BICYCLING. 



69 



vides that all ordinances shall be uniform 

 as to sidewalk riding, limiting of speed, the 

 carrying of bells and lanterns, etc. The 

 matter is of vast importance to cyclists 

 throughout the country, and the wheelmen 

 should go to work in the other States to 

 secure similar action of the legislatures on 

 bills based on the new laws of the Empire 

 State, so that decisions of the court in that 

 State would form precedents for the guid- 

 ance of the courts elsewhere, thereby sav- 

 ing the cost and trouble of appeals. 



THE TACOMA WAY. 



It often happens that the greater the ob- 

 stacles to be surmounted, the keener the 

 enthusiasm is to overcome them. This ap- 

 pears to be well borne out in fact by the 

 wheelmen of Tacoma, Wash., who, about 

 2 years ago, asked that the city levy a tax of 

 $1 a year on all bicycles owned and ridden 

 within the city limits. The money so raised 

 was to be used exclusively for the building 

 of cycle paths within the city, which is built 

 on the side of a hill, and offers few natural 

 attractions for bicycle riding. The results 

 of the tax show for themselves now; for 

 instead of having to push his bicycle from 

 the lower streets to the ones above, the 

 cyclist is able to ride up the side of the hill 

 on exclusive cycle paths having gentle in- 

 clines. These lead out from hill side and 

 hill top in all directions, making a total of 

 25 miles of exclusive cycle track inside the 

 city. But the greatest accomplishment of 

 which Tacoma wheelmen boast, is the con- 

 struction of the largest exclusive bicycle 

 bridge in the world. It crosses a ravine in 

 the southern part of the city, and is built of 

 the famous Washington fir. It is no feet 

 high at the centre, and spans 330 feet from 

 end to end. It is 12 feet wide on the road 

 bed, and broadens out to 50 feet at the base. 

 The entire cost of the structure, which was 

 raised entirely by the wheelmen, was $1,000. 



But Tacoma cyclists are not willing to 

 rest on these accomplishments. The 

 Washington Division of the L. A. W. has 

 perfected plans for the construction of a 

 path to Mount Tacoma, a distance of 45 

 miles, ending just below snow line in Para- 

 dise Valley, one of the most beautiful spots 

 on this continent. In addition to this, ar- 

 rangements have been made for placing 100 

 sign boards for the guidance of strangers, 

 and those unfamiliar with the roads. 



NOTES. 



A recent English invention, designed to 

 prevent accidents on the race track, as a 

 result of a rider running too close to the 

 rear wheel of his pacing machine, and al- 

 lowing the wheels to touch, consists in a 

 wheel about 10 inches in diameter, fitted 

 with a pneumatic tire, suspended in a hori- 

 zontal position over the rear wheel of the 

 multiplet by means of strong brace rods 

 projecting about 18 inches from the rear of 



the frame. Thus, when the rider following 

 allows his front tire to approach within an 

 inch of the rear tire of his pacing machine, 

 the head of his bicycle comes in contact 

 with the small wheel above, and the wheels 

 are prevented from touching. If the two 

 machines are in direct line, the rider follow- 

 ing is simply slowed down; but, if the head 

 of his machine strikes the small wheel to 

 one side of the centre, it is gently pushed 

 off to one side, and the rider runs up along- 

 side of his pacemakers without danger of a 

 spill. 



A device of this kind ought to be gener- 

 ally adopted wherever pacing is required, as 

 a rider must follow his multiplet as closely 

 as possible to get the benefit of the pace; 

 yet the slightest contact of the wheels or 

 tires of the 2 machines is almost sure to 

 make the rider on the single machine 

 swerve suddenly and fall, or collide with 

 other riders on the track, causing a serious 

 spill. 



The flying seasons in their whirl 

 Now Summer's joys reveal, 



And ah, the pretty bloomer girl, 

 She " pants " to be awheel. 



— L. A. W. Bulletin. 



Wheelmen generally were disappointed 

 by the action of the Senate committee, 

 which amended the postorffce appropriation 

 bill, by striking out the $300,000 appropria- 

 tion for rural free delivery, before reporting 

 the measure to the Senate. The amend- 

 ment created a lively debate in the Senate, 

 which lasted 2 hours, but the report, as sub- 

 mitted by the committee, was passed, and 

 that part of the appropriation cut off. 

 Those having a large interest in bicycles 

 and cycling, and in road improvement, had 

 been hoping for this appropriation to go 

 through, and were anticipating great re- 

 sults from the rural mail delivery. It was 

 expected that the bicycle would be found 

 the most practical means of furnishing 

 quick and cheap delivery in the country, 

 and that the use of the machines in this 

 work would go a long way toward over- 

 coming the prejudice of the farmers against 

 the bicycle, and be the means of securing 

 their co-operation with the League of 

 American Wheelmen in the fight for better 

 roads. But, although defeated in the last 

 session of Congress, the farmers and the 

 wheelmen will continue to work for the 

 passage of such a measure. It will be of 

 incalculable benefit to the entire country. 



Two things the cyclist will not stand, 

 They're bound to raise his ire — 



A tax put on his bicycle 

 And tacks put in his tire. 



— Exchange 



Through the efforts of the L. A. W. local 

 consulate, of New York City, permission 



