The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-10
NEARLY 1900 NILES.
cHrcAco's eLooMER GIRLS.
Soe 30 Many - the Connie Papers
Would Have Ton Beiisve-Through
Gen. Grxnt's Old Home.


delay OF account es rains and consequent
muddy reads we would have made X two
days earlier. However. we are very vel
satisfied. and as We look at the cyclonseter
ard 1ot the 2.75s niles which il declares
we have ridden since June we are not
surprised thas our faces are hronzed ard
our c.ota~x solIed. We are yerftabIe Wan
dertng Wsliiss and Weary Walkers We
have gotten used 20 smiles from the peo-
pie we naeen and do not IN the least resent
their curiosity. for we know that travel
has roc improved our appearance. We ex-
pected IL would. Our wheels show some
trzves marx. also. Ny rear tire had come
IN contact g4th cfnae-s and stones 50
often that u finally objected 10 he mis-
Use. or rather the overaFs- snd about
week ago grathfElay exploded. Since that
time & has eF1pted one or more times
daily. but oy Plentiful use Of tape have
kept Il going, determined 10 take that
tire into Chicago. here. however. l shall
have 20 exchange x.
We left Bismarck July Is 20 complete
our trip across North Dakota We were
beginning 70 get into a farming country,
and the sigh. OF grain fields and evidences
OF civilization produced an agreeable ef-
feet upon our natures. which had been
sore.y tried BY miles OF sagebrUsh. cactus
and railroad ties. We stopped 81 James
town for a few hours and were greatly
pleased with the little city. IL has good
streets and has every appearance OF pros
perIty. 1t i a good bicycle town. in fact.
there are two or three more wheels than
agents in the place, which can not be said
OF every town. We spent par, Of July
Il In Fargo. and there left the Northern
Pacific. whose nilepoxts and signboards
had become familiar TO us. and followed in
the general direction Of the Great North
srH 70 Minneapolis. striking Breckenridge
and NImar. but touching none of the
larger towns Of Minnesota. July % we
broke our record. wheeling Ia miles to
reach Minneapolis. arriving about 7:90 D.
N. II vas only the second time we had
made century run. for one can not make
practice OF scorching on such q trip.
This day the wind and roads were favor
able. and we were ieSs fstigued al night
than after many shorter runs. Our road
took rs along by Lake Mlnnetonks. and
We fain would stop and enjoy its pleasures.
but Minneapolis was too near AZ hand,
and we wanted 10 be once more amidst
great cities and the ways OF men" We
remained two nights in Minneapolis. re-
ceiving many courtesses from the local
wheel clubs and pleasant notices from the
press.
Minneapolis Is a fine city for wheeling.
and Ia going 70 be much better, as many
miles OF smooth pavement are being laid
at the present time. getting in readiness.
as It were. for the fall conventions. 81.
Paul Ia not SO good wheel city on ac-
count OF the hills, but there Is g bicycle
path eight miles long between the Twin
Cities. which Is fine. II was built entirely
by subscriptions from the wheelmen.
Al Minneapolis we changed our route
and concluded 70 come south through Min
nesota and Iowa, cross the Mississippi at
Dubuque. and SO avoid the hills and sand
Of Wisconsin. Everything seemed 20 III
dictate that the southern route was best:
whaeimen said SO, teamsters agreed. and
finally a Ilghtnlng-rod agent who had
driven ali over both states testified 10 the
fact, are we hesitated no longer.
We came through such places as North
field. Faribault. Austin and Charles City
to Waterloo and then 10 Dubuque. We
did avoid bills and we found no sand. but
IL rained for several days and the fine
hard roads were changed 10 miles Of
black mud We los; at least two days.
Once we tried riding In the wet. and at the
end OF few hours had 10 turn the hose
on the machines and then take them ali
apart. Thereafter we were ccntented to
remain under shelter during the rainy
DAYS and talk politics. The political at
moephere Is far different than what we
observed In Montana We meet many
Mckinley Democrats and comparatively
few silver men.
At Dubuque we crossed the river, and
as far as GaIena found some Of the hard
est. toughest road of the entire trip; there
are rocks enough In the roads to thorough
" naacadanixe them, II they were prop
erly broken. but they are altogether too
large in their natural state. In leaving
Dubuque we crossed for a few mites into
Wisconsin, and were I'm three states with
In thirty minutes. As we crossed the line
We saw a large signboard with an I'm
r1ense finger, and as we n-ared Il, the in
scription became iegible:
THIS wAY TO GET MARRIED
OF course We dismounted At so novel q
sight, and we hoped some resident of the
neiEhhorhood would come along 10 en-
tighten as upon The subject We discussed
the problem. pls that road lead 70
community oxerstccked with maiden la
dies. or dia e take It's way 20 some place
where many bachelors had lonesome
houses or. az was probably the case.
Vas some country magistrate advertising
his ability 20 tie matrimonial knots? We
had seen many Signbosrts pointing the
way 20 al kinds Of places but this was
n novelty TIE road was well Travelled.
and I told Turner that y didn't seem 10 go
much out 81 Cur way but he oveYruie1
my cautious suggestion and We passed on.
missing the only opportunity we have
had - travel real matrimonial road. II
would have been interesting % compare
Il With railroads. mountain trails. cor
aurevs and ccwpaths. but KS useless %
poraer over e now. At the next town We
incurred about the sign and found that
both fcTa and Illinois have marriage
license laws whfls IN Wisconsin no f.
cerse il required. sud this justice az the
.,.srn 50 near the Boundaries % the states
raans a xensiy harvest - fees
seeking q sirup0sts have rood
soza On Mr.. Turner ore day back in
Mi~nr~ot~ we concluded that we were en-
tAa wrenw road, II was scorchlnr hot
saw ara Ne sisltk@d % 70 fsr I'm the wrong
direction. bat we to,led CT I'll oH on a
cross read We saw a siEn. u was several
-. ~vvax ard the road 20 z was fui1 q
go hu, Turner thourhs Il might give
,,s so-,,a -itsa 20 our where's bouts. and re
1000 his wheel AFainst a post and plat~
80 n.-.~ - The sign. When Ne returned
.sk~s what he fowni. ard as - Tin@a
- ssv~ns~sffor from his face and thf ~
hs--.s-ts as.un On he grass - replied:
s.-r.s,ss sfoar.svx sign down there ssys 80
%. NE a WATTS for ovcrcozt sS fhat's
vreet q xavz~ he Doubtless fe.f as sid
one 4av after having ridden SID walked
- efwAs srurs without any hing 70 eat
vsa~ extremely hungry and falt through
r~x tFsx.tess 70 see II ~ chases could
ena stray peanut faN Tlss-s ~ Piece
q chocolate which Ne oceHs3enSffy car
- f,s,vs nane bat nv search brought
te ifFht 3 paper whica hAa oFsa etaPPea
aroyus seraa chewing gur2. Il esore the
s.nt~.e-s This gum aids GlTestloa" l.
xsas ve~s. comforting in view q ihe f17t
tat ths~e might net ee Any thinE N91hin
ter miles TO digest
We rAr INTO IRE suburbs a. GAlf1A. x a
tna-r - thas size may - &a'd - pave sub
uras<, ever a Esw miles q Eaess resa, ard
then sown ints ne city over ere % tAs
nArrowess. efs-sa.hsoaes streets ima9.n-