The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-19
NEWS OF THE WHEELMEN.
COMMISSIONER SHEA's PLAN FOR a
BRIDGE CYCLE PATH.


law" Racing Men Draw tho Color Line.
In anticipation OF a conference with the com
mittees OF the Associated Cycling Clubs Of
New York and Long Island. the Good Roads
Association and the l.. A. W, Commissioned OF
Bridges John L. Shea yesterday had a con-
sultation with Chief Engineer c. c.. Martin
relative to the building OF n cycle path over the
Brooklyn Bridge. Several plans for structures
which would cost only a few thousands ofdollars
have been submitted to the bridge authorities.
but not one Of them has been found acceptable.
The first Of the plans was offered by Engineer
La Mann OF the Associated Cycling Clubs. Ho
proposed building an approach on the Brook
Ign side from the plaza and running a path
over each roadway. the terminal at the Man
haitian end to be q descent on an inclined plane
over the s~tairways on Park row to Mail street.
This scheme was rejected because OF IL
being impossible to erect tho structures
for the approaches. The plan OF F. W.
Woglom. published recently in THE Sun.
was to use the present promenade to the
towers on each side. a new promenade TO he
built above these land portions. and between
the towers to switch the cyclists to a thorough
fare over the cable roadway. The author Of
the plan suggested letting the riders make
their exit from the roadways as they do now.
KeEardhi LIZ this prop%o9sitIon the 9bjection wa;
trolley loops and through the crowd at the New
York end during tho rush hours.
The great ,bugaboo with the CITY officials
thtSrghopt the discussion Of q bridge cycle
missioner Shea and Engineer Martin both de-
clare themselves to be heartily in favor OF q
been deemed insurmountable exccpt by q
structure oyer them leading. into City fall
Park. In all the study said to have been made
by the bridge engineers the existence Of two
openings under the railroad trcstle about 200
EE" have b ts9m n 1h TIs si5swslf e Park tb row 6 ses%s TO
way and except for an iron railing. erected be.
from the promenade to the roadway on the
north side, or from the roadway to the prom
en9de on the south side. with only the single
trolley track to cross at right angles instead OF
going across the loops and through the crowd.
the tracks at this point HiGt" and adj sdo ,ptHiiT 'S an ao ordi.
nance requiring the cars to come to a full stop
before crossing It. as they do now at the GROSS;
lngS OF asphaIted streets in brooklyn. wheel
the promenade, to Park. row and the Woeloin
enade, aoiny from Park row, They, are about
r rHiirossdi ieei EVEN wia' if 's shs steu the ws pltla ieit Of th tas
and the riders were obliged to dismount
md, walk down the steps and across the
Il there, was a. path the rest OF the way across
the bridge. as it has been admitted there easily
ends of the bridge. There the trolley cars move
slowly and It would he an easy matter for riders
to cross the track even ii there was no rule re-
curing the cars to stop. During the busy hours
the cars on the north roadway are generally
block lde! and crawl along twenty ieet at a time
ike shallS.i,ndth there Is always room enough fora
person with a wheel to go between any two
ears, Perhaps a bette, plan than that Of Wog-
ent promenade all the way. running off into the
roadways at the ends whore the road and walk
path above the wheelway. A stairway to the
new promenade at each end would save pedes-
TRANS the several short flights Of stairs
WAYS could be changed To inclined planes for
the ,wheelmen. as has been done with
70. the pedcstriann at the New York end could
easily re built at the, east end OF, the terminal
structi,e AMI over the short flight mentioned.
whera the cyclists would turn from and into
the roadwa'. This Plan would not. OF, course.
neSessltate any PIG engineering contracts or
bridge a thoroughfare for cyclists In a practical
way. The great spreai, o. roor. at the Brook
Ign. terminal anu tho absence Of trolley loops
makes that end a simple mater to dispose OF.
At the conference yesterday it was decided
by the Bridge Commissioner and engineer that
cycle path end at the New York terminql abov.
the level of the bridge cars ami have elevators
street: This would he an Undertaking OF some
magnitude and very expensive. hue the Com
missioner is quoted a. saying that it would he
satisfactory. and II will be presented to tho
Joint committeeS, OF the. wheeling organiza-
tons at their coming conference.
Al a meeting. of the Executive Committee OF
Washington. 1t was decide" to insert tie word
white in its con -titutIon. and the members
OF the union will hereafter refuse to ride
is the unsportsmanlike action that has caused
many II ruinpus in thu l.. A. W. and in various
{. L.. which is the organization OF racing men
iormet last year at Trenton has fallen
feeling OF the racing men nKuiua - Ma
Jor' Taylor. who Joined the union and
deserted it to go, baek to the L; 4 VI
orTEHanizatons in the National cycling Assocla.
ton. and the dra wing OF the coior Inc by the
the worlds onc-mile record from y. Z. A.
meets ING acton Is taken when the n; ca.
in the struggle Tor supremacy. the prospe eeai Iel
ing that there will be so few L., a. W. meets Of
be forced INTO the ,barkground; The popuiarity
the desire on the Part Of the pa6iic aI to
racing mel are ant, to nnd their exclusion of
HIM from their ranks r~eacting on themselves.
and unf' with TnrG so 5oG" reason we tSa last :! A MAJOR 3te 4 q
could beat any oil the noted pros at am DIS
.A ipiS t .FSm sns sp to ~, fweE az, m ii i i rr he Fs eel; Il
open competitions Is likely to. create a belief
that the mel are afraid. not OF his color, but OF
his speed.
Sergeant Mott when he was in command OF
nv Wy" I'lk bihc rludu lsSucu an OTutT
that the men when they stopped to rest and
LIFT their wheels standing at the curbstono
should remain near their machines and not
stand against II stoopo or a fence. ten or twenty
feet away. where they would be delayed in
mounting for AN emergency. Mott. who is an
eNperiencrd rider. was transferred Tor tho
good oil, the, service" and u man named Nc
placed him. Whether the Mott order has
being revoked or not 1t Is not being enforced
scorchcr has escaped because the bike cop"
nearby was too far away from his wheel TO
give e~ffectual pursuit. Sergeant Mccormack
recently tlni-hG! q course OF lessons in a
cycling academy and can now manage a bicycle
alone. 4 few days ago he ventured torth
awheel to do active duty. He made two ar
rests and then collided with a motor coach and
was severely shaken up. The bike cops are
much amused hy their new leader. hut disci-
pine does not permit OF their showing their
feelings OF telling ali they know.
Billiards.