The War on Bicycle Racks

George A. Blake, 'head push' for the Tacoma Baking Company, located at 943 Tacoma Avenue, sent The Times a lengthy communication regarding the recent action of the police department in removing all the bicycle racks from the streets. He says: 'Now, Mr. Editor, listen to my tale of woe, and let me know what right or reason has the city to commit such an outrage on the unfortunate citizens who have cast their lot on its hospitable shores? Many of our customers come from a distance and use bicycles, which they now must lay flat on the sidewalk, or lean against our plate glass show window, at the risk of breaking it. That rack had a history; it was what might be called a sort of heirloom of the police department.' Blake then suggests the administration look to more pressing matters: 'Walk with me on a dark night from South X and Eleventh Street for a mile or so up Eleventh and Twelfth Streets towards the west, and if you do not quite frequently give way to profanity you are a model citizen. Some places there are no planks in the sidewalk, and in other places no sidewalk at all, and again there are unreliable planks which will fly up and hit you or let your foot drop into dark and noisome cavities under the sidewalk.'