house the better the cy-
clists seem to like it. Up, at Bernards-
LIN lit ONd 0iOlS lOlCl ways d Ills
quota Of wheelmen. This picturesque
old tavern has recently changed hands,
and has been thoroughly reftted through
out with a view to making it a popular
resort for cyclists as well as driving peo-
pie and transient visitors to the village.
The Bend View Hotel, on the river
road at Nutley, is another of the popular
stopping places for Newark cyclists, and
there are scores of others among the
roads between Belleville and Passaic. AT
Maplewood there are three or four
lar places, and the old Charley Smith
tavern at Millburn has lost none of its
prestige since Smith sold out. The Mac
ready place at Hilton is too well known
to .wheelmen to need more than a passing
reference.
wheel people and other wayfarers is made
by curly-headed George Skidmore who
has given up punching tickets on the
Montclair branch of the Morris and Fs-
sex Road and become a country tavern
keeper. His is the oldest existing
tavern within many miles of Newark,
having been first licened in 1898.
It now stand at the intersection of the
Valley road and the Notch road, a short
distance from Great Notch and on the
direct hard road between Montclair and
miles from the corner of Broad and
Market streets will bring the wheel to
his door. Since Skidmore secured the old
place it has been immensely popular, and
it was said last week that over 800 per
sons stopped at the hotel on Sunday.
On the road between Newark and
Liant L d lIuilDGE Oh Well
known hostelries in which wheelmen have
effected a considerable change in tne vol
unne of business. AT Pompton Plains
Alex. GLANDS place is noted for its
hearty dinners, and the Norton House, at
Pompton, has a similar reputation, which
changes of ownership. At Wanaque Link
holm feeds cyclists well at the hotel on
this side of the river, and a mile further
reputation made in bygone years by Coon
Tice at the old roadside tavern. AT the
foot of the lake. Charley Cooper pays Just
as much attention to cyclists no was he
always had paid to horsemen, and half
way up the lake Will De Graw lassoes
wheelmen and drags them into the dining
room of the Warwick Woodlands Hotel.