New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-26
IN THE CYCLING WORLD.
ALL CONFIDENT OF A BRILLIANT AND
SUCCESSFUL YEAR
DEALERS AND RIDERS LOOKING FORWARD TO
THE OPENING OF THE OUTDOOR SEASON
POTTER on PATHs-THE MOTOR
CYCLE AND ITS Use IN
RACiNG-NOTEs AND
COMMENTS.

CYCLE AND ITS Use IN
RACiNG-NOTEs AND
COMMENTS
Recent talks with riders, dealers, manuiac'-
prers and organized wheelmen would indicate
that the coming outdoor season will be the most
interesting ever seen in this country. There Is
a feeling OF confidence. especially in the TRACE
which is particularly gratifying. and the talk
OF the everyday rider of his longing to get on
his wheel and out into the country is heard on
every hand. Those who have been only &C.
casional riders heretofore are heard to say that
they realize the great good. physically and men
tally that sensible cycling does. and that they
propose to ride regularly as soon as the conul-
ton Of the roads will permit There Is lively
activity in the clubs and the chances are tha'
club runs will prove to be much more popular
than was the case last year The dealers. bo'h
uptown and in cycle Row are happy ana
contented lot. and If anything like their eN-
pectations are realized this will be a banner
wear for the men who dispose of bicycles OF
standard make and reputation. Travelling
statesmen coming in from the road also prlhs
tales OF confidence and bright prospects rom
everywhere Out-of town dealers are senulhs
in larger orders for samples than ever before
and dealers who ordered sparingy last seas1i!
are forwarding requests for every mOoel IN s'ene
AT present. In some quarters last year ohiy t'le
wheels which were retailed for the smallest
price were ordered Now there is disposition
10 order the highest grade wheels in goodN pro
portion with the cheaper grade.
As vyheel,nen are watching the fate of the
Cycle Path bill in the Legislature at Albany u
may be interesting to know what Isaac 3 Pot
ter the good roads man Of the l.. a W has 10
saw, about cycle paths II follows:
Every cycle path is protest against bad
roads a sort Of public notice that puoilc Wagon.
ways unfit for public travel "l-snai ies
10 every highway officer VINO mas seven nv"
IN mis- head and a splendid example OF the
charming relations which the wheel ana ule
,cadvrav may i,e made to sustain to each otheE.
II Is d declaration Of independence whlch' 10,
the time being lifts the bicycle out OF the nluu
and puts the wheelman on hrmer sIoullu "a
argument for good roads takes from MS CIi in
the charge that the cYchs!s wa LII 10 ~ 80
one and supplies TO every traVeIler an I'M ,Il
exhibition OF the value of good Wheel"aH;,
And so till the day of good roaaS snaiI COiHe,
bslieVc mat cvcla paths should be LAID. ana
believe the League Of American w het'u'", "a
the pursuit of lis constitutional OolcctS 10 Ply
mote the general interests OF cYclms anu =
facilitate touring"-is bound TO exert us speh-
did energies to quicken. to regulate ana 10 sys-
tematize the making and 10 govern lne pa a.
use Of these paths do not Tor a moment au
nit that this work for cycle paths can ne SUI
stitutod FOR the wheelmcn'S agitation LOT p'tteI
roads but rather do ! regard it as a Nalueu
auxiliary 10 the greater cause, when seenis -
have taken new impetus In those secLohS WIZ
cycle paths have been put down poou io"Is
all the ultimate elu pl l-tdSut nm
Is the motto which years ago was naneq On ul'S
tonnost rampant Of the League citadel aIt
there ! hope II may remain until the ei" VI
time
The stag euchre held at the house Of the Nassau
Wheelmen on Monday night was success Auo"'
sayentv members participated IT. the games. Inc
first prize a silk umbrella. was won by horace
REYNOLDS and the second. pocketkniie' was
awarded 70 Edward Keveny Refreshments were
.erves after the games The Entertainment Com
mittee Is arranging for a minstrel show some ui'e
after Lent Home well as professional taieh'
will appear A dance will probably follow tne en-
teriainment The mileage meqals ooinl%,eT ,ee,
last year will De awarded at the quar- ~, 80
h rs and 81 handsome design They are made
so as to be watch charm or meudI ~, I'S
frame a schedule Of runs for the coming outdoor
season Captain Harris promises 10 max LIE NE
Dasfime one OF the most popular FEATURES OF ny
club 1t is his intention 70 hold joint run win
the Harlem Wheelmen some time during 'he Sea-
son
II America can improve the motorcycle. there
seems 10 be no reason why 1t should not prove
successful and popular here. The League Of Amer
team Wheelmen would be entirely justified in de-
clining 10 recognize records made through iis as
sistance Just as # right in declining to recog-
nize the locomotive paced ride Of Anderson or the
down-th mountainside Of Green, and all the rest
Of the freaks but II would decrease the cost OF
pacemaking to one-tenth and make 1t possible 10
nromote match races between good men In cities
that now ind II impossible to stand the pressure
OF expense. After all that is what Is desired IL
n,rnoses-and they, are used abroad-it will best
bring out the relative merits Of the contestants
because Of he inferiority Of the pacing furnished
him while with motor pacing MS IuIl chIao i.
capable Of covering from thirty to forty mIeS an
hour 1t will be the moioT-cyce la aycy Wf doc
heretofore the organizations which have spent
thousands Of dollars in the promotion Of match i,,i
an angel" IN view Of this fact and unless motor,
cycles engaged In the sport paoed races VIII
be the exception to the rule
A member OF the recent National Assembly from
New-York state. after careful review OF the sus-
pensions transferrals and punishments inflicted
upon the amateurs. testified that less than one
tenth Of the amateurs who had been transferred
were changed at their own request. In other
words 90 per cent Of the amateurs PROFESSIONALISM
were men who had been detected IN dishonest
methods and this the punishment allotted
them by the Board. It must be remembered that
ali of the 81 per cent aforementioned were common
perjurers. inasmuch as they were compelled 70
sign their names 20 an entry blank before riding
declaring that they were amateurs according 70
the recognized definition ana yti haruly hau IN! .he
ink dried many Of these entry blanks wnen the
rules and transferred them. II strikes one as be-
ing decidedly parsdoxcal 10 transfer a rider from
dishonesty II is assumed that action IS taken in
their cases matter Of punishment and yet a
premium is actually placed upon the commission
Of crime 10y these 9erverts
The making Of acrostics was a popular pastime
with baseball enthusiasts a few years ago. Now
ex-President Gibbs Of the Century Wheelmen Is
guilty OF the offence There are twenty-seven
members Of the Board of Onicers Of the club. in
Guiding the president and the last two express
dents. Here IS the acrostc:
BOARD OF OFFICERS
MATTHEW GLIB
WILLIAM II. KILNkER
WARDE BINGLEY.
W. A. COULTER
c. J. QUINN ERSBACT
l.. W. KNOWLES.
F l. LA THAN
J. p FULLY.
- CRANE.
II 1. GEARl.