The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-14

1t has been quite generally adopted. The
price ofsthe brake, has been reduced
dollar and Is now within the reach OF all.
Low or happy medium gears are the
thing now. Only in exceptional cases Will
wheels be geared higher than II to "a.
In tires. the tendency is more and more
toward the single tube, which can be
mended more easily than the double-tube
tires. A noteworthy fact in this cOnnec-
ton is that cheap tires are we'll nigh a
thing of the past. Riders have come to
realize thatait better investment to pay
more for az tire warranted to stand the
hard wear and tear of season or two
without being punctured or blowing UP,
than to buy a cheap tire which keeps the
wheel in the repair shop half the time.
Prices Of wheels are still on the down
ward grade. You can now secure the
very best which the market affords for
$50, on which the average dealer offers
a discount of per cent for cash down.
Chainless wheels are still up in the air
in point of price, SIS being about the
average selling figure.
The motor cycle is still a long. way from
perfection AS long as its makeup and
operation insist that the rider shall have
an intimate knowledge of mechanics, so
long will it remain unpopular.
The Racing Game.
The racing outlook for the season in
Minneapolis is encouraging, considering
the general lack of interest in the sport
in recent years. AS a general PROPOSE
ton it has been up to the dealers to pro-
mote race meets and get their compensa-
tion for time, expense and labor involved
in the advertising which accrues directly
or Indirectly from such ventures. Deal
ers say that while races are poor adver-
Using propositions in themselves, they
are good investment If for no other
reason than that they help sustain inter
est in wheeling as a sport as well as
transportation facility. 1t is for this rea-
som alone that the Cycle Trade associa-
tion and it's Individual members will prob
ably promote more race meets this year
than were on the boards last season.
Already there is talk of big midsum-
mer meet at Lake Harriet. To add to the.
interest of the occasion it has been pro7s
posed that motor cycle and automobile
race be put on in conjunction with the
, bicycle events, q It is possible that some
of the biggest motor vehicle companies
of the east will be asked tpgsend repre-
sentatives to Minneapolis to participate
in the speed trials. tt. would he a. big
thing forsthe auto companies from an ad :.
yertising standpoint 1t has been sug-'
gested that an effort be made to induce
i
| to visit Minneapolis at that time.
About the Cycle Paths.
The season will see some extensive inn
provements to the fine system of cycle
paths which now ramify the city In every
I direction. Gradually, wherever oppor-
| tunity offers in the outskirts, an attempt
| is being made by the park board, city en-
gineer and wheelmen generally to over
! come grades. When it is feasible to run
! a path around a hill without much eX-
pense it is the aim to bring the paths
down to as near a dead level as possible.
An important improvement in that di-
rection this season will be the cOnstruc-
ton OF path along the boulevard at Lake
Calhoun from the point of intersection
with the Lake street path at the north
| end of the lake to get around the rather
heavy grade which rises at that point and
! falls few hundred yards further south
| on the boulevard near the boathouse and
| dock. 1t Is now proposed to switch the
path to the edge of the lake at Lake
street, and continue it under the bluff
until it reaches level ground. Secretary
Ridgway of the park board, which would
I have charge Of the work, has already
| asked for an appropriation of $4,000 with
/ which to prosecute the Improvement.
i The Flour City Cyclists are planning for
an active season, and their program OF
I
nounced. This association is the most
| important organization Of its kind In
Minneapolis to-day, and 1t is entitled to
1 great credit for it's contribution to the
1 cause of wheeling. Now that wheeling has
! been so largely stripped OF Its frivolous
/ side a new and constantly ,enlarging field
i Of usefulness is opening UP to the as
ISOLATION. %
! Seasons Path Work.
The cycle path committee of the city
i council met this afternoon to arrange the
! preliminaries for the seasons work. A
delegation from the cycle path associa-
ton was present to offer suggestions as
to the extent of the work yet remaining
a to give Minneapolis complete system OF
paths.
+ The committee had as a, working basis
8 that portion of City Engineer Sublette' S
report last year with regard to contem-
lsplated work on paths this season. Mr
Sublette thinks that the completion OF
about twelve more miles of path this year
! will give wheelmen easy access to every
section Of the city and connections with
the extensive eystem of paths which the
park board has been generously building
lup at it's own expense to the charming
summer resorts about the city. Neigh
boring towns have shown disposition
, to cooperate enthusiastically with the
II city IN THE extension OF pains LQTOuSI
81 Hennepin county and the plans now being
considered will combine to make Mime.
apolis and her environs still more worthy
! to be- known as the wheelmen's paradise
than in the past.
Several miles Of path are to he bull
out Crystal Lake avenue to connect witt
!, the Osseo-Anokas path. Other extension:
will be along Twenty eighth street from
Park avenue to Hennepin; Fifteenth ave
nue. Sc to Talmage, Talmage to Twenty
fifth avenue Sc; Nineteenth avenue M
/. | from Fillmore street. to the stockyardE
; road; Portland avenue from Thirty-efghtl
+ street to Minnehaha boulevard: Fremon
; avenue north to connect with the Secont
81 street path and along Franklin avenue
+ / from Cedar avenue to the Franklin ave
Inue bridge.
There is still $3.50 remaining in the fun,
set aside by the city council for cycl
S path repairs, and it is probable that tn,
: council will see it's way clear to maxim,
t an extra appropriation should condition
S Warrant such action. Last year the cit,
4 lengineer built 12.S2 miles Of paths at
e total cost of $9,S98.85. Up to Jan. 4, 1902
e the total cycle path mileage complete
Z within the city limits was 40.19 miles
: The estimated cost of repairs for 1902
t 1891. Az.
9 After this year Mr.. Sublette believe
a that the tax on wheelmen who use til
t paths should be reduced from so cents