The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-08-01
FOURTH on WHEELS
Brilliant Ovation Given to
the Militiamen on the
Boulevard Last Night.
GEE WIZ. WHAT 4 MIX UP
One Officer Goes Down and Carries
q Regiment With Him Fun
at the Point.

lily PuDiic were 0fn2il nitro
daced last night. The occasion was the
parade consequent upon the winning Of
the FIRST prize for general appearance and
numbers in the recent bicycle parade.
held at Long Branch on July is, for milf
tary organizations of the metropolitan
district.
Tbs parade was held on the Boulevard
and was scheduled to start at S O'Clock.
but long before that hour people gathered
along the sidewalk and stood in knots at
the c~orners waiting to see the cavalry
corps of the dandy Fourth. Nothing but
the recent victory at Long Branch was
talked of, and a great many expressed
the hope that the militiamen would ap-
pear in the warlike paraphernalia which
won for them universal praise at Long
Branch. But in this they were doomed
TO be disappointed. as the boys appeared
IN their neat corduroy bicycle suits.
At the Armory the scene was one Of
hustle and excitement. As early as
seven O'Clock there were several wheel
men ready TO start and the usual few
late ones delayed matters a little. The
handsome silk trophy was fastened to the
wheel of ]. Howard Williams of Conn
pany B, who served in the capacity of
guard of honor. The guidon of the
Fourth was affixed to the wheel of Chas.
Woolsey of Company B, who acted as
general guide.
It was nine o'clock before the order to
move was given and the party. number
ing about one hundred, mounted their
wheels, and with Major r. G. Smith at
the head. swung from Church street on
to Bergen avenue, and the parade was
started. Over Bergen avenue to MORT
gomery street the column moved, and
turning down that street the Boulevard
was reached.
When the first few lights on the wheels
appeared on Montgomery street watchers
on the Boulevard announced the fact, and
the words. Here they GOMEZ passed
from mouth to mouth. Everyone pre-
pared to give the wheeling ~guardsmen a
rousing reception. From the instant of
the turning from Montgomery street on
to the Boulevard till the riders reached
the new Park Hotel. the soldier boys
were the recipients of one continuous ova-
ton.
AS the column passed the clubhouse
Of the Clio Wheelmen a number Of the
members OF udlaI organization appeared
upon the veranda of the clubhouse and
the air soon r~esounded with 'Richity
axes from the Clos. and in answer the
familiar cry Of the dandy Fourth. sit
down. Johannah, sit down" startled the
residents for blocks.
The ride was not without incident, how
ever. and one accident occurred Which
resulted in the scattering and aging low
of a number of National Guardsmen with
more rapidfty though not as deadly an
effect as a charge of canSste and grape.
The party had crossed the Newark and
New York Railroad bridge and were ira
yelling at the laws limit toward Bergen
Point. Lieutenant Mortimer Gleason of
Company D, who was riding in front, lost
one of his pedals and in swinging his foot
around to catch it caused his wheel to
wheel came in contact with the pedal Of
the wheel ridden by Captain OhSullivan of
Company II. There was an ominous sound
of ripping and before anyone had warning
of the impending danger Captain OaSulii-
van and Lieutenant Gleason were the
foundation for a struggling, wriggling
mass of National Guardsneu and bicycles.
The Boulevard never witnessed such a
general mix up.
BY degrees and the aid OF those who es-
the melee the knot was disentan
gled and attention was given to the
wheels. Lieutenant Gleason suffered the
NEST serious damage and his rear wheel
when picked up, united and identified,
was found to have lost almost all the
SpokeS- Inc other injuries amounted to
twisted handle bars. bent pedal ranks
and scratched enamel. After a few min
utes spent in recuperating the column
again moved on.
The Park Hotel was reached about ten
and the reveiry Immediately com
menced. Refreshments of the kind dear
to the heart and stomach of Jerseys milf
tiamen were served out and an occasional
rolling sound on the floor told plainly that
another was being brought into position
to be tapped. During the devouring of
sa ndwiches and the drinking of cooling
beverages, speechmaking became the or
der.
Major Robert G.. Smith, known to the
female friends OF the regiment as the
gallant young major and known TO the
members of the regiment as .sane of the
was called and teok the floor.
Smith spoke upon the recent vic
tory at Long Branch and expressed the
hope that some day every member of me
regiment would be mounted on wheels.
In speaking about the banner Major
Smith said
That banner is emblematic of what
we can do if We want to. So let us do the
same the mex and every time and prove
we are what we appear to be-"
Speeches were also made by Lieutenant
Vreeland of Company G and Gleason of
Company e. The party rode home shortly
after midnight.