The sun., 1901-10-24

Wovkers for Improved Highway Arc Auve
Co the Had Path hLThe Arraignmcnt
Of the Bereughs More Money and
Less WORK Dene Pat Contracts NJ
Double Pric~s seme Figurca.
Among the strenuous advocates of good
road who represent various cycling. driv-
ing and other organi zstions. Il has been
Q matter OF much sly and sarcastic com
ment that Tammany has not made con-
spiosous bid for the wheeling. driving and
good roads vote this year A few years ago
Il was very different Then a special bureau
was conducted durn q the campaign TO catch
the votes of those who most ardently de-
sire good streets and highways. Van
wyck New York State League Of wheelmsn
was formed on paper to promote tho plan
Of hamboozle. II was trumpet~d far and
near that, fhe Van wycks we're earnest
wheslfnen and horsemen and that a vote
In support Of tho Croker candidate would
be one for good roads Fairyhke trans
hgurations Of highways were promised.
Now, after four years OF Croker and Van
wyok. the subject of highway Improvement
is one upon which TamnAny n noted 70 10
Eracefully silent. II is not pointing out
erultAntly what has bean done and
promising other things In tho future.
The nearest approach 10 its old-time cry
about street improvement is bare msn-
ton In one OF its aaring posters that vote
for Tammany means. among other things'
emcfe improved streets
while the Administration In silent.
the workers for good roads who have tried
without SUCCESS 10 get very necessary
improvgfnents made are talking freely
Of the broken promises In this respect.
They discusa all that has not been done
and the llttls that has been done with funds
that wers -hffer than ever before. The
arraianrnent 1. furnished with different
counts from every borough and is long
Itis nsarly four years since Robert Van
Wyck. the alleged enthusiast for good
roads, was elected and though he was and
n . spersisteni cyclist. some OF the things
mot needed In the way Of pavings and
repsirs are yet undone. II Ia even true
thatsin some instances the money available
for lhe purposes Of highway Improvement
has done lsss last year than before. al
though salaries have appreciated. In
Brooklyn. for instance. Il IL officially ad-
u,itted that the same amount OF money
has not gone 20 far this year a. IL did last
year. This was concedsd to q reporter
OF lHh DUN Nti' oihNr' VI WIG
rnent Of Highways A member Of the
Executive oommittee OF the Good Roads
Association suggested that so much OF
the Appropriation was required for salaries
that there was little left for actual work
on the streets.
One OF the most pronounced pieces OF
negligence In caring for the welfare OF
the riding and driving public chargeablc
- II. -. l.. al. 81
90 revise the city ordinances with respect
60 street and highway trafflo. When the
charter OF consolidation went into effect
on the first Of January. ises. the ordinances
regarding street travel In operation in
Manhattan. Brooklyn. Richmond, Queens
and The Bronx. differed very materially.
In one borough quite different rates OF
speed were allowed. The rules about
turning corners varied. The laws about
lamps and bells were At variance. A new
and comprehensive set Of ordinances that
would be uniform for all the greater city
was something needed at once. A oom-
mittee was appointed by the Municipal
Assembly TO do this. IL was aided In every
way by various organizations OF drivers
and cyclists. A complete set OF ordinances
relating to cyclists was submitted by the
League OF American Wheelmen. Other
suggestions were offered by the Associated
Cycling Clubs and help offered by various
committees. The revised ordinances are
yet TO be passed. and on last Monday night
Charles Z. Simms, Jr.. who ~ chairman
Of the Rights Of Wheelmen and Legislation
Committee Of the Associated Cycling Clubs
reported sadly 10 that body that IL was
hoped 10 get the new ordinances passed
by the Municipal Assembly In December.
but that even this was doubtful. and that
~ after four years OF effort they were not
PACED this year. there was hope In the
proepect OF a new administration.
The strenuous efforts OF all the wheeling
ormnizations combined To have light cvcle
path built across the Bridge Ia a matter of
for moro than three years but they we're
futile. Mayor Van Wyck. the wheelman.
and Bridge Commissioner Shea gave re-
peated assurances OF their support. IL was
not to he a costly or heavy structure and u
was again and again declared by the on
cials that neither the expense nor the added
weight on the Bridge was an objection.
Private engineers were hired by the l. A. W.
and kindred bodies Plan after plan was
submitted. hut always there was found some
objection 20 them and Chief Engineer
Martin confessed himself unable TO solve
the mighty problem. This IL one Of the
promised things that the wheelmen remem-
ber with much Indignation that they did
not get. 1he Rrtdge cycie pam was orig
inally proposed before the trolley cars were
admitted to the Bridge Many public
meetings were held. some Of them stormy
ones and at one time II was suggested that a
mistake had been made in showing how
cheAply n path could he built. instead Of
leaving IL TO the officialsto to award a contract
for q big amount N they should 80 choose.
After many meetings between committees
and officials n new committee was formed
with Tamrnany man a. chairman, and that
was the end OF agitation and promises.
Another peculiar instance of nothing
doing for good roads when the opportunity
WA al hand. is found In relation TO the hill
passed by the Legislature for paving Sew
entsenth street. Coney Island, and com
pleting The approach tn the Harway avcnue,
bridge acfoss the creek from Bath Beach
This bridge was built under an sct 81 tho
Legislature and was much needed 10y both
pleasure drivers. teamsters hauling build
Ing material and ~heelmen. II was de-
signed To relieve the congestion ~ Ocean
Parkway and 60 save a trip ~ = couple 81
mile. around by those doing BUSINESS be-
tween Coney lIsnd and Baih Beach The
bridg- wns completed. hut wac unavailable
until it, approach ga the ocean side was
opened. hill was put through the Leg
islaiure hy the As-pciated Cycling Clubs
of Long Island early In ises and Mayor
Van Wyck promi-s.f = committee 81 that