New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-08
m THE CYCLING WORLD
r. A. W. AND ITS RELATION TO
RACING

RACING.
..v RIDERS EXPECTED TO VISIT CAMP BLACK
ro-pAY-A COMPLIMENT TO THE DEPART
MENT OF HIGHWAYS NOTES
AND COMMENTS
u.,,r the average cyclst has been grumbling
-. the continued and record-breaking stretch OF
"a oeather the followers Of racing have been
..ordering just where they would be at" when
~. approaching season comes to an end The
Sastv unreasonable weather and the war talk
I've served TO place the bicycle in the rear for
hs time being a few days Of bright sunshine
sOuever will do great deal to dispel the gloom
,,oro the faces OF the riders the dealers and the
,onufacturcrs. But It will take more than a
,au, DAYS 10 unravel the racing situation as It
onnl,es 10 this district AS a close student Of
,bs sport OF racing said the other day: Here II
"a May and the fight and tangle is on now.
What will be the conditions in july" And no.
hody attempted 10 predict. A warning was
,r,nted in these columns several times but the
authorities appeared to be callous to advice and
an unfortunate tange and much ill-feeling are
the result AS has already been stated in these
Columns the officials OF the Racing Board
showed disincnation TO protect National Cir
rult dates and State meets. Nobody cared how
much rival TRICKS ana promoting associations
conficted. II they cut their own throats that
was their business and possibly the sooner
some throat cutting In certain directions is done
the better 1t Will be for racing. The clubs.
h,wever. should be protected, and II Is the duty
q, the l. A. W. TO do this first last and all the
tine. Under the present conditions there are
few clubs In New-York and Brooklyn which
show any disposition to hold meets this season.
When the club interest Is killed dwarfed
eycle-racing will suffer. 1t 10 too good sport
70 be cast to the dogs. even II the dogs
they Will. but the sport and the clubs
which have made II what II Is.
With nne weather to-day. the destination Of
thousands Of cyclists will be Camp Black. Long
Island. Some Of the hardy riders who live in
the upper part Of the city may prefer 10 make
the trip TO the State camp at Peekskill The
latter ride. however. which is one Of forty five
or City miles. at this time Of the year and over
q rather billy route. will not appeal to the ma
tority The popular run will be TO Camp Black
where the roads are good almost all the way
and where the distance to be ridden is more TO
the liking OF the everyday cyclists. who have
not had enough opportunities this season to get
in good condition. Those going from College
Point will pass through Flushing. Bayside
Queens Floral and Hyde parks and on 10 Nine
ola After reaching Queens this is almost
straight route. From Long Island City the
route will be through Jamaica and Queens and
then over the foregoing route Still a better
road will be found by turning TO the right at
Queens. taking the direct road 10 Hampstead
and then riding from there to Garden City or
60 Mineola Many more will take the Merrick
Road after leaving Jamaica, passing through
Springfield and Valley Stream 10 Lynbrook.
where they will turn TO the left and ride TO
Hampstead. The roads all Of macadam up
10 within one or two miles Of the camp. A
prominent clubman who made the trip on his
wheel on Friday said: II realize that with
proper weather conditions thousands OF wheel
men will make the trip to Hampstead on Sun
day There are some good hotels In the towns
near the encampment but the places are not
overburdened with them. There will be thou
sands Of hungry cyclists there and l suppose
the early arrivals Will be al BILE to find acceptable
accommodations at the hotels and roadhouses.
Still. many do not expect 70 start for the camp
until 10 or ii O'Clock. and TO those would sug-
gest that they find ACCOMMODATIONS at some OK
the hotels or roadhouses before they get 10 the
neghborhood Of Camp Black. There are places
along the Merrtck Road and also on the other
roads where wholesome meals can be secured
and at the time the prices are not exor-
bitant"
F. W. Sayward an enthusiastic wheelrnan.
has been in correspondence with the Depart
ment Of Highways regarding the condition OF
certain roads. Appended 10 a copy OF letter
have received your favor Of the 28th inst. and
IN reply would say that IN the consideration OF
the condition Of the roads a great deal depends
upon the standpoint OF tho observer. II your
superintendent OF streets and roads. who in
vestigated the condition Of Broadway Fort
" ashington ave ana Boulevard Lafayette. is a
baloonist and goes over the roads in such a
vehicle he doubtless finds them satisfactory.
but write from the standpoint Of the bicyclis.,
a not unimportant class in the community and
whose wishes are entitled 20 some consid-
Grafton Fort Washington Ridge Road is only
an ordinary country road and its condition
varies with the weather AT certain interval
after a shower il is doubtless In fair condi-
ton. but in dry weather It is thick with sand
and dust and any rainstorm which Is more than
q shower makes It thick with mud. You say
the Boulevard Lafayette Is being paved. and 80
It Is so. too was Cuba being pacifed by
Weyler. but It was a slow process. It is my
opinion that for every ton Of material being put
upon the Boulevard Lafayette by your depart
,nent ten tons Of the roadbed are washed away
by the storrns which intervene between the
periods when work Is performed. There are
holes in this road large enough for morse 10
drop into and be hidden. while whole sections
Of sidewalk have fallen out o, piace anu ui s
by the carload has been washed into the al
Joining Fort Washington PARK Inc gutter
stones for a space ag0regating one mile are out
OF position and the Belgian blocks with Which
the cutters were paved are either washed out
OF place or covered thick with sane from the
adjacent road Regarding Broadway. or Kings
bridge Road would say that the part hao ~
mind WAS that section which lies above the
macadanized part. l understand the tearing
Up Of The short section Of the road By the THIRD
Avenue Railroad Company and nave no iaut
70 find with that but on the upper part or the
road 70 which ! referred in my communlcatlon'
the roedbed is In ts natural condition. no Work
having been done upon 1t since the street was
graded with earth and sand from the adjacent
fields. a number Of years ago. on this ROAD. as