The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-06-21
BOULEVARD STUNNED,
Deplorable Condition Of the
Big Road Drives Wheel
men to Other Thorough
fares.

That the Boulevard In this county is
losing its popularity there Is not the
slightest doubt. Shop keepers and those
doing business on hat t~horoughfare, say
that there is not more than sixty per
cent. Of last years riding this year. The
bicycle police, who expected to have their
hands full in taking care Of the different
sections of The road. are disappointed at
the small amount of riding done.
All this is due to the poor condition of
the road, probably caused by heavy rains.
but many are inclined to him that it is
due to the way in which the road is taken
care of. About q month ago the middle
OF the road which is composed of heavy
sand and gravel, was the only place a
cyclist could ride with any degree of
safety, but now that portion of the road
way is even worse than the side paths.
AT every corner when the water comes
rushing down from the side streets, all
the dirt from that part Of the road is
washed away. leaving little gullies and
sideways. These are very dangerous
and sometimes wheelmen are thrown
from their bicycles, either seriously in
Juring themselves or breaking their
W0eetS, duu sometimes DOUu.
1t was only about two weeks ago that
a young man was thrown from his bicy-
Gle, over the h~andlebars and into the
road. He fell on his head tearing his left
ear off, and otherwise cutting himself.
This accident occurred near the Lehigh
Valley Railroad bridge, which crosses the
Boulevard at F1fty-ninth street. He was
was coming down the hill when his front
wheel struck one of these dangerous gull
Hes. : The jolt caused the front fork to
break, throwing him in the manner above
described. Last fall a young man from
Bayonne was thrown in the same manner,
breaking his neck and instantly killing
himself.
street, Bayonne, to Communipaw avenue,
is probably the worst part of the whole
road. In the same parts, especially near
the railroad bridge it is simply dangerous.
These section of the road resemble a huge
nutmeg crater. Not the slightest vestige
of top dressing is visible anywhere The
bed rock in some places is entirely ex-
posed, which means that something IKE
SIX inches of dressing has been washed
away, The stones used for the founda-
ton OF the Boulevard are about half the
size of an ordinary cobble stone, and one
can imagine what would happen to cy-
elers riding over such spots on dark
nights.
Where formerly five thousand riders
could be seen in the course of an even
ing on the road, now half that many or
even less do not venture out, or # they
do, different roads are patronized-
Just this side of the canal bridge, in
Greerville. riding is almost out Of the
question. 1t was at this point thai the
road for a distance of fifty feet, sank
about a foot. and in some places even
more. That part of the road has never
been properly repaired. The money spent
on this road. experts say, was enough to
pay for three such roads as the Boule-
ward, if it was put to proper use.
Another serious drawback to cycling in
this county is the electric lighting of the
Boulevard. Not one night has passed, so
far this season on which the lights have
not gone out, consequently, all cycling is
stopped for the time being. The road,
when dark, offers an excellent field for
footpads. Many holdups have been re-
ported, but the scoundrels have always
been frustrated in their object by the ar
rival of some cyclist.