Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-07-31
COAST TO COAST WAR RACE.
Cyclists to Determine Possibilities as
Dispatch Riders in Battle.

Philadelphia low, mud streaked
motorcycle, with flames shooting from
the exhaust pipes, shot up Broad street
thru the scurrying maze of jitneys. The
rider kept his machine at the highest
speed allowed by the ordinances OF
Philadelphia, and there was suspi-
cicn that perhaps he went little fast
er. At Diamond street large crowd
saw the man diSmount and hand some
thing to another cyclist, who jumped
on his cycle and shot out Broad street
to the Boulevard a a good clip. Once
out Of the city limits the driver opened
up and tore along at a reckless rate,
for his errand was for the government
and his object was to beat time.
The first rider. John Daniels. 1920
Girard avenue, had come from Balti-
more. a distance of lie miles. in two
hours and fifty minutes. With several
stops to cut down his speed. he had
nevertheless maintained an average OF
fifty miles an hour. as prescribed by
the schedule on which ne was running.
At one point he had attained. with the
aid OF a powerful air pump. a speed
Of nearly two miles minute. His
speed was further cut down because
Of the poor condition OF the roads.
which were heavy and muddy from the
recent rains
The second rider. who will probably
violate every speed law ever passed by
the states of Pennsylvania and New
Jersey on his dash to New York, was
Arthur Chapeile, holder Of several
worlds records for motorcycle racing.
To arrive In New York on his schedule
he will have to maintain q steady rate
OF fifty miles an hour. At New York
the dispatch will be taken by another
cyclist on to Chicago. from Chicago
it will go to st. Louis and west over
the Rockies to San Francisco.
| All these riders who are tearing
along at fifty miles an hour day and
night until the message is in the hands
Of the commander of the Preside al
| San Francisco are on a government
Grand For months, the war college
has heen considering the advantages OF
the motorcycle in warfare. The good
work done by the cycle scouts in the
armies abroad has prompted Washing
| ton officials to look into the matter In
the same light as they have been con-
sidering the advantage of the subma-
rine.
What means of communication coult
! the United States use in the event OF
war If all the main telegraph lines anc
railroad centers were destroyed unex-
pectedfy by spies?
We haven't enough airships, Wash
| ington admits, and all roads will mo-
permit the passing of an autom obile-
as some motorists will testify. Thu
answer is the motorcycle.
So the war college, to make a thor
ough test, made arrangements with thu
Federation of American Motorcyclist
to carry dispatch across the CONT
nent at the highest possible speed. TIL
telegraph wires are all down, the rail
roads have been destroyed-as far a
the riders are concerned-and their OBJ
ject is to deliver that message as sool
as possible to the western coast.
! After carefully studying the bes
possible routes, the condition OF tn
roads and the stages Of the journey
officials Of the association decided up
on a steady average speed across tn
continent of fifty miles an hour, allow
ing for breal1downs and all.
If the message reaches the com
mander Of the Preside when 1t Is due
in all probability the war department
will seriously consider the establish
ment Of motorcycle reserve, to b
made up from the $4,000 members o
the American Federation Of Motor
cyclists.