The record-union., 1899-10-28
OF INTEREST TO CYCLISTS.
THE LATE vIoToRY-A MYs-
FERROUS DISPATCH.
Side Path RevivaI-The Free Wheel
New Tire-Foreign Regula-
tion-Body Position.

The victory of the Capital City
Wheelmen over the Olympic Club
Wheelmen of San Francisco on the I'D
has already been sufficiently comment
ed upon in the columns of the Record
Union" But it was a great triumph,
and the charm of it all was that it was
a race between gentlemen, true sports
men, men who can contest and not lose
an iota of the friendship they have for
their opponents The race established
one thing, that rather surprised the
public namely that victories are not
necessarily to the large and powerfully
built men. The race inspired great en-
thusiasm among the people of Sacra-
mento, and much pride for the home
team. 1t ought to take practical form
now, an increased membership of the
club. 1t wants to have 500 members,
that it may carry on it's work on the
present low rate Of dues, and this can
only be done through the instrumental
| ity of long roster.
The County Supervisors have at last,
and that too without renewed pushing
/
side path on Schley avenue from Sac
ramento to Brighton Junction. The
price at which the construction has
| been let is surprisingly low. If the
contractor can build a good path such
as County Surveyor Boyd described in
his report for less than $500, he Will
| be the boss. However, this movement
| ought to be followed up with paths
along other public highways. The Cap
/ ital City Wheelmen are pioneers in path
building, they will not relax effort now,
! but they must have the support Of the
| people along the county highways in
1 this good work. The new wheel club
| at Oak Park, we learn, is going to be-
gin an active movement presently in
| the direction Of promoting path con-
struction. Good. Surely the two clubs,
with the agriculturists backing them,
can achieve success in this matter. If
We pattern after Oregon and Washing
ton, California Will be grid-ironed with
side paths. In those States they are
away ahead of us in wheelway con-
struction. Seattle and Tacoma, for in
| stance, glory in their scores upon scores
of glorious paths, and they are con-
stantly being extended. Up there path
construction has proved to be the good
road forerunner. has induced more
rapid settlement Of the country, and
has enhanced real estate values. So,
too near Portland, the side paths are
the pride Of that whole section. There
were 1000 wheels sold in that city in
1897, $500 in 1898, and to this date in
1899, says the Portland "Oregonian. -
no less than 5000 This large sale is
attributed to the splendid paths and
the extended mileage of them in the
Portland vicinity. Any fair Sunday finds
from 1000 to 5000 people on what is
called the Vancouver path. Along the
section line roads they have twenty
six miles of four-foot path. Another
path eighteen miles long is twelve feet
wide. Another is under construction
and is to be twelve miles long. Several
others are building or under contempla- :
ton Up there they have tax petit
| toned for by the United Wheelmen' 5
Association of $1.25 on each wheel. The
whole sum under the law is used in
path construction. The law was the
outcome of the discovery that before it's
it's passage 600 wheelmen were building
the paths and 5000 wheelmen were US
ing them. This inequality was consid-
cred injustice. We in Sacramento know
what that means Here 200 wheelmen
built fifty miles Of paths and 4,0C0
| cyclists used them, of whom not over
100 outside of club members, ever con-
tributed a solitary cent. By next year
| the Oregon people expect to have a
path completed from Portland to Mt.
Hood, a distance of sixty-four miles.
When finished it will probably afford
wheelmen the noblest bicycle ride in
the United States.
The compliment paid by the Race
Committee of the Capital City Wheel
men to the race team of the club that
defeated the Olympics on the 22d, was
a neat one. 1t took the form of ban
quet which was well ordered and we'll
carried out at the sole expense of
the committee.
When Captain Clay of the Capital
City Wheelmen telegraphed on the 22d
inst. to the Captain of the Reno Wheel
men, that the Sacramento team had
beaten the San Francisco Olympics, the
Renoites replied by wire: congratulate
you. Our turn next" Now what did
they mean, is the debatable question
in the Capital City Wheelmen club
rooms Did they mean that it would
be the turn of the Reno Wheelmen to
be next defeated by the Capital City
Wheelmen? If so it will be the third
time. An old story.
The recent disciplinary applications
in the Capital City Wheelmen will have
good effect. The club has taught its