Evening star., 1897-04-09
A CAMPAIGN AWHEEL
A Cycling Company to Come Here
From Chicago.
MAKING 4 THOUSAND-MILE TRIP
interesting Experiment in Military
Bicycling.
MAJOR DAVIDSON'S PLAN

An experiment Of unusual interest, hav-
Ing In view the testing of the bicycle as
an adjunct to the military service, is about
to be attempted by Major R. P David
son. commandant of the Northwestern Mill
tary Academy, near Chicago Major David
son proposes to bring a company of young
men, students at the academy, from Chi
cago to this city bearing a message from
General Brooke to General Miles The
trip will be made in heavy riding order
and under strictly military discipline No
attempt will be made to break the bicycle
record between the two cities, but the
corps will travel rapidly as is consistent
with existing conditions. The experiment
will. it is expected, be made about the
middle of June
1t Is we'll known that officers of high
rank and important official position in the
army have for some time been considering
the feasibility of using the bicycle in the
military service. and several regiments al
ready nave cycle detachments. One OF
the most interested is General Miles. While
IN the west many practical tests were
made with the wheel under his direction.
and since his station in this city in com
mand of the army he has given the SUBJ
Ject much careful study. The general is
aware of the plans of the forthcoming ex-
pertinent and has manifested a deep inter-
est In its arrangements.
Inc commonest form of bicycle test for
miiitary uses heretofore made has been
IN the nature of demonstrating the prac-
ucabllity of the wheel in courier service.
and several relay rides have been attempt
ed, the most noted, perhaps, being the
one from this city to Denver, when a mes
sage was sent from President Cleveland to
General Miles: and the latter one from
san francisco to Governors Island in New
YORK harbor, under military auspices
Inese tests have very thoroughly demon
max n,aateh ha tnat fG for such service the wheel
may may De found Invaluable. being more re-
liable and much more rapid than a similar
service by relay of horses
Moving Bodies of Men.
NOT much, however, has been done In
the way Of actual experiment in moving
bodies of men in heavy order mounted on
BICYCLES 1t Is true that officers of the
army have selected picked squads and
ridden over more or less extended trips,
win satisfactory results, but the expert
mental stage has not yet been passed
major Davidson hopes to add much practi-
cal information to what has already been
definitely ascertained with regard to the
SUBJECT. he Is not without experience in
the matter Of handling men on JOURNEYS
OF this nature. For seven years he has
been detailed by the state authorities of
Illinois as military Instructor In the North
western Military Academy, situated in the
pretty suburb of Chicago, Highland Park
He holds the brevet rank of colonel in the
Illinois National Guard Is commandant of
the academy, and is an enthusiastic wheel
man. He has organized in the institution
cycle corps, which numbers twenty-eight
men, and has taken 1t out on extended
trips on several occasions. This is the first
time, however. that he has organized a.
party for trip Of such length as the one
In contemplation. and he Is much interested
In the outcome of the experiment
Those who will compose the party will
be young men, from seventeen to twenty
one or twenty-five years of age, members
of the cycle corps at the military academy
of which Major Davidson Is commandant
They VIII be of the average physical de-
velopment of young men of their age. They
will come In heavy riding order. carrying
their personal baggage with them. as well
as tents. blankets. cooking utensils and a
limited amount Of rations 1t Is estimated
that each man will have about twenty-five
pounds of baggage to carry. in addition to
pushing his wheel of an equal weight. The
route to be Travelled, while not definitely
decided upon. will probably be by way Of
indianapolis. Wheeling and the old ma
tlonal road, the distance to be traverS,1
being fully 1000 miles. While on the road
the usual military routine will be main
tanned. Camp duties will be required of the
men, guard will be mounted. and when In
motion advance picketS Will be maintained.
Maj. DavidsOn's Plans.
Maj Davidson talked Interestingly this
morning in regard to the proposed trip.
anu OutllHlllS tNe plans as already
described said:
MY object Is to bring the company into
Washington in such splendid physical con-
dition that If it were necessary the men
could at once go into action. 1 will not
force them beyond their strength, for 1
want to see just what can be done with
average men under average conditions
We shall probably start from Chicago
about the 10th Of June, DIT a time when the
roads are not at their worst nor at their
best We shall probably ride for an hour
In the early morning, and rest ten min
utes taking care not to cool off too rapidly;
then another hour hour and a half in
the saddle, and so on. We shall rest two
hours for dinner. 1t has been my expe-
rience that the best progress can he made
by maintaining a steady pace Of say ten
miles an hour. and keeping this up, with
frequent rests. throughout the day. Eight
or ten hours of such work would aot tax
the average man too severely. and under
favorable conditions a great deal of ground
can be covered in this manner. Sometimes
on my trips I have been met by wheelmen
from the cities we were approaching
who would come out to meet and escort
us into town, and they would suggest that
we ought to make better time. But 1 have
found that the steady pace, maintained
faithfully, yields the best results
Il have also found it profitable 20 OBJ
serve Sunday as absolute rest day. In
my former trips l have made 1t a rule to
allow no riding at all on Sundays, except
50 as to prevent the boys from becoming
stifened. But / am thoroughly convinced
that such a course pays in the end. l have
found that after the rest of Sunday the
boys would be in the best Of condition,
healthy and invisorated and eager for the
days ride. In coming to this city we shall
probably leave Chicago about the middle of
the week and rest Sunday. and 1 am con-
vinced that 1 shall more than make I'D The
time lost in the Sunday rest before the end
of the journey.
Before starting out I shall take the
physical measurements of each one in the
company. and when our destination is
reached rcmeasurement will take place,
in order to ascertain exactly how each
man stands the long ride. l shall require
the men to rub down every evening, and
will endeayor to bring each one through
the whole way In prime condition. If any
show signs Of weakness or exhaustion the
pace of the entire party will be slackened
to accommodate him. Cherries will he ripe
just about the time that we will make our
experiment and / shall have to watch the
boys very carefully to prevent sickness. 1t
Is my desire to bring every one Of the
party through the whole trip, and unless
one Of the boys should become really sick
and unable to travel think 1t can be done.
Upon our arrival in this city we will
avail ourselves Of the privileges Of the Co.