The evening times., 1896-08-18
SOLDIERS ON BICYCLES
Wheel May Be Used in the
Regular Army.
TESTS ARE NOW BEING MADE
Corps of Riders Has Been Organized
In Montana, and the Machine win
he Given a Thorough TriaI-PedaI.
ing Over Mountains and Rough
Roads. -

.
The front In the army At several of thu
western stations it has been used by
oruefies anu messengers, and at Fors
MISSOURI, Mont, various experiments have
Deem made with view of bringing the
wheel Into extended use. Some time ago
small detachment used tile wheel on q
march from Fort Sheridan TO Pullman.
Gen. Miles is known TO regard the bicycie
In a favorable light, aud experiments in
its use will continue.
To Lieut.. j. A. Moss, OF the Twenty-fiftb
Infantry, probably belongs the credit OF
having organized the first regular bicycle
corps 10 be foundin the Unitel s states army.
1t consists OF two uon-conimiss ssioned Off
GERS and six privates. one of them good
cycle mechanic, aud all good riders.
All are colored men. Already the CORPS
has attracted SO much attention that a
young surveyor from Canada has written
expressing his desire 10 become a member
of 1t and his willingness to become a citi-
zen of the United States for that special
purpose.
= TEST WILL BE THOROUGH.
The purpose OF this organization Is to
give the bicycle thoroughtest as a means
of loconiotioD when, for instance, a con-
siderable body OF men is to be moved few
hundred miles in a short time. There are
few regions where the idea could be M ors
severely elytestedthanove the Montana oun-
tains, where the roads are often nothing
more than mere trails, and where streams
and rocks are so provokingiy thick BY
actual count the road running from Fort
Missoula to Lo-Lo Springs crosses one
stream forty-four times by fords-within
dozen miles. Imagine bicycle trip
over a road like thati
The corps has been organized about two
weeks and is now on deta ached service, and
the men keep up their drill daily. A sys-
TEN of packing has been devised which
enables the mounted soldier to go into the
field fairly well provided for. On the head
OF his bicycieare strapped his knapsack and
blanket roll, containing his clothing, blanket
and shelter tent, the tent stakes being
snugiy lashed under the handle bar To
the horizontal bar he straps his haversack,
and at the rear suspends his quart cup.
Lasheda nd strapped horizontally totbe two
upright bars is his rifle. So that the wheel
man carries no extra load on his person
except his belt and canteen.
"- MEN DRILL DAILY.
The wheel of every second man in the
corps is provided with a canvas-coyered
box, neatly fitted into the machines dia-
mond, in which is stored an extra supply
of provisions Those who carry the boxes
do not carry rifles. 1t is claimed that with
ordinary packing they can carry in their
haversacks and boxes rations for five days.
and that under pressure they could put in
enough for eight days.
The men are now receiving thorough In
structiOn in the care and handling Of their
machines. In their drills they adhere close
ly to the principles of cavalry movements,
only they are grouped in sets Of twos, In
stead offours. This arrangements of great
service in crossing bitches, mounting fences
and. such emergencies. Coming to fence
which the corps desires to cross, the COM
mand is turned so that, in ranks Of two, is
comes parallel with the fence.
The order is given, Prepare to mount
fencei" when all dismount, and No. 1 gives
his bicycle 10 No. 2. The command is then
given, Mount when No. 1 springs over
the fence; No. then passes the bicycles
over thief to No and then jumps over
the fence himself, the whole work being
done in about one-fourth of a minute.
Lieut. Moss has had fitted upon the top
of the handle bar OF his machine tablet
about ten inches square, by means OF which
he is enabled to mai ke hasty, and at the
same time accurate, sketch of the route
passed over. At the front and back OF the
tablet are rollers held in pace by proper
framework, and over these roll of paper
passes, crossing the tablet after the mannes
of the ribbon OF the typewriter.
OFF ON A TOUR.
The front of the tablet has scale OF de-
grees, and across the tablet from front to
back are two parallel markers, which can
be moved in any direction required, thus al
lowing parallel ines to be dra wn in various
directions. Armed with this apparatus,
compass and cyclometer, the Lieutenant
thin ks he can make more accurate map Of
the route than by the former meth DDS, and
do it in much less time.
On August 10 the corps set out upon its
| first important march. 1t started from the
| fort for Yellowstone Park, distance Of
about $50 miles, thence back to Helena,
| then to Fort Assnniboine, in the northern
| part OF the State, thence back to the post.
| making in all distance OF about 200
miles, and crossing the Main Divide of the
| Rocky Mountains twice on the circuit.
Lieut.. Moss hopes to make the journey in
| twenty running days, and, allowing neces-
| sary intervals of rest, expects to return to
| the post within one mouth from the time
| of starting out. Should the trip turn out
successfully it may have considerable bear
| ing upon the general question of the bicycle
| in relation to the military service.
i