The times., 1899-05-12
A NOVEL CYCLE PATH.
| Elevated Roadway Nine Miles Long
in California.
From the New York Sun,

QNrom the New York SUM
In the mountainous region about Los
Angeles and Pasadena, in Southern Cali
fornia, the lot of the wheelmen is not an
altogether happy one for cycle paths are
unknown there. and beyond city limits the
way for riders is SO rough and rolling that
the pleasures of cycling scarcely compen-
safe for the pains. A change is about to
come over the face of these conditions,
however, by the construction of the most
novel and elaborate wheelway in this coun-
try and probably in the world. An ele-
waited cycle path of framework nine miles
long has been designed to connect the two
places. An account of present cycling con-
ditions in that locality and how much Of
boon the aerial structure will be is OBJ
tained from an interesting article in the
LOS Angeles Land of Sunlight" which,
| on the whole, suggests speculation as to
whether in the future all things are to be-
come possible to the bicycle.
Pasadena and Los Angeles are sister cit
les, and the problem of transportation be-
tween them has been slow to fini solution,
owing to the rolling character OF the in
tervening country and the waterways. The
amount Of traffic between the towns de-
| manded facilities, and as ways 20 furnish
these were found the travel increasei,
until now they are bound together by a
Grain of four railroads, three of steam
power and one electric kft, the last link
was added to this chain there remained a
la:ee contingent of the population in both
cities that was still unproyidsi fer. There
was not fit route for cyclists. The COM
| mon wagon roads, win their dust and mud
and ruts, had to be followed over hill and
along ravine, among cattle and fowl and
| across railroad tracks, by those who fain
would wheel their way from place. The
| topography of the country and injudicious
| road building combined to keep wheel rid
ers miserable.
The lack of good roads between Los An
geles and Pasadena has been keeniy felt
for years. and the hills intervening made
| the construction of an ordinary cycle path
impracticable. The trip northward TO
Pasadena is an uphill grind. In spite of
these discomforts many made the intercity
| trip for business or pleasure, and not
withstanding all disadvantages the ranks
| of the cyclists increased, until there J:e
at least 10000 in Los Angeles county
alone. This growth in the face of dis
couragement suggested the commercial
| wisdom OF catering to so persistent a
| sport and the genius for the emergency
| appeared in the person of Horace NJ. Dob
bins of Pasadena, who organized the Cali
fornia Cycleway Company. Capital was
quickly forthcoming and plans were drawn
| iOi tltNdlcu DdiCOHy, SlIelCuIHS p=-
| tween the sister cities, exclusively for cy-
| clists. The franchise and right of way
have been secured. the engineers esti-
mates completed and work begun, and now
| the natives wonder why some one did not
think of it before.
The path will be supported by pillars Of
different heights. to equalize the gGade
| and the floor will be OF boards. The width
| will be about ten feet, and each side viii
be enclosed by lattice work .rising to 6
| height of about four feet. The path viii
be lighted by a double row of lights, plac-
ed SO as to alternate as they do on tht
East River Bridge. and half way between
the cities park and casino will be estab.
lished by the company. The tariff for tht
use of the structure has been figured dowI
TO a nominal basis, on a plan of issuing
annual passes with a share of stock TIL,
cycleway will start from a central poin
in Pasadena and winding down the Arroyo
Seco on its eastern side will cross the Lo.
Angeles River some distance below Buen;
Vista Street and terminate at the plaza IL
Los Angeles. Wheelmen and wheel WON
en- will be able to glide along this smootl
way almost without exertion going soutl
to Los Angeles, looking off upon the roll
ing scenery or down upon the woods tn
fields, the hills, and hollows, the heav,
roads from which they are freed, and tn
car tracks that cannot Jolt them Revers
ing the ride and travelling north from Lo
Angeles will be no hardship. for the grad
has been laid out so that il is almost i'm
, perceptible