The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-16

very useful purpose. Finally some day a
mans wheel is left leaning against the house
while It's owner transacts some business with
IN. Patersfamilfas asks ifbhe ninays>try. that
wheel ust to seer II he can ride, the thing.
'PermtSsfon'ife ofecRurSe given, and of course
he cannot ride theis wheel. Ostensibly he
makes fun of his zansuccessfult cattempts-in
wardly he is nettled!I He is accustomed to
think that what ceiref+ peoples can do he can
DO, and ne resolves he will learn to ride that
But few people can be found nowadays who
do not concede 5Hhet benefeentsl effects of
bicycling. 1t appears to act as a tonic to the
mental and morale as well as the physical
being, and as whBels become cheaper and
our roads becomejbetter We may expect an
increase in the number of riders all over
the state
There is difference of opinion among
wheelmen as to waHether bicycle roads should
be constructed by9themSelves. alongside the
wagon roads, or whether all wheelmen should
unite and work for one hard, well-finished
roadway to be used ein common by all
hicles. macadaMized road, or its equival-
ent, is satisfactory for bicycling, but sep
arate path is mucfr cheaper to construct, and
is more agreeablesto ride over.
The ST. Paul association path is thus
built:
Having made the foundation smooth and
provided drains to carry off the rain, the
coal clnders were first spread on to depth
of four inches in the center, and sloping
10 two inches at the edges roller hav
ing been passed over the cinders, clay was
spread on to the depth of an inch or more,
and over the clay enough sand was sprinkled
to cover the clay and then the whole was
thoroughly rolled in such way as to pre-
| serve the oval formation first given, to, the
pain by the method of placing the cinders.
II was found that coarse, cinders better
than line ones. If the clay is well rolled while
II is moist, 1t will become smooth and will
eventually form a crust which will shed the
rain, and which will not break unless some
thlng heavier than bicycle passes over it.
"A top dressing of sand was then put on to
prevent the path from getting muddy in case
of continuous rains .e.-..... . ..
In building this path kept far from
the wagon tracks as possible Many team
STEERS appear to delight in cutting into the
pain with their heavy wheels, and, besides
putting the gutter between their wheels and
the path, we have sometimes strung wire
on posts about three feet from the ground,
and at crossings or other roads put in cat
tie guards after the plan Of railroad guards,
but built of lighter material i have no
doubt that each year will be productive of
| better methods and cheaper methods of con-
struction; We had no experience and no
| OF an experiment.
Bicycles being subject to taxation, like
| other personal property; there is no reason
why the money collected, or a part of it
at least, should not be paid out again for
bicycle roads. In Niagara county Ne York,
speclal commissioners are appointed to collect
! the tax on bicycles and expend 1t for bicycle
| roads, The wheelmen would be- glad TO see
sueh law in Minnesota, and something of
tnat nature may be presented to the legisla
| ture now in session. --.a
An Harbitrary tax; of, 81 for each wheel would
| be invalid in Minnesota, because it would
violate that section of the state constitution
which provides that! taxes shall be equal and
shall be based en- the cash value of the
property taxed. But a. per centum tax on the
| appointment of state road commissioners who
value could be collected.
What we needslis law providing for the
appointment of state road commissioners
would exercise AN intelligent supervision
over all highways. .
A good roads fandI should be created and
provision made for8 paying a part of the cost
or county roads when the county is willing
to construct them according to the specifica-
lions furnished by the state commissioners.
That a system of good roads throughout
the state would be7profitable, all of you who
are here today are firmly convinced. You
have demonstrated most of you with your
own pencils that9the extra cost of hauling
produce through mud and sand would in a
few years pay forfa hard roadbed but there
are other profits equally important.
1t is our privilege and our duty to take
advantage of such rational enjoyments as
our circumstances allow, and to consider the
daily happiness of those dependent upon us
as important as any problem of political
economy or monetary science,
/ Easy and pleasant communication between
the people residing in country districts fire.
quently converts mOrose and gloomy life
into pleasurable existence.
The question then "does it pay' has a
/ broader significance here than when, used in
connection with commercial affairs.