The times., 1898-05-29

preferable to horse service for at least
eight months OF Ghe. gear in northern sec
tions of the COUNTY, and through the en-
tire twelve months in, such other sections
as are blessed with fair roads.
Bicycles were .1frss7 tried for military
purposes in Itaiy-in S75: Austria in 1884
England in 1885; land, In the United States
in 1891. when the National Guard of Con-
necticut used it FIR courier service and
scouting. The first bicycle corps having
the honor of being called into active serv-
Ice in this country was attached TO the
Colorado National Gnard. 1t was used
as a signal corps entirely. and its opera
tions were reported TO the War Depart
ment with recommendations that like
corps be used in the Regular Army The
recommendation was adopted and men
were detailed from each regiment for the
purpose.
Eddie Bald Is no9 yet In condition. He
is ten pounds overweight. and il viii take
him several weeks before he Is really fit
Considerable interest was manifested In
the meeting between Bald and Cooper
last week, when they faced each other
for the first time on the track for this
season but both Were failures. In the
championship race Bald quit on the last
lap, having tired himself out jockeying
for position and riding new wheel.
which was nos fitted to him. Cooper
came in third, having been defeated by
the pocket cyclone. Tommy Butler. and
the dusky speedster, Major Taylor But
Ter viii come very near reaching the top
this year, as he is well handled and his
rest has done him no harm.
The ten-miIe paced amateur race at the
meeting of the Quill Club Wheelmen last
week at Manhattan Beach demonstrated
the fact that if-the opportunity is given
them. the American amateurs will bios
som out into clever pace followers. and
will be able TO stand the strain against
the best of the imported article Scho-
field. who won this race. rode gamely
In view of his inexperience, and there
are hundred men as good as he is in
America who only need the opportunity
10 show how well they can succeed in
middle-dstanee work. Heretofore we
| have been compelled to send abroad for
our middle-distance men. but If we will
only look around us we will find plenty
of material from which TO make record
breakers and champions.
According to all accounts Edwards. the
| consecutive century rider. has not cult
waited his body at the expense of his
| mind. He is said to be more than ordi-
| narily well-read and to have a fondness
for debate on abtruse subjects. Physi
| cally he is slight with nothing in his ap'
pearance to suggest extraordinary power!
Of endurance and speed. His small mus
| cles are very hard. however. and he ap
| parently possesses reserve force in uniim
| tied quantities He usually finishes hi:
| daily century at about eight in the even
| ing after which he dimes and enjoy:
| himself as he pIeases seldom going e
| bed before midnight. Edwards has NJ
| particular theory as to the cause of hi:
| great riding powers. He regards beve
| gearing as chiefly accountable for hi.
| century successes. bat has little 70 sa.
| Of his diet training methods and genera
| rules of living. The trainer who look
| after his wants is more of a servant thar
a superintendent Of his physical condition
| Edwards says that the recent warn
| weather has entirely agreed with him ant
| that he now finds his daily centuries
easy work as compared with his ridini
| of last winter.
| Clinton r. Coultor,s who holds the re
| cord. l:5s %, for an unpaced mile, brok
| into racing in a curious manner. Hi.
| home is in Mansfield. O., and he begar
| riding in 1893. While he was considered
| fast rider his friends had no idea ther,
was in him the making OF a racer. i
| was not until he began TO make the jour
! ney to the Pacific Coast awheel tina
! there came the chance TO prove of wha
| he was made. With a companion h
| left Mansfield for San Francisco. The!
| rode hard. and when they reached Den
| yer both We're well tagged out. Al th'
| time they reached the Colorado towI
! there was a bicycle meet in progress anC
| a number of tempting prizes were offered
| Coulter though worn out by his Ions
| ride decided 10 enter the races He sur
| prised not only all of Denver but himsel
| as we'll Everything he was RACED
| against during the meet he defeated. Hi
| success at this time decided his future
and he began racing in earnest, His un
| paced record for one mile still stands
and he has been avoiding i'll luck in
| marvellous manner.