New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-06
CYCLING.
THE RICyCLE SQUAD IN BROOKLYN AD-
MrTs THAT 1T CANNOT DO ITS
WORK WELL.

MrTs THAT 1T CANNOT DO ITS
WORK WELL
THE FORCE SHOULD RE INCREASED AND HEAD
QUARTERS PROVIDED FOR THE MEN IN OK
NEAR PROSPECT PARK-NoTEs
AND COMMENTS
II was said some time ago that the oicyc'e sa'a-
In Brooklyn was to be doubled. nut acco'''"e ~
the members OF the squad nothing OF the sort n
taken place and as far they know the,r preseh.
$50 "a mo, IN bo increased. Now Of course, l
cannot AFFORD TO have my name or NUMBER pup
lished" said member OF the squad yes'eruaS'
"but II does look az II something should oe oo"e
10 help us out. our men are WORKING haru anu
,ndustrousIy but we have simply got 100 much
Ground TO cover and cannot do II properly The
present bicycle force In Brooklyn numbers twenty
Acc man and vet we have nearly five times the
,arritorv 10 cover that the force has In New-fork
where they have ninety bicycle policemen. Now
believe that there Is more riding In Brooklyn IMAM
in New-York and this Is certainly the case on
SUNDAYS and holidays Did you see that throng
on the cycle path on Sunday? Now all the men We
had there on Sunday was three. There should
have been at least double that number, and triple
the number would have been able TO 40 better
work and none OF them would have been id'e AT
that The squad arrested ffty-fve wheelmen on
Sunday most Of them for scorching. and every one
OF the scorchers arrested fined The New
York force started In 1896 with forty men but me
Police CommIssoners found II expedeht not only only
vide for the squad headqarters at fiftyIeighthosd
a ana away out in the Precinct and
to to 1t the men must ride over several blocks
needed in Brooklyn IL not only more bicycle police
men, but headquarters centrally situated, from
quickly Such headquarters could be arranged for
the men at the old Litchhed Mansion in Prospect
Park. where there is police station From this
point they could get 10 the various wheeways over
20 be Policeman stationed near the rendezvous
In Prospect Park all the time Many accidents
place is always congested One man was killed
there not long ago. and another had nasty fan
bone" The lack OF auflcient policemen on the
roads in brooklyn has become evident to the clubs
come up for discussion at the next meeting Of the
Sp bSs charge ad this sa Pss
the police WORK.
81 like to watch riders when they stack their
wheels in racks where wheelmen congregate." said
a veteran rider yesterday There Is a popular stop
pingpace for riders at One hundred -tenth-st.
and the Boulevard. I generally tell the char
acter OF a man by the manner In which he handles
his wheel. The veteran rider generally has a first
class wheel under him. for experience has taught
him that cheap wheels expensive and dangerous
experiments. He knows that II 1t is to be kept In
good condition he must take care OF IT, Now.
when this sort Of man comes to a rack he takes
his time and inserts the rear wheel into the rack
and then turns the front wheel go that II will not
slip Then watch the scorcher and the average wom-
an rider The scorcher slams his wheel into the rack
and, as general thing. several other wheels al
es the n h
it is not in the rack more than a few seconds be-
fore the steering wheel slips, and the bicycle goes
down with crash. Have you ever noticed how
certain racing men handle their wheels? You can
nearly always tell those who have paid for their
MAJ
around on the ground In "A manner suggestive Of
who were beaten in a race deliberately get of
their mounts and kick them There are all sorts Of
people In this world"
Some Of the officials In the Department of Agr-
culture at Washington are giving considerable at
tention to the subject OF steel roadways. General
Roy Stone, good roads advocate. has already car
red on certain experiments. Martin Dodge. Cen
eral Stones successor says: THE steel track wagon
road is still in the experimental stage. Much has
been written and proposed in n theoretical way
during the last six years or more. but nothing has
been done by way Of actual tests till lately. The
three principal advantages to be sought In the
construction are cheapness. durability and reduction
OF power required to move vehicle. AS to the
last two elements. all are. agreed that the steel
and manner Of construction there is diversity OF
opinion Many Of the plans first submitted and pub
form, 10 support the steel tracks. In 1894 F Mel
Ss5 Of both ana pans to the So1a
Conference which met at Asbury Park July
Structures ~ Of plank not only to support the steel
track but also to form the treadway for horses ana
other animals
The Shenandoah Valley has always been IA
vorite resort for wheelmen. Its excellent roads.
beautiful scenery and wonderful natural curfosities
| make IL the ideal touring ground. Even those who
have only few days to spend for an outing can
reach It and enjoy pleasant ride and the generous
hospitality OF It's people party OF ritiseqrg Le
| toric valley They wheeled through the valley to
! Luray Cavern. They had cameras. and secured
s S1Iy two points were they compelled pay toll
These were where the pike passes tnrougn mest
Virginia. AT all other places wheeimeh are passeu
| free.
II has been remarked In the trade and among
cIbuen that the bicycle thief has not been so busy
| hereabout as he year or two ago. Many are
Of the opinion that the presence OF so many plcyce
pol,cemen has had something TO do with the case
while others say that the price OF wheels mas
caused the thieves to turn their talents In other
| directions Frank T. Fowler we'll known in the
trade Is now an Alderman in Chicago. He has
been stirring things up in the city Council since S
proposes to see that the bicycle rider is given
| protection It is Alderman Fowler,s Intention TO
Charge viii be nominal just enough to cover clerk
q e Ssy S ss w @ay It IS hoasS
| many stolen wheels can be traced
The Greenwich Wheelmen have removed from NO
| to No. Abingdon Square. and will be pleased to
| have unattached wheelmen stop in and look around
| The club run on Sunday will be to Coney Island,
| leaving the clubhouse at 1880 p. m.
| Roundsman John Schuesser. Of the bicycle squad.
who is something of a racing man. received from the
| Police Board yesterday permission to represent the
Police Department IN the various races he intends
| participating in this summer. Schuessler wears
many medals.