Rocky Ford enterprise., 1894-08-16
THE MESSAGE CAME.
FROM WASHINGTON TO DENVER
Tho Distance Covered In Six Days, Ten
Hours and Thirty-Seven Mintes, Thir-
ty-Seven Hours Ahead of the Schedule
Time.

ty-sevsn Hours Ahead of the Schedule
Time.
The great relay bicycle race from
Washington to Denver. d distance Of
2,037 miles, ended Mt 1857 D. M. Sun
day night, and the messages were de-
livered to Governor Waite and General
McCook.
The messages were started from
Washington at Moon Monday.
1t was calculated that eight
days would be required to
bring them to this city. The man
agement of the race was given
over to one prominent wheelnan for
each state. These in turn divided the
states into districts and gave the dis
tricts into the hands of local clubs
Riders were selected to carry the pouch
for relays which have varied greatly
in length. In Ohio the best riding
was done: There the messages were
taken over the entire state In the hight
time at the rate of 20 miles an hour
for go miles: This was done by short
relays. In Indiana and Illinois the
relays were made longer and the gain
on the schedule, while still being made
steadily, was not nearly SO great as in
Ohio. 1t was expected that no 6ne
rider would carry the messages longer
than he could keep going Mt his best
speed. The schemt has been tolerably
well carried out except In ii few in
stances, when men carried the pouch
30 miles.
There We're messages In the pouch
from Clevelands private secretary to
Governor Waite, from General Greeley
of the Signal Service department Of
the United States army to General Nc
Cook and from the Ganymede Bicycle
club of Council Bluffs to Governor
Waite. This last message was insert
ell in the pouch at that city and label
ed Another chunk of icc," Its subject
being the co6liiess of tile presidential
greeting to the governor of Colorado.
These messages were carried 2,037
miles In n little leather pouch slung
over the shoulder of the wheelman,
: who rushed at his best speed over
whatever roads he found before him.
The pouch was transferred from rider
to rider without loss of n moments
time in any place. and it has never
| been opened from the time it left
, Washington at noon last Monday. The
| relay riders carried the pouch through
| Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Vir-
| ginin, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois. Iowa,
Nebraska and Colorado. Good roads
were encountered nearly the whole
journey. Until the plains of Western
Nebraska We're reached there were no
accidents, save once when John AL
bertson fell from his wheel in a faint
near Wheeling. But n terrible storm
with sand and hot wind and finally
rain came upon the men who were
| riding between Ogalalla and Jules
| burg on Saturday night.
The roads have been good generally,
| though much dust has been encount-
| cred in Nebraska, Notwithstanding
| this, however, the gain on the schedule
has been made steadily. The best men
have been picked for the work. and
tremendous efforts have been made to
cut down the time.
The towns are far apart in Nebraska
and there IL little in the character Of
the country to cheer OH a tired and
thirsty rider. but the Nebraska men
kept going, nevertheless, and delivered
the messages to the Cheyenne mon at
.Iulesburg in good time.
The messages reached Cheyenne at
$3.50 o'clock yesterday afternoon, and
were taken in hand by the Greeley
men. 1t reached Greeley at TAG
o'clock. The men Of that town did
well, taking the pouch the tifty-ninc
1nlIeS IN three HOuTS uuu tIITty-slN
minutes over roads which were mostly
two narrow ruts in n grassy path
across the plains. At Greeley the Den
yer men were. ready, and the fifty
seven miles to Denver were covered
in three hours and twenty-five min
utes. This is exceedingly good time,
for while the roads were good 1t was
night ride entirely and the riders had
to plunge recklessly through the dark
ness, risking every moment puncture
or n wreck.
The last rider, George l.. Mccarthy,
rode through a great crowd to the
court house steps, where Governor
Waite and General McCook stood
ready to receive the messages.
The message to the governor read:
Washington, Aug. 6.
To the Governor of ColoradO-Sir:
At the request of the League of Ameri-
can Whcelmen, the president directs
me to herewith inclose the itinerary of
n proposed journey from Washington,
D. c., to Denver, Colo. by bicycle. By
the programme fixed the messenger
will leave the executive mansion at II
o'clock noon, to-day. and 1t is expected
that the inclosed will be delivered by
relays to you at Denver on the 14th
inst, at noon. Respectfully.
HENRY r. THURBER.
Private Secretary.