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Show Tlie Republican has a proposition to present to the wheelmen of this city. It may be a good one, and it may be a bad one that Is, impractical impractic-al but if It serves tlie purpose of arousing thought along the line suggested sug-gested we shall lie more than content. Tho central thought of the whole proposition is "cinder paths," or any other old path tliat will give cjclers some place to ride without danger of running into open gates, across open ditches, into pedestrians, over bumps, high box sewers, etc. As nearly as wc are able to arrive at the matter from estimates by persons familiar with Logan cjclers, is that there arc probably prob-ably between the and six hundred w heels in use in this vicinity, and It w ould seem that the idea of seeming some decent paths on which to ride sliould lecelvc weighty consideration. Tliat tlie sidewalks are not the place for bicjcles w ill not be disputed even by those who can lind no place else to do their spinning. For cjclers to use the walks is a source of annoyanco and danger to pedestrians, vv ho not unfrequently arc made to get a kangaroo kan-garoo hump on themselves and even then meet with an occasional hard bump. Neither is the walk a safe proposition or a source of much pleasure pleas-ure to the cjclist. There isn't a side walk In town that hasn't from one to six operr ditches, high box sewers, or lumps or blimps of some description that makes lite a burden every time one Is struck. Then again the inconvenience incon-venience caused by little tots who can't get out of the way and big tots who Insist on staying in tho way when the wheelman desires to pass is calculated calcu-lated to give one the nightmare occasionally. occa-sionally. If j 011 don't like the sidewalk the street Is the next best thing, but witli the exception of a square or two Logan Lo-gan streets are impossible for blcj-cllng. blcj-cllng. The proposition then quickly revolves re-volves itself Into this: "If the sidewalks side-walks In their present condition arc unsafe and hardly worth riding over, and even though In good shape would still be a source of inconvenience to both pedestrian and rider, why shall we not have tlie street fixed up for the purpose and let the cv cling be done there to the convenience of evcrj'-bodj-." Tlie question then arises how can tills be done, and 'tis our idea to tell jou one way in which It might be done. This way may not be the best waj- you may be able to think of something better, and If jou can that Is exactly vv hat Is wanted. Inasmuch as GOO or COO persons of all classes, possibly representing twice as many of Logan's citlcns, arc cjclers, It seems reasonable that the city would be willing to grant them the exclusive use of at least three feet of the street on each side of the light poles on any and all streets In the city. Tills six feet would be all the room necessary for a splendid path on each side of the poles, and properly cindered would make blcv cling In Lo- San equal to a grand toboggan slide own a rainbow. Then follows the question, where will the money come from to do all this building of paths and who will sec that it Is done? Providing the cjclers are really desirous of securing for themselves a good riding place the money might be raised by'assessinent or license. Good paths ought to be worth at least &2ajear to any one owning a evele, and (,00 wheels at $2 a j ear would mean $1,100 a vear. $1,200 a jearpiopetlj spent would mean the building of at least a mile of path. l,i;oo a j ear for foil 1 or live je.us would mean that every stieet in the city could havo a cinder path If de-shed. de-shed. The matter of building could be under the supervision ol a club of cjclers, or the matter or licensing li-censing and building bo turned over to the city. Let thecitj Impose a license li-cense on eveij wheel and uso the lnonev for const met lug paths. This is piobablj a great dieani, but we believe it Is thoioughlj practical. If the above presents Itself in a favorable fav-orable light to any considerable number num-ber of cjclers, theio should lie an attempt at-tempt at some kind of an oigaulatlou that the matter may be Investigated thoroughly and some dcllnito action taken. It would seem that the ejele dealers and agents would take hold of a pioposltlon of this kind quite readily as the securing of good paths would certainly mean the sale of a greater number of wheels. Let's hearfiom somo one, anjone, on the pioposltlon or any phase of It- or any other proposition toward the securing of good paths. In all probability very little work could be done now, jet the preliminary prelimin-ary work, making of detinue plans and securing of money could bo accomplished accom-plished and everything put In readiness readi-ness for work next spring. Let s hear from somebody. |
