The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-21
AN UNNECESSARY IMPOSITION

The bicycle ordinance which is now
under consideration and was before
the assembly last night seems to be
fair compromise between the extreme
demands of both sides, with the excep-
ton of a single restrictive clause. We
refer to that which requires every
wheel ridden after sunset to be fitted
with a lantern, no matter whether it
is used upon the sidewalk or the street.
We have no quarrel with the proposed
area within which sidewalk riding is
wholly prohibited. We find no great
hardship in keeping the wheels off
the walks as far west as Dale street,
with the single exception of Pleasant
avenue between Third and Oakland.
This is the connecting link between the
business section and all that portion
of the district south of Summit that
uses Oakland avenue for its highway.
Now Pleasant avenue, after the slight
est rainfall, is almost impossible for
the wheel. It's wretched surface, bad
enough in best weathers, is soon coated
with from one to three inches of te-
nacious mud, and water stands in
nasty pools in all the depressions of
the street Wheeimen have, notwith-
standing this, used the street surface
far more than the sidewalks whenever
conditions permit it. They might be
allowed to use the particular piece of
walk that forms the connecting link
between Third street and Oakland.
With that exception, we do not think
that riders will quarrel with the pro-
hibited district, and, in our own opin-
ion, it is none too large.
The matter of requiring a lantern on
all wheels after sunset is a very differ
ent affair and too great an imposition
upon people of moderate means to pass
without an earnest protest. 1t has been
the custom here, as elsewhere, very
properly to compel wheelmen who use
the sidewalks to carry a lantern after
sunset. This was only proper pre-
caution in the interest of the pedes-
trian. But it is just as foolish and far
more Onerous to require a wheel that
uses the street surface to carry a Ian
tern than it would be to i'm
pose the same restriction upon
every wheeled vehicle on the
highway. When the wheelman
is required to give warning of his APP
proach by ringing a bell, as he is, the
danger at crossings is reduced to the
minimum, and that is the only spot at
which the lantern is Of any avail
There are thousands of wheels ridden
in this city by persons who have never
owned lanterns and never need to-
They either do not ride upon the side
walk at all, or they do not use it af-
ter dusk. The cost of a good lantern
is very considerable, and the weight
Of it is something in making a Ions
run. A man may start out in the morn
ing with the intention of being back
before sunset and may be detained
by any one Of a hundred causes, SO
that he does not return until after
dark. Under this ordinance, if he left
his lantern at home, on the supposition
Of an early return, he would have to
walk or take his chances of arrest
But the more serious matter is the
compulsion exercised to oblige all those
of modest means, who love the vince
and are endeavoring to secure or to
pay for one little at time, to buy
lantern for which they have no earth
ly use, and which gives no additional
safety to the public. There are many
weeks of summer here when, for ar
hour or two after sunset, it is so light
that there is no more need of a Ian.
tern than there is at midday. This
clause ought to be struck out of the
ordinance before it goes further.