The times., 1899-03-19
What IS GOING ON
AMONG CYCLISTS
Proposed Path Between Wash
ington and Baltimore.
Meeting to Be Held in This City
Next Friday Night.
western Circuit of Paced Bicycle
Racing-Membersh of the
l.. A. W.

present time Win the constant expectation
that Congress could be relied upon to give
the wheeling public some consideration
and provide for road improvements, but
the efforts of the public in this direction
have failed and it is now proposed by rep
resentative business men and prominent
wheelmen to take the matter in hand
themselves and construct side paths that
Will answer the purpose and furnish an
economical substitute for good roads, Ty-
biographical Temple at 423 G Street north
west, has been secured for a public meet
ing to be held Friday evening, March "a.
at o'clock p. m. Every cyclist in Wash
ington is invited to attend this meeting
and lend what assistance he can to fur
ther the object of forming permanent
organization
1t is the intention of the wheelmen to
form an incorporated association similar to
the Maryland Side Path Association of Bal
timore, and TO cooperate with the Balti-
more association in the construction of a
6-foot path connecting Washington and
Baltimore, a distance of 81 miles passing
out Rhode Island Avenue and through the
towns of Brookland. Bladensburg, Hyatts-
vile. Agricultural College, Beitsville, Con-
tee. Laurel, Waterloo and Elk Ridge en-
tering Baltimore via Druid Hi Park. Pre-
liminary surveys have been made and ex-
pert engineers assert that the project as
outlined can be successfully carried cut at
an expense averaging about $500 per mile
To cover the cost of the path and arrange
for the maintenance of the same the
Washington association will follow the plan
now being successfully employed by the
Baltimore association, whereby stock is be-
trtrr .
one share of stock being entitled TO the
free use of the path for one year. while
unattached wheelmen will be charged a
nominal toll, provided the Maryland Legis-
lature acts favorably upon bills bearing
on the question which are now in the hands
of the legislative committees. In event of
the failure TO pass the proposed law en-
powering the Side Path Association to col
lect toll it will be understood and agreed
that the stock issued by the association
will be regarded as subscription to public
improvement.
By organizing with this understanding il
will allow the officials of the association to
commence construction of the path at
once and proceed as rapidly as stock is
sold. Through the efforts of the leading
wheelmen and the District officials of the
League of American Wheelmen the recent
attempt to tax every bicycle in the Dis
and now the wheeling public can give their
dollars to this project
Conway w. Sans, chief consul of the
Maryland division of the League of Ameri-
can Wheelmen; r. W. Graves, president of
the Maryland Side Path Association of
Baltimore, and H. V. Casey, Commission
er of Park Improvements of Baltimore,
will attend the meeting Friday night and
give interesting talks on the experience
% M1rN md do Dnth
had in building paths about Baltimore. The
incorporation of the Washington associa-
tion Will be push he'd forward as soon as pos
sible. and the combined efforts of the fol-
lowing interested cyclists makes the pro-
ject an assured success:
]. d. Frazee, Chief Consul L. \. W.:
A. Girouard, Vice Consul L. \. w; C. {.
Wood. SecretaryTreasurer L. A. w;
Rudolph Jose, President Mount Pleasant
Athletic Club; James X. Redington, Pres
ident Columbia Athletic Club: r. C. Will
liams. President Century Cycle Club: w
d. Writ, President Capital Bicycle Club
U. S. j. Dunbar President Highland
Wheelmen: E. P. Hazleton. President Le-
want Wheelmen, and William Gettinger,
President Arlington Wheelmen.
The owners OF the Newly Oval at Indi-
annapolis, Ind, built for the League of
American Wheelmen National Meet last
year, which proved a frost. are planning
to organize Western circuit of paced BIZ
cycle races. with the hope that interest
in the sport may be quickened and they
may make good on their investment OF
$4,000 The company has lost money and
confidence in bicycle racing but il
hopes that if a circuit be formed and a
good pacing team organized the people will
encourage the sport with their money A
hOI ,yiI
the first of next month to consider the
new plan before opening negotiations with
tracks elsewhere.
The proposition" said A. C. Newly in
indianapolis last week, lis to form a cir
cult of indianapolis. Chicago Detroit, St
Louis. Louisville. Cincinnati. and Cleve-
land We will have to wait and see what
action the new racing board will take in
the matter of reinstating or rejecting the
outlaw racing men and the tracks that had
to do with them. The st. Louis track is
blackballed. For my part, | would like to
see the L. a. w. throw the outlaws out for
good and all.
There is plenty of new blood Here in
the West there are young fellows who, if
they were handled properly. could ride
along with Bald, Cooper, or any of the rest
of the old ring men. 1t seems that the
only way to awaken interest in bicycle rac-
ing in the West is TO form a circuit Our
idea is to form pacing team to travel the
circuit and hold two race meets a week.
To keep up a rivalry between the cities,
the plan will probably be adopted of choos-
ing one principal racing man from each
city in the circuit TO represent that city in
the races
The membership of the League of Ameri-
can Wheelmen shows total of 73.141.
Speaking of the organization. the New
York Sun" says: ION the whole there has
been marked falling off since the cleo
tion of the new president, and a study of
the figures week by week affords moth
ing on which to hang hope that it will
be checked. The same that is true of the
national organization may be said of the
New York State division. Chief Consul
Milo NJ. Belding, who entered upon his
official career with the laudable intention
of raising the membership in the State
to $4,000. has not been able to do any
thing except to watch the falling mercury
in the membership thermometer The Wig
orous policy which IL was certain would
be pursued by President keenan, has been
inaugurated, but the activity follows the
beaten paths. The greatest objection that
is made against the League and the cause
for wheelmen deserting it is that il has
been ruled too much by clique with too
much reciprocal disposition of patronage
President Keenan, has made some depart
ures. but yesterday there was an abund-
ant comment on the fact that those de-
partures created new offices for the same
faithful allies who have been in the League
political ring and holders of remunerative
offices under other administrations.
The need for new blood has never been
more manifest. but the circle that runs
assemblies and holds the offices remains