New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-19
nent engineers will be used to illustrate tho
various methods OF road construction

.ho noIitIcal parties during a Presidential cam
n.,rn. The movement for improved highways,
which has made such remarkable progress DUR
ing the last three or four years. was inaugu-
rated years ago BY the League OF American
Wheelmen. the most prominent good ROADS ad-
yocate in It's ranks being Isaac Il. Potter. OF
New-York. who IS now its preslaent. years ss
ago the League began the publication or the
monthly Good Roads" magazine. wnlch was
/ merged into the present II: A w. Builetn
when that organ was established TWO years asJ
The L. A. w has been closely connected with
! the introduction Of State aid to roads. as now
established in New-Jersey and Connectlcul:;
and with the present Massachusetts system VI
State highway construction. vigorous CAM
paigns for State aid were carried on during the
| last year in Pennsylvania, New.forK' WIS
consin, Minnesota, Connecticut. Illinois: hnoae
/ Island and elsewhere. The circulation or large
edition of PAMPHLETS devoted to the good roaus
| movement will tend greatly to increase puonc
interest and will popularize the vaiuaDle Wo -,
OF the United States Road Inquiry Bureau ny
bringing the results Of Its investigation dlrecty
home to thousands Of farmers In each state OF
the Union.
The new route through Brooklyn from tho
Greenpoint Ferry Preached from the foot OF
East Twenty third-st.) which was recently oe
scribed In detail in this column, has been open
to public use for the last week. but the numoer
OF New-York riders who have maze PERSONA
acquaintance with 1t Is much sma!ier IMAM II
would have been II the Improvement had "'e"
brought TO completion at more faVoraoe sea
SON. 1t Is no longer necessary 70 20 over 'he
m,serably uneven asphalt In Bedford-aVe 10 get
anywhere In Brooklyn. and with the rehel iu'
r,.h.d for that thoroughfare It is to be hoped
that the authorities will see that the pavement
,s re,aid ~ soon as possible. Probably the ma
torty OF wheelmen who cross the river 10 'ie
no,nt and take the Just finished route VIII
70 Eastern y,
Nv, ,b,s is not necessary for those on their way
TO Prospect Park or Coney Isiand. nan a
dozen blocks this side OF the Parkway 'hey may
turn into s. Mark's-ave. and rae on AnphHt'
/ ~ C;rand-aye going by the latter ana WASH
ington-ave. toward their destination. III 'it's
way easier grades Will be encountered anu We
necessity OF ascending to the hlgh point on tlIe
Parkway between Rogers and Bedford aNes.
avoided. At one or two points on tne ou S
through Leonard-st, Gerry-s. i III piace
and Albany-ave further improvements are nee
essarv 10 make the riding what II oughs 70 De
Especially Is It desirable 10 provide smooth
crnssinr on broadway between Leonard and
Gerry sts where the cyclist now mas 70 go
tc.o or three rods on stone pavement. "HtIe
Throop-ave crosses Flushing ave ls aho'Hei
place requiring an asphalt strip or so'ie TIL,
Of the kind to prevent needless 1olting Ihese
suggestions not made In a fauIt-hn
spirit although some city othciais are prom
70 regard remarks Of this kind as indicating
that wheelmen are hard to please. ana mat AS
soon as they get one thing they are sure 10
TO what would he desirable for the comfort OF
riders OF Observation-Disclosures. too. that could
be given them al small cost.
How many OF the cyclists who visit Concy
Island every year ever take spin OF any
length on the sands Of the seashore? con-
siderable number probably ride at the waters
edge IN the vicinity OF the terminus OF the cycle
Path for a short distance. or course b!-
cycle can be used the beach only when the
tide Is pretty we'll out. To those who have tried
IT, II is a revelation and delight to ma that
the fine sand Is as hard and firm as an asphalt
pavement; compact that the passage OF
wheel over II scarcely leaves A trail. In the
mart of the year when bathing ropes have been
nut out OF commission II Is possible. II the
tide is at the right stage TO ride awheel all the
way TO NortOns Point. as the western eXtrein
ity OF the island is called; and dellghtfu
trip it Is. II the wind is on Its good behavior
one thing Is sure 10 strike the traveller over
this novel cycle path. namely: that parts Oh
the beach are thckly paved with shells WINE
other parts are comparatively free from them.
and no reason for the difference is apparent
The broken pieces of shell need cause the cycliSt
no apprehension even il they crack as h. passes
over them for they will be pressed into the
sand long before they injure tire Broken
bottles and other fragments of glass he VIII
have to guard against. The distance from the
Ocean Parkway to the end or the island IS ABOUT
three miles The six-mile round trip Is sure 70
be appreciated keeny by all who take H.
With :hc increasing number OF snooth-pav
thorou ghfares that interscct there is great need
OF caution as the crossings are approached. II
accidents are to be avoided. When the new
pavement in Fifth-ave. is finished It Will be
crossed by numerous streets paved with the
same material. BY the law Of probabilities there
are many chances that cyclists riding at right
angles to one another will approach the point
of intersection at the same time. 1t is obvious
that some rule should be adopted to prevent the
likelihood Of collisions system or bell Sig
nails might be arranged. or a rule of the road
nigh: be adopted by general consent, providing
that those riding north and south have the
right OF way over those going east and west.
But even then II would he needfu! to exercise
care in approaching the danger points and TO
ride slowly and cautiously.
This Is the time when cyclists OF both sexes
take pride IN announcing the records they have
made for the year 1t Is assumed that riding
is about over far 1897 Is concerned and.
while It Is possible to add few scores OF miles
to the hundreds thousands already marked
or the dial Of the cyclomete- IN most
the completed record for the twelve months Will
not differ materially from the figures now shown.
Nearly every one uses a cyclometer nowadays.
and several Of the cycometeTs are nearly per-
/ feet Instruments while all of them record with
fair accuracy. The ideal ''ycometcr should In
! dictate thousands we'll as hundreds Of miles.
/ and should be equipped with device for mark
/ ing the length OF each trip. IN addition TO the
| total mileage: and. furthermore. IT should be
so constructed as not to be broken easily. Some
/ cyclometers that give entire satisfaction In or
binary circumstances liable to be easily
1 smashed II intrusted to a railroad train. unless
more than ordinary care Is exercised by the
baggage handlers Speaking OF records. Il may
be said that the men who have made 1900 miles
or inward may count themselves among the
small but lucky minority. while women riders
who have 800 miles TO their credit just-
fed in feeling that they have done we'll,
u they have not covered themselves with glory.
An attempt was made early In the year to
introduce a tandem with the rear seat higher