New-York tribune., 1899-07-13
CYCLING.
WHAT HAS TAMMANY DONE FOR WHEEL
MEN?
BELIEF THAT THE PROPOSED wHEELwAY OVER
THE eRrDGr WILL. NOT BD sECURED-sAID
TO BE TOO INSIGNIFICANT PICKING

FOR THE POLITICIANS
In the face Of the wonderful promises made py
Tammany Hall politicians before the last election
Of what they would do for wheelmen In case the
Tiger captured the elective plums, little or nothing
has been done The wheelmen have asked TOT
favors at times. but 10 date practically none Oh
them have been granted. During the heat OF the
last campaien a bogus "Wheelmen's League" was
organized and great things were promised 10 the
riders Of the silent steed Now. when certain poll
tcians have a chance to do anything for the wheel
ing members OF the community. the suggestion Is
generally referred TO the Committee on sewers as
the best way Of shelving It, There are some peopie
who are OF the opinion that the Tammany cat mas
got hold Of the proposed wheelway plan, and tnat
the animal has chewed It all up and that 1t Is at
present engaged in swallowing 1t. Possibly there
are not enough "pickings."
II Is now nearly three weeks since Commissioner
Shea announced that he was ready 10 receive the
committees from the organized whcelmen, ana 10
listen TO their tale of about the dangers INCL
dent to crossing the Bridge upon bicycle. Inc
wheelmen were greeted with political cordially,
and the delegates from the suburban districts went
home 10 tell the glad tidngs to their nelgnDors'
One Of the experienced members or the COM
mittee told Commissioner Shea that the wheelneh
had waited long time for a decision in the mat
ter and requested that he (Mr Shea) give MS de-
cisIon as quickly as possible Mr.. Shea promised
that this would be done, saying as the delegates
filed out of his office: 1T will be but matter OF
day or two when will be able to give you posi-
since that time superintendent Martin Is sup,
posed to have mad the plans Tor me wneel"ay III III
warm under the collar when questioned about
,he plans In fact. Mr. Martin shows so nucn
oninon that IL might be n rather dangerous pro
ceedng TO attempt to interview MN & u ts h, m nore
has not been submitted to commissioner Sheal an h
NJ I
meeting OF the Board of Pubic improvements IN
the SYNDICATE BUILDING ~ re s was RoToTsh of BROOK
lyn telling why was unnecessary i0T nd tne cS hen
fbe money could be spent to so much better advan-
tage in highway and street imprSyemen6t: 6ro, "tbo
Commissioner OF Highways there will tell you now nov
much good can be done in improving the streets.
house. and somebody Will fall into it some day and
get hurt. Then would like the learned SoIpor @ iS
CITY would escape paying damages, providing the
person injured should bring suit against the CITY; CITY
Whether these remarks had any impression upo.I
Commissioner Shea cannot be said but Ser Ser
tany the Bridge boss was not In mn nronoseS
Whselway whe W" over the Fridge Commissioner shea
the plans He did care e hazard ana an OPINION on
as to when the report would be named ON i, or or
not. Mr. Shea did say, however; i don knUM onpos
but what will call another meeting Ior .ne t,ons
Whatever this may mean is left TO me indvIduas th
solution of the wheelmen Some VIII De P.osGy o. .d
spPbmitted have been turned down." and others
NAV think differently. , , 49,. ,.,,hors
of the Board OF PUBLIC Improvements were DISCUSS -
ing how much consideration should De SHOWN 20
the demands OF taxpayers and how little 10 thee
desires OF those whom Dame Fortune mas decreeu
must not be taxpayers. In the corridor YOUNG
man who processes 10 be In the confidence or me
Comnissloner was met. Seeing the look OF DOUBT
mon The face OF the wheelman. the man in the
Commissioners confidence said: II know that Com-
missioner Shea IS in favor of wheeIway oyer me me
bridge but | do not believe that he VIII favor
anv plan for a wheeway which does not include a
nerfect terminal arrangement for both ends OF the
Structure No such plan. which can be adopted, has
been submitted as yet" Then the young man Vouch-
ga fed the additional information that in his opinion
Superintendent Martin had submitted the wheel
way plan to Commissioner Shea and that the
plan had been returned to Mr.. Martin for thorough
revision Meanwhile the wheelmen OK the two bor-
ouChs continue to patronize the trolley cars over
the Bridge simply because they do not dare attempt
N ride their wheels through the mad crush OK
trucks and trolley cars the structure. But the
chances are that the wheemen OF this district Will
not be hoodwinked again by any Ivan Wyck Wheel
mems League" scheme