The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-26
BAD RIDING FOR BICYcLISTs.
THE 18TH INFANTRY CORPS 1900
MILE TRIP 4 HARD ONE.


Forty Days COnsemed IN the run
From Fort MissOuIn, Mont, to ST.
Louis, 30 of which Were spent on
the ROad-The Corps Composed of
23 Men-The Twenty Privates Ne
grOes-The Road Rad Nearly the
Entire Distance.
St. Louis, Mo-, July 25.--The Twenty
fifth United States Infantry bicycle corps.
which reached this city last night. COM
plotting their 1900 mile ride from Fort Mis-
soula, Montana, in forty days. thirtyfive
Of which were actually spent on the road,
are encamped at Forest park Despite
the rain that fell last night and this aft
ernoon, thousands of people visited the
troopers at the park.
During their stay here the officers, Lieut.
]. A. Moss and Surgeon J. NJ. Kennedy,
will be entertained by prominent citizens,
while the troopers, who are colored men,
are the guests of local bicycle clubs, and
later will be transferred to the jefferson
barracks.
The Twenty-fifth United States Infantry
bicycle corps left Fort Missoula, Mont,
on June IA, twenty-three in number
Lieut.. Moss, Surgeon j. NJ. Kennedy and
Edward II. Boos, the official reporter, and
twenty soldiers selected from the troops
stationed at Fort Missoula. During the
trip one of the men was returned to Fort
Missoula on account of not being able TO
keep up.
The first twelve days of the trip were
rainy and disagreed BILE, but good time
was made nevertheless. 1t was during
these days that the divide of the noun
tains was crossed, as well as the greater
part of Montana. There were few pleas
ant days while the troops were in Mon
tana. While crossing the Crow indian res
ervation heavy rains fell and the corps
were stuck in the gumbo mud much of
the time. All of the way across Wyoming
rain hampered the progress OF the COM
pany and many hardships arose from lack
of good water
The southwestern corner of South Da-
kota was crossed, two days being occu-
pied in that state. The sandy roads were
awful and the prairie beside the road was
a field of prickly pears, making travel on
the wheels very tiresome work A stretch
of good but hilly road was struck after
leaving Edgemont and the run from that
place to the Nebraska line was accom-
plished in short order.
As soon as Nebraska was reached new
troubles confronted the corps in the shape
of sand hills and heat. From the state
line to Alliance the roads were fair be-
ing only sandy in patches, but after ALI
ance was reached and for a distance Of
nearly 200 miles the sand in the roads was
eight and ten inches deep. The road was
given up and the railroad used, the men
riding as much as possible, but walking
the greater part of the time. While in this
desolate country there was no good water
to drink and a number of men were taken
sick. After four days of suffering the
sands hills were passed.
The corps passed through Grand Island.
Lincoln and Table Rock. in Nebraska. and
out of that state into Missouri on July II
at Rulo. AS a whole the roads through
Nebraska are good, but far from being
level, short steep hills being continually
encounteNd. The first camp was made
at Napier ST. Joseph, Hamilton. Macon
Louisiana and st. Peters. being the
camping places for the other nights The
roads across Missouri were bad and billy,
and with the exception of few gravel
roads, were the worst on the entire trip.
When away from the railroad the people
were inhospitable
The distance covered on the trip was
1900 miles, the average run per day being
So % miles. After leaving the Nebraska
sand hills, the average was over 60 miles
per day. gEes Id
The bikers stood the trip remarkably
we'll but few accidents Of a serious ma
ture occurred, those that did occur being
through carelessness. According to Lieut.
Moss. the trip was a success from a mill
tary standpoint.