The suburban citizen., 1900-09-08
NORTHEAST WASHINGTON BUSINESS MEN
Who want the trade of the people of Northeast Wash
ingtOn and the outlying Suburbs and the
why.
.Gs e,
G66d Roads R6tss
q
Road and side-Path Contribution.

Road and side-Path Construction.
Y II Is now about twelve years since
wheelmen began the agitation for
better highways. The subject then
was Of no general interest, and
had, up to that time, received no Mt.
tion, except iu a few favored locali-
ties where wealthy towns had begun
to improve their streets. 1t is true
that quite a reputation had been
gained for these villages, but their
example had not melted others to make
similar improvements.
OF all travellers, the cycllst is best
fitted to notice and appreciate the con-
dftion of tho highways, and it may be
truly said that though, in 1856, his
seat on the high wheel elevated him
above the lowly position of to-day, he
was much more likely to come into in
innate, personal contact with road
surfaces that he Is at present. His OBJ
servation and experience soon con-
vinced him that highways were gener-
ally badly made and poorly kept, and
that their improvement would be a
distinct public gain.
The public at first regarded the
wheelman's advocacy Of better roads
as a purely selfish move, and this idea
has not even yet been wholly dlssi
pated; but so much investigation and
discussion have followed in the wake
of the persistent agitation by cyclists
and other good road advocates, that
it is now fairly evident to a cOnsid-
erable part Of the community that the
welfare of all classes would be pro-
NOTED in many ways through the es.
tablishment and maintenance of firm,
permanent roadways.
The wheelman, for his part, is bet
ter equipped to traverse poor roads
now than he was prior to 1890, for
low bicycles and pneumatic tires place
him at a great advantage as compared
with high machines and hard tires Of
the earlier date. If he possessed no
public spirit, his interest in promoting
further improvements might languish,
but he is still found in the forefront
of the agitation and is sure to remain
there.
1t is not to be denied, however, that
the work he undertook and is so active
in promoting, has its discouragements,
and that he is sometimes almost tempt
ed to leave it entirely to others, who
are, or should be, more deeply inter-
ested in 1t. Nevertheless, he remains
loyal to it, and will continue to do
so until full success is finally achieved.
But, having gone thus far, and ac-
complished so much, in a general way,
it cannot be considered strange, or
disloyal to the good roads cause, if
wheelmen give more heed to their inn
mediate interests, especially in places
In which it is thus far impossible to
secure action on the highways. There
are still many localities in which roads
and paths are unfit for bicycles to
travel over through good portion Of
the year, and are at no time good, and
1t is not only desirable, but eminent
ly right and proper, that riders of
cycles should endeavor to provide de-
cent pathways for themselves under
such circumstances.
There is no conflict in the two ideas
Hard highways are a national necessi-
ty. They must eventually come. Many
steps toward securing them have been
taken, but many more remain, and in
the undertaking there. will be no hard
er or more faithful workers than the
wheelmen of the country.
But smooth side paths are the only
source Of enjoyable riding for thou
sands of wheelmen scattered through.
out the land, and are Of deep impcr-
tance to them. Their construction not
only cOnfers upon such cyclists
prompt and considerable benefit, but
gives to others a permanent illustra-
tion of the advantages conferred by
means Of rapid locomotion and trans.
portatlon, thus inculcating on observ-
ers one Of the fundamental reasons
for the existence of good roads.