The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-20
NEWS OF THE WHEELMEN.
MUDDY ROADS TO-DAY, BUT CTCLE
PATHS WILL BE GOOD.

very muddy. hut at this season they dry quick
". aud with the fair weather that the Signal
Service officials promise for to-day the mac
adam roads will be rideable. The dirt roads
OF the country, however, will be good things to
be avoided. The cycle paths will be the thing.
and there the wiso ones who do not like mud
will probably be found. A veteran rider who
has pushed the pedals for twenty years. and
who rides the year around except when the
snow is deep. says:
All the winter through l travel over the
Coney Island cycle paths. They are Just four
miles from my home uptown in New York, but
1 20 to them because there Is always good rid
ing to be found there. They are dry and firm
when the best macadam roads are sloppy and
when the asphalt is like a continuous mud pud-
die. 1 am surprised at the number OF riders
who do not know this. Every winter I have
taken dozens out from this city and New Jer-
sey because they did not know there was such
good riding so near to them.
The popular misapprehension concerning the
League ana its relation to racing Is aptly shown
BY the remarks Of Mayor from a city up the
State. who ls a cyclist. made to a prominent
member OF the League. Said Mayor: This
yere League OF American Wheelmen Is kinder
goin'to pieces. amt it2 l see by the papers that
most of the fastest riders is gittin' out. and I
guess there amt much left. eh p" The League
man spent half an hour in explaining how it was
that the racing men were not members OF the
League. and that an instruction on their part
against League control was a side issue that
related to the Racing Board only, while the
general business OF the organization in con-
nection with good roads and wheelmen's rights
legislation was going right along.
How much the League of American Wheel
men has accomplished in the way Of road inn
provement and tho enactment OF laws that give
to cyclists, their Just dues has been lost. to
sight in the spectacular clash at arms be-
the Racing Il ''B Board. The Benefits aefInk to oe Mb Snd
riders which the League, has brought have
be Ssf few! p' IT ike oi Gi Sy w al; G a xhs sgRPsGi8 Tsa
aspecialist and q curiosity; before most of those
pow rearing : s, the harvest + est We're v riding, the
ride "a bicycle on the roads and in the parks.
Two members of the League went into Cen
case .ot a local ordnance. In the same
the Liberty biiiii,S' declaring the bieycle to be-
2 vehicle, was passed. Since then the L. A. W.
has has scns shs Gigly and %af persist SFErF1i M1rGed tf fSS
good hi. ro"d dIrect %hat it e HHs seSGonHn S 1Sd
men and cyclists travel, which a few
years ago were impossible. The sentiment
specific deeds 1t has performed. Tho League
has, caused signboards to be erected, cycle
Bile for the bicycle to be the popular vehicle
tho bicycle to. be treated as baggage by rail-
roads; Il has had connections made between
roads, al over The country, so that touring, on a
thievery, prevented manifold abuses and i'm
proved property. The League has never pro
the hands Of some local club or other
organization. One prominent official remarked
to run a race meet iC would not know how to
GO about it and would have 10, apply TO some
other organization for a sanction. There is
much truth in this Jest.
Another pamphlet has been compiled by the
F Pam p Boy ses T Pay =, i Si f z y f Roais H TEe d fas
%hifR are now pI 6e Rn;et di Isl fTSjed0 s s1p5aif.
to tGus Xsris by the T TPs Isl Stas as P Sa',isa $t
Otto Dorner. Chairman Of. tho L, A. W. High
way Improvement Committee. and adopted by
Pafs. 3WFlRl s s lrh BY b ssSre'hi IS an Of ar ASFis%lt
Yin sh9tnG many sh i1sidssn n and iIIasatratioas
are worth to farmers. A Forthcoming book
along the same lines is entitled Wide Tires"
law appropriating funds for the improvement
of roads.
A Chicago manufacturer made during the
year as 900 BICYCLES and Of that number not 5
the country. The Significance Of this state
ment. which is amply proven. is In relation
$4,000 bicycles and had II per cent; left on lis
general statements OF, makers and dealers to
the effect that although they have made less
money they have sold more wheels.
.Aresolution ofthe State Executive Committee !
Of the l.. 4. W. that is not likely to please the
been adopted. 1t makes New Workers go upthe
state to hoid the annual meeting, This is the
throw. The resolution reads:
NV Wh TorS is By th nIy PROVISIONS Of I the bylaws Of the
the month of December, thirty days, notice thereof
hA TSs;r esep Il hf Is made Ei%i% Il the sh duty i; A.; OF Y the Ss'i EIso inna;
COMMITTEE to designate the date and place of such
Rs,.lTs%. Thst the annual meeting of tn. Board Of
Of Rochester. on SATURDAY, Dec. II, 1898, at 3 O'Clock
+ bsr Mr and M 5 sha, the IS se saSss gol,co tTsrsof Ps e. an and nu he
lished in the next issue of the l.. A. W. Bulletin.
Jr. the new Chief Consul OF the State Division.
is one who will not let grass grow where he
until Dec. ] he has started in 70 work to re-
store the division 10 lendership In the organt-
and prominent members for snggestions' <
second letter, which should appeal to all League
members and II, to all Interested in promoting
At last the New York State Division. which for so
long has been tho banner division in the l.. A. W..
has been forced to yield the palm 10 Pennsylvania.
This week the Keystone. State went to tho head Of
the column on the membership list. and New York
dropped into second place The Pennsylvania mem
bership II now II, 1872, while New York trails along
with II $50 which makes it 100 behind. No better
State Division can now DO given than by means Of a
united effort TO push Its total membership again into
hrst place. to an aggregate larger than ever before.
may be donei II each loyal mem Der of the division
will rise to the occasion sufficiently to send In the
pane of at least one new applicant for membership
BY Jan. !. 1890; VIII you do your .part2 There Is
not one Of us who cannot bring In at least one friend
or acquaintance. ] feel that this request will be re-
osiysd in the same spirit in which it is made. and
tlon. Send all applications. together with the sum
necessary for initiation fees and dues, to W. s. Bull.
Secretary Treasurer. Vanderbilt building. New York.
The long;looked-for book or, cycle paths.
distribution by, the Highway Improvement
OF the l.. A. W. has made its APP
and II proves to be worth the waiting.
Il comprises eighty pages. protnsely illus;
value to cyclists and highway, officials. The
Introductory chapter, sets forth the authors
reasons for urging the construction of cycle
in those parts OF the country where good