Road-riding Movements 299 



In the latter part of December, 1893, I addressed 

 a letter to Hon. A. B. Tappen, president of the 

 Park Commission, asking him to draw the 

 attention of his associates to the autograph 

 letter from Robert Bonner in relation to the 

 controversy over the sidewalk plan. Mr. Bonner 

 said, in his letter to me: "I do not see any 

 objection to having two sidewalks on the speed- 

 way so long as all means of passage across it 

 shall be by archways. It is true that the build- 

 ing of two sidewalks will involve greater expense, 

 but as they are intended for the accommodation 

 of the people, and the people have to pay for 

 them, I do not see any good reason for depriving 

 the public of the enjoyment to be derived from 

 witnessing exhibitions of speed." A line was 

 added below the signature of Robert Bonner, 

 "The above letter expresses our views." The 

 signatures attached were those of Lawrence Kip 

 Charles H. Kerner, J. B. Houston, F. P. Olcott, 

 A. Newbold Morris, Charles Backman, William 

 Rockefeller, and C. F. Hoffman, Jr. 



It took longer to build the speedway than was 

 at first anticipated, and the expense was heavy ; 

 but the great pleasure drive is worth to the city 

 all that it cost in worry and money. In June, 



