The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-07-14

Major r. P. Davidson. commandant OF
the Northwestern Military Academy,
Highland Park. Illinois. has Just had
published the record OF the bicycle trip.
he and eleven of the cadets made from
Highland Park 70 Washington. D. C. He
and hls corps carried q message from
General Brooke. commanding the-depart-
ment of Missouri, to Secretary Aiger, of
the war department. in Washington. The
message was delivered In fourteen days
and five hours, that being the time re-
qulred by the corps to ride the distance
Of $50 miles.
Major Davidson said that he was con-
adent that the trip could be made again
In ten days, and he strongly faYors the
bicycle for military purposes. 1t Will
be remembered that the party passed
through Wheeling In the latter part of
June. Major Davidson's description OF
their bicycle excursion is repiete with In
cldents and that Of II relating TO West
Virginia and bordering territory, will In
terest local wheelment. Speaking OF the
yond Unlontown, Pa. he says:
Eighth day-Arrived at Gainesville at
ill5. camping for dinner about five
miles beyond, after which We pushed on
through Norwich to Cambridge. We
now began 10 get taste OF the hills. In
pulling Up a steep grade Just outside OF
the city Harvey broke the first chain.
Sending the corps on to make camp we
went back 10 local shop and endeaNor-
ed IN fix II. None OF the repair men I'M
derstood how. 10 It fell TO me to ngure It
out. To those who understand II, the
chain is simple and easily repaired, but
II you have never repaired one, take my
advice and learn how before you start
out. We began the job a little after z.
We finished a little before IL, arriving at
camp after the others had all turned in,
and even the Halt. who's there?" COM
Ing IN q very sleepy tone from the sentl-
mel on duty,
Ninth day-we began the day finding
two tires fiat. which delayed our start.
We eventually got on the road and pass
ed through beautiful but very billy
country. The roadbed Is crushed lime
stone. and with the exception OF the hills,
Is In flrst-class condition. The grades.
however, At this season OF the year are
badly washed. and with our heavy loads
we found we had to walk many OF the
hills. II was very difficult to get the
boys away from the towns along this
section Of our route, the girls and straw
berries being so plentiful that It would
have required all the court-martlalS In
the service to,maintain perfect discipline.
Wheeling, w. Va, however was reach
Cd late in the evening, and We found 1t
dlrncult to buy any supplies. Had to get
special permission from the postmaster
tu get our mail, the Office being closed.
a large party OF local wheelmen escorted
W. out six or seven miles, where we
campol. tt,belng late and the grass wet,
anyway with the heavy dew, we did not
Bu. up tents, but rolled them around ua
aud turned In Tor the night, one OF our es-
cOrts remained with US. In the morning.
10 our disgust we discovered we had
been sleeping IN poison Ivy However,
We all mlraculously escaped any EVIL et-
fecta
Tenth day-we had barely got on the
road when Case cut his tire badly
through both castings on a broken bottle,
and Missing was compelled 10 take out
bis inner tube half an hour later on nc
count vt d defect In 1t. We were begin
ming to find the hills decidedly noun
tn5us, and while we might have climbed
many at them with unloaded wheels,
with the loads we carried It was impossl-
ba After hard days work we rcach-
cd Washington. Pa, after having tfay-
clcl wcnty-Blx miles, OF which we walk
cd a little over twelve
Eleventh day-ft Ind rAincd heavily
during the night and we started out to-
ward uulontown over muddy roads, tho
weather sun very cloudy, with frequent
showers. To break the monotony Rich
ards broke his chain, having allowed 1t
To yet too loose. II took some little time
Tor repairing. Passing through Hills
borough, We climbed several nllCs to tho
top " Scenery Iilll whore ono OF the
most beautiful Views we had ever seen
opened up before Hs. FoF mics could be
seen the rolling farm lands, tho grain
Just rlppnng, and dotted here ana there
with Thrifty fhrmhouBes. rhns-
INK through brownsville and ncrona tho
Myn0nR1heln rlyor we rode into Union
toxin about o'clock Thinking we
would be- able TO roach the top Of Laurel
Summit, eight miles away, before camp
nv We took a llght lunch aud pushed on,
tut soon found n muddy road aud up
grade not conducive TO speed, and dark
no1 overlook ua half way ~ the noun
tain side. with nothing to cat ana drll-
Hllng rain falllug on lnqulty 90 q coal
minor as To u suitable place To camp, mud
n7 ~ d farmhouse whore we could RET
ptpylF.sAg, he wphed' "Thrf' wnnt mn
i1fmhJufa1 between there ana tho sum.
m.i ana nH fDr camping, we could rnmp
anywhere. nitn0urh wG womb n1yo 10
l0IN nrnt smnu r1r rattlorl nnd cnp
pfhoali." We were toi tired Ia think
much ~ The iplllet ana cnpporhond8,