The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-18
A LONG RIDE ON THE WHEEL.
To Try Bicycle Riders 40 Messengers from
Chicago 20 This City.

CHICAGO. May 17.-To-morrow at noon. from
tho main door OF the Pullman building. two
men Will Start away on wel-oiled bicycles.
turn south into Michigan avenue. and scud
away for dear life on the smooth boulevard.
They will ride us no nan over rodo before on
that street. for they will carry mn important
despatch to Cen Howard Of tho United States
army ut New York.
he message will bo delivered to them Ivy
Gen. Nelson 4. Miles. Commandcr Of the he,
partment OF the Missouri. This will hc tho
beginning Of tn" grea. relay ride nom Chicago
to New York. The men who will tecciyv tho
despatch from Gen. Miles arc Lumsdrn and
Bode. two of tho best known whcclmen in
America. They will "scprch' the distance
between the Pullman block and Grand Cross
ing. ut which point they will turn the despatch
over to two other mon. who will. without de-
lay. bear 1t OH TO the next stage on its long
journey to New York.
All who are to help speed tho dispatches arc
nov at their posts along the route. and there
known riders viii take part in the work. Thcy
are all riders with line rcco as.
No ATTEMPT has been mad" to calculate how
long time will b" occupied in sending tho
dispatches; rs the condition Of The rolIs IS
UNCERTAIN. The heavy rains have played havoc
Mtn iom1 o, the nssi ro, AMI rst te i
VIII be made by relay riders In from five to
The he relay relay ride is made to test tho value of
the bicycle for military purposes. Gen. Miles
is deeply Interested In the experiment. aud Is
inclined to believe that the bicycle will cv"ntu-
ally become an important factor in military
In discussing tho question to-day the GEN
eral said The great advantage to an army
equipped with bicycles would DO It's "bilityto
reach Strategic POINTS before thc enemy. Tho
army that get, there first has tn" battle Eaif
won Already, 1t has been found that u SOl,IiSr
equipment without much distress. and go
along at a very good rate, Tho fact is that OK
almost every army except that q tn" United
States. They have done very well in Germany.
Franco. Austria. ENGLAND aud itussia. and arr.
great use. You understand. If ono army
ndonts the wheel as travelling power al til"
9thSrI VIII =" mr. to do the same thing
take the place OF the horse for marching rur.
poses but in those marches whore the bicycle
can be used there is II" doubt whatever That
satisfactory moving than ont of any other
method tlnn steam or electricity.
from Goshen to perrysburs. Ohio; from Per.
neautt"wn. from Conneauttown to Northeast.
Syracuse: from Syracuseto Utica. IRON Utica
70 Alnany. and from tho state capital to New
covered ny tw" s' whnemen So s'1 Tat M If on ne
is disabled tho other may hurry on alone with
the message. III" race is the outcom. of OK.
trnn.ctrut Naionai Guard i" August. = iS III.
The success OF III. Sun race from Hartford TO
New York inspired Van Sicklen. tho local
run from Chicng" to New York. One interest
ing feature u the run from Albany. vii! be tho
l XIII Eo Owe. r hc s OF ode t6a
that reaches New York in tho best condition
will be pronounced superior to all the others.