Nebraska Newspapers

    IS T1TR fVM'ATrA DATT/V TlTCTCs SUNDAY. S13PTJBMUiaR 0. 1800.
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American bicycles arc steatllly winning
their way to favor In foreign lands. In
Franco nntl Germany , as well as In the
antipodes , they have successfully overcome
local prejudice the "homo Industry" sen
timent as It Id known hero and created a
market that U steadily widening. Bven
In the English market American bicycles
are In such demand as to attract atten
tion and to cause some alarm. The Amer
ican wheels are said by the London Dally
Mall to bo lighter , prettier and cheaper
than the best English wheels , and it la pre
dicted that they will prove a hard commod
ity to ilrlvo out.
The broke Is bound to grow In favor.
Circumstances during the last tow weeks
force this conclusion upon the students ot
the cycle trade. Accidents , several fatal
ones among the number , have occurred in
the cast lately , and It has been shown that
In each case a brake , had there been one
attached , could doubtless have averted the
fatality. It now apparently remains for o
really clever device to be placed upon the
market for U to score a great success. A
good brake Is really wanted. The cyclists
realize it , and each day they are becoming
more and more convinced of Its necessity.
An expert rlilcr has said : "If brakes were
In universal use the number of accidents
would be decreased nearly GO per cent.
Even the dreaded and universally condemned
scorcher would not bo so terrifying If he
had a brake on his wheel. It would be of
decided benefit even on luvel places , where
a stop could bo made quickly. No one needs
to bo told that It would bo a decided advan
tage on hills. The novice , above all others ,
should not attempt to ride In n hilly coun
try without a brake. The art of back pedalIng -
IngIs an accomplishment which should be
acquired by all , but there arc times when
oven that does not avail. The foot may slip
at a critical moment , or any one of a dozen
minor accidents happen , which makes It
Imperative that the speed of the wheel be
checked at once. That cannot be done suc
cessfully and without risk of Injuring the
rider or the wheel without a brake , all as
sertions to the contrary notwithstanding. "
A , prominent New York club woman , who
has Just returned from a ISaropra.i : our ,
tells of a novel and Ingenious bicycle which
has just appeared in Geneva , Switzerland.
It Is called "la blcyclette normale , " and Is
utterly unlike any pattern In use In Amer
ica. The wheels are small , and the seat so
low that the rider can almost touch the
pavement while sitting. The hind wheel Is
the larger , and the scat Is situated over its
axlo. Instead of being a saddle , it Is a com
fortable chair seat , with a strong , rigid
bade. The pedals are high and on a level
with the top of the front wheeL They are
so arranged that the rider In propelling
them keeps his legs In almost a horizontal
position. The nearest approach to It Is the
sliding seat in racing boats. The steering
part curves Inward over two feet. Those
who use It say It Is vpry easy and com
fortable , and that the rider's back never gets
tired , ns with many other machines. It
goes with great speed , but whether It can
caual a , flrst class safety In this respect is
unknown. 'It Is a good climber , and stands
rough usage very well. It looks very queer
in uau , the rider seeming to be taking It
easy , no matter how fast ho Is going. Like
nearly all European bicycles , It is heavier ,
clumsier and less artistic than the Ameri
can. The small wheels , the long body , and
the bent steering rod or handle giveit an
awkward appearance. It can 1/e used by
women , but is not as modest and nice as
the woman's wheel In our own land. The
force of the air tends to throw the skirts
UD. so that knickerbockers , bloomers or rid
ing trousers nro Indispensable.
Mr. Isaac U. Potter , New York state coun
sel for the League of American Wheelmen ,
thinks that the mechanical limitations of the
wheel have been reached. In an article In
the Century he says : The blcyclo has
changed many times In Its form , and always
for the better ; each form has taken on Its
multitude of Improvements , and no part of
the modern wheel has escaped the ingenuity
of the mechanic In his aim to sccuro better
material , stronger connections , lighter
weight , greater speed , grace ot design , and
comfort to the rider. Every day Is a day
of new records nnd of the revcalment of
new possibilities. Four hundred and odd
miles for a single day ; thirty miles In onu
linur : 100 miles In three hours and forty-
seven minutes ; a. single mile In ono minute
and but a statement ot the seconds here
would be true only .for the week In which
It was written.
Six years ago ono of the best-Informed and
most progressive ot our cycling authorities ,
Mr. P. P. Prlal. editor of The Wheel ,
writing of the safety bicycle of that day ,
mentioned the drawbacks of the pneumatic
tire as being "Its largo size , and the neces
sity ot replenishing tlio air to keep It
properly distended. " Ho advised that the
ideal safety should not be- geared too high ,
but only to ntty-four or flfty-si > ven Inches ,
"except in the case ot strong riders. " The
gearing of tlu > man's wheel of 1S96 U from
slxty-threo Inches upward , a gearing of sev
enty Inches being about the average , and
eighty not at all uncommon ; whllo the
woman's wheel of today , when geared at
Hlxty , Is easily propelled by new and inex
perienced riders. Saddles , tiles , frames ,
bearings , handlo-bars , cranks , spokes , and
rlnm Iiavo been lightened , slmplIHcd , Im
proved , nnd from year to year made to dls-
place the cruder product of the year before.
Where la the limit ? No man can toll ; but
so far UH It relati'a to the common pcdo-
motlve bicycle of today , the practical limit
would seem to he not far distant. A year
or two hcnco will probably witness the In
troduction of a practical motor bicycle , an < i
the more general adoption of motor car
riages In certain parts of the country where
roads have been Improved. Meanwhile the
blcyclo now In common uo will hold Its
way , with such Improvements in detail , and
perhaps In form , as will add to Its useful'
ness , and to tlio comfort , convenience , and
security ot tha rider.
IIIOVOM :
Cause of tlio Dt'iiri-KNlim nnd th
I'lldll'C of Hie Trnilr.
There Is a popular Impre&ilnn , based on
the largo number o ! f.illurej of bicycle
manufacturers which have occurred In the
lost two months , Unit the business ot wheel
making Is likely to bo conducted uu a far
nioro conservatlvo srah > next year than has
been the rase this year. It Is asserted that
thu output of sonio mjnufuclurcrs ofvhfeU
of the ' 01 model will be no more than a
third of their production for tlU your , and
that they will puy more attrition tn the
quality of their nuiclilncA than over before ,
The reasons attributed far 11m recent
numerous nnd heavy failures anuwB bicycle
manufacturers nro very diverse , fay * th
Now York Sun. Some of the older rankers
aaurlba them to Inferiority of the construc
tion , resulting from Inexperience , Dealers
pay they have been due to tha fact that
runny of the lunolvent companies lucked
well established reputation , whtlo great
over-production and decreasing demand
furnish the explanation for the public gen
erally. Judging from the vast stock of
whileIs In the posRemilon ot popular makers ,
( ho laat reason eeemu the most plausible.
Many persons who would pay a fair prlco
.Jor a wheel Inst May , couldn't be Induced
to buy ono at cost now. There In a feeling
among- wheelmen that It Ii too late In the
cosKon to purcliaso a ' 0 > ) wheel , and' that
bloyuko will be as cbertp , perbapi cheaper ,
bitlde * being thoroughly up to date , when
tlio next cycling senior opens.
Ainoui ; the cyclists , Ii : this country at
Icait , nro ui n and womrii ot good taste
aud butluosx Initluot , nud n bloyclu must
to uot oaly clitiap xnd serviceable , but
mart also , lu order to optatn their fuvor.
Coutwjutntlj- bicycle coucera < that fall *
to dispose of Its product before August
must look sharp to obtain full prices for Its
wheels of that year's model after that time.
Many persons who pay little regard to the
style or pattern of their wheels may avail
themselves of the present low prices , or
wait for still cheaper wheels before Janu
ary , but the small prices which they pay
are not likely to go far toward alleviating
the financial Condition of the manufactur
ers. WhrclmeU 'h'ro not growing scarce ,
nnd their drd6r Is apparently not abating ,
but whether , they nnd prospective riders
will prefer to Invest In a cheap ' 96 wheel
rather than wait for one of the 'VI pattern
nt an unknown price , remains to be seen.
It must bo said , however , t"hat cyclists have
shown less reluctance this year than ever
before about giving new and untried wheels
a fair test , and the fact that bicycle failures
occur Is not an evidence that cyclists lack
sympathy with the cause of good wheels at
a cheap price.
SO M > IIOHS O.V IV111313I.S.
The Tvnt Hi Fort MlHNimlii n SIICCCNH-
fnl Ono.
A great deal has been said concerning
use of the bicycleIn the army , and In the
last month an experiment has been made
which shows It to bo a very practicable
mode of transit for the boldlers even on
the worst roads. The station picked out
was Fort Mlssoula. The blcyclo corps , con
sisting of seven soldiers , commanded by
Lieutenant Moss , left Fort Missoula nt 0:20 :
a. m , August G , and returned on the after
noon of the 9th , having traversed 126 miles
of tough roads and trails in the last twenty-
four hours. In a detailed report of the
test , Lleute'naiu Mass says the company had
the worst klml of 'weather to contend with.
A succession of rains rendered much ot the
road almost Impassable on foot. ' They
climbed mountains , pumped over valley ,
forded rlvera , and pumped along railroad
tracks , rocky trails nnd abandoned roads.
Thu total distance covered is not stated ,
but thu men and the wheels were given
an experience in rough trouble , and both
stood the test well.
I.ieutenant Moss concludes his report as
follows :
Rations carried on trip : One jar extract
of beef , H II ) . ; 7 cans baked beans , 19'/i Ibs. ;
2 Ibs. salt , 5 Ibs. prunes , G Ibs. sugar , 5 Ibs.
rice , 2 Ibs. baking powder , 1 can condensed
milk. 1 Ib. : 20 Ibs , bacon , 3 cans deviled
ham , 2 Ibs. ; 2 ounces pepper , 2 Ibs. coffee , 35
Ibs. flour ; 3 cans corn , 5Vi Ibs. ; 1 can Hyrup ,
12 Ibs. ; 3 Ibs. lard ; total , 121 % Ibs.
Cooking utensils , etc : Two dripping-pans
with covers , 1 large tin case to be used as
boiler , 3 hatchets , 1 bottle bicycle oil , 1 stick
lubricant , 1 can rim cement. 1 2-gallon coffee
pot , 1 patented baker , 3 rubber blankets to
cover biqycles at night , 1 screwdriver. 3
scat springs , 3 extra tubes of tire cement.
Every other soldier carried a complete re
pair kit.
The largo tin case ( capacity 11 gallons
lens ) was attached on front of bicycle , restIng -
Ing on a frame and strapped to the handle
bars.
bars.Wo
Wo wore the heavy marching uniform ,
and every other soldier was armed with a
rifle and thirty rounds ot ammunition. The
rifles were strapped horizontally on the let *
sldo of the bicycles with the bolt on lop.
These not sn armed carried revolvers on
belts "and thirty cartridges. The soldiers
with revolvers carried ration luggage cases
in the frames of their bicycles. Rations ,
especially canned goods , were also carried
In the Ijnapsacks.
Every soldier , except the one- who carried
the cooking utensils and had no knapsa .
carried" his knapsack : One summer under
shirt , 1 winter undershirt , 1 pair summer
drawers , 1 pair winter drawers , 2 pairs
summer socks , 1 pair winter nocks , 1 towel ,
2 handkerchiefs , 1 toothbrush and powder , 1
cake soap , 1 blanket.
Every other man carried one comb and
brush. Uesldes the blanket In the knap-
sac ] : , every soldier carried one blanket and
a shelter tent halt rolled on the knapsack.
Every soldier carried In his haversack &
knlfo , spoon , fork and meat can.
WEIGHTS OF WHEELS , ETC.
Personal Ulcycle
weight , packed. Totnl.
1M 74 * >
Meut. MOM
Corporal Williams 151'A S3
Musician P-iown. . . - . 14 > ' / & ? J
1'rlvnte Proctor 1S2 SOtt juva
Private FlnJli > > - 183',4 7. MOti
Private Foivnum IjM < s aj
Private llnyncs J60V4 cs _ .s i
1 . . . ' .
Private Johnson 151 V .i-.i
Average of riders. 1.65.7 : bicycles , 70.2 ;
average total , 231.3. Weight ot bicycle , 2C
pounds ; Rear , 66 % .
The soldiers were all well sleased with
the trip and suffered very llttlo from sore
ness.
HERE IS A ICICIf.
PlrniinreB of Outdoor lloorenlloit Xot
In 1'ropiilMlnii.
Is walking to go as the horse has
gone ?
A writer In the Chicago Times-Herald
aska the question , and answers In the fol
lowing strainr
While the air Is redolent of wheels , may
one venture a protest against the loss of
the wheel ? For does not the wheel lose
more than Its rider gains ? If an open air
sport become merely a mechanical manipu
lation of musclcc accompanied with an In
tense concentration of the mind and eyes
upon the farthest away point In the road ,
where Is the pleasure , In what lies the
benefit ? The pleasure , the unlearned Is
told , consists In the sense of flying , The
benefit lies In a rumored corporal and men
tal exhilaration , which only those know
who have realized It. Hut Is there not a
loss far exceeding this measure of pleas
ure , this stint of benefit ? What Is man that
he should think the machine more than a
mother ? What'Is * a blcyclo that It should be
made to encircle , the earth , to strangle
nature ?
For this Is the loss of the wheel. The
earth , the waters , the skies , that belong to
him who walks are restrained from all who
mount the wheel. It may be Indeed that In
night onomayget an impressionist's view
ot n vanishing world. It was Ruskin him
self who defined Impressionism , the view of
a landscape seen from the window of an
express train. Rut what lover of nature
would bo content with such a view ? The
\ftipol may * ' 6rvo to carry the umbrella and
color box from ono point of vantage to one
farther , It ma" } * be a beast of burden , but
who are thus that turn the lieiut Into a
ted ? Probably no devotee of nature ever got
moro for his pains than Stevenson In his
donkey tour through the Cevcimes. llut
there ,1s arlWtual repugnance between love
of nature Mid passion for the wheel , which
miiBt find , .it late , at least a feeble voles.
The wheel abhors a rising grade , as nature
n vacuum. Tlio wheel would make all the
glolm a plunu and all praise of nature a
platitude. It would turn back geography
to the theory of Ptolemy. The ono thing
thnt nature herself worships Is movement ,
not In the tireless cyles of wheeling wings
or wheeling riders , but In the Incessant
surprise of her own life. There Is no ap
preciable epot on the bark of a tree with
out movement. The microscope cannot de
tect In the frond of a fern a rigid lino. The
wlnif of the Insect , the sheath ot a bud , thu
curl of a wave , the marge of a brook , the
seeming repose ot tbe stars , the procession ,
of clouds , the pulse ot the lake , the soul of
the rver. [ the hymn of the wind , all are In
rhythm with the great globe Itself , and
nowhere is there pause. Now the wheel
has Indeed Its own dislike of rest , for It to
pause Is to' be dethroned. The wheel that
hesitates. Ilka the woman , is lust. Tbo
world that would hesitate for oven' that
llttlo lapse Pt.tUo Creator's thought that
might bo represented by the simultaneous
birth and death of tbe ephemera would aUa
be lost. Chaoa.would come again.
This Is tho.lbss of the wheel that It turns1
man out of liousta and homo. It sends him1
oft a wanderer and alien , wasting bis time'
In tbo huak 'of selNexaltatlon , certain to
dlocover , unless thu ages nud sages are all
wrong , that prodigality lu motion Is parsi
mony of pleasure and profit. For tlie picas-
ure of outdoor recreation Is In communion ,
not In propulsion. He who walks has bin
hand In nature's. The myriad eyes of the
world of light , of shadow , of form , look win.-
Eomcly Into his and hold hlrrt with thclt
spell. The vista of the lake Itself Is cur
tained off from the wheel nnd left to the
prodigious happiness of the pedestrian.
There Is no deeper , more mobile , moro
dramatic sky In any other clime than vaults
our front-door sea. The wheel U as blind
to its beauty as If eyes , Instead of being
made to sco with , were to bo pasted to an
ever-receding geometrical line which forms
the wheel's horizon ,
iviiKimi xovni/riKS.
The I.ntfxl Otitiiul of liivciillotiM In
the lllc.vi-lc IInc.
A resident of New Haven has Invented a
combination rim and tire for bicycles that
will bo tried next year. The rim Is ot wood ,
half round , like an ordinary rim , but smaller ,
being live-sixths of an Inch In thickness
nnd ono It ch wide. Instead of being con
caved , like the ordinary rim , It Is Hat. The
whole Is covered with aluminium bronze ,
which Is dust proof. The tire consists ot
n sorlea of steel springs fastened to the rim
at equal distances. The springs are made
out of the finest steel wire , which Is bent
In the form of a circle , with the outer side
curved Inward , forming n groove around
the outer circumference of the tire. The
springs are fastened on the outside by small
nuts , and , passing through the aluminium
bronze and wooden rim , curve back around
the outside of the rim. In this groove Is
fitted a band of aluminium bronze , to which
a rubber tread Is connected , the whole formIng -
Ing a tire li Inches In diameter , with the
rim hung on the Inside. The groove around
the outside of the tire prevents the rubber
trend from slipping to cither sldo , and the
springs are kept In place by slits cut into
the metal band Into which the outer edge
of the springs are Inserled.
A useful article In the shape of a pump
bracket Is bolng sold by a Chicago com
pany. The device Is Intended to hold the
pump steadily against the rim while the
tire Is being Inflated. The attachment slips
around a spoke nnd hooks over the edge
of the rim , giving n solid foundation to work
on In pumping up the tiro. By Its use , It
Is claimed , the hands arc relieved from all
strain. The bracket can be readily and as
easily attached.
Means for propelling a bicycle by means
of friction mechanism Is one of the latest
of the many inventions of this character.
It comprises a largo friction driving wheel
Journalled In what Is technically termed
a machine frame. The pedals Impart mo
tion to several small friction wheels or
rollers , which operate against the Inner rim
of the driving wheel. This bicycle looks
cumbersome and heavy , but the Inventor
asserts that It can be propelled with the
greatest ease and at high speed , as the fric
tion wheels act In the nature of a lubricator
and Impart smooth and easy motion.
The newest bicycle lamp on the market
is so designed as to permit of ita being
folded so thnt it can bo carried In the tool
bag or vest pocket , and bo ready for use
whenever necessary. The oil for the lamp
is carried In a small tank , which Is attached
by means of rubber-covered clamps to the
left fork ot any bicycle.
When riding through a. hilly country the
whole enjoyment of a day's ride is marred ,
because the rider is obliged to dismount ami
walk up the hill , dragging his wheel with
him. Inventors and manufacturers have
been puzzling their brains and losing sleep
In tlielr efforts to construct some device
that will assist bicyclists In riding up hill.
Electricity has been tried , gasoline and
other motors have been used , but to no pur
pose. Now comes a German Inventor , who
says ho has solved tbe problem. Hla de
vice is nothing more than an ordinary
spring motor. It can be wound up like a
clock by means of a ratchet lever , located
directly below tbe handle bar , and so ar
ranged that It con be wound up with one
hand while riding. The power is then
transmitted to the treadle shaft by a train
ot gear wheels. When running down hill
the power can be stopped at once , so as not
to interfere with the operation ot tbe wheel.
When approaching- hill the nowqr la ap
plied by simply turning the ] ver under
the handle bar.
An electric spur for the protection ot the
wheelmen from annoying dogs Is the latest
bicycle accessory upon which letters patent
have been granted. Cyclers have often
sought In vain for some relief from the
yelping , snapping dog nuisance , which has
often inflicted severe- Injury to wheelmen
and women who were leisurely riding
through some pleasant country lane or quiet
village street. It Is nothing but a tiny
electric light which Is Btrapped to the heel
in much the same fashion as a spur. Once
let a vicious dog get near enough and a slid ,
den pressure on a button connecting by
wlro with the- light turns a flash cf brilliant
electric light full into the dog's eyes. Th (
sudden flashlnB of the- light never falls to
put the surprised animal to retreat , and now
wheelmen arc wondering why the thing was
never thought of before.
A peculiar feature in a bicycle Invented In
Providence Is In the pedal movement. Al
though It suggests somewhat the star wh el
used before the safety was perfected , the
principle Is radically different , as there Is
no "star" spring and the side levers ,
through which power Is transmitted to the
driving sprocket , are without a fixed ful
crum. As described by the Providence
Journal , the frame Is of the giraffe type ,
the wheels and handlebars are standard ,
but there are four sprocket wheels and two
chains , and the chains run vertically In
stead ot horizontally , two of the sprocket
wheels being located directly uiider the sad
dle , ono on each side of the frame , and thus
both chains are out of the way of the mud
thrown by the wheels. The rear wheel Is
driven by the right-hand chain. There are
cranks nt the ends of both axles. The
cranks on the top axle are two Inches lone ,
and the leverage obtained makes their
length equivalent to four Inches , The
length of the lower crank Is three Inches ,
which Is equivalent to seven inches , by
reason of tha leverage of the pedal levers ,
which are connected with the four cranks
by rods. This Is a gain of half an Inch
over the cranks used on other wheels , and
the length of the stroke Is reduced from
thirteen to twelve inches. The lover
sprocket , on the left Is on the crank shaft
and Is Independent of the wheel. The upper
left-hand sprocket has the same number
of teeth , and the chain delivers the power to
the larger right-hand sprocket , which trans
mits It to the right-hand sprocket on the
wheol. The four cranks being set on quar
ters it Is represented that there can bo no
dead centers , the result being u steady pull
on the driving chain. At all times tha
cranks are three Inches off centers , and the
uniform delivery of power to the driving
wheel Is said to make the machine run
more easily than a lighter one of standard
make. Tlio wheel weighs twenty-six
pounds ,
AVilh TourlNtVliiMlinnii. .
Last Sunday was an Ideal day for cycling
nnd the Tourists mode the most of It by
a little spin out through the country. A
portion of the club went to Waterloo , whllo
others made their usual century rides ,
Leonard Hartson and Hugh Thomas rounded
the fifty-mile point over the Hooper course
and finished well within the fourteen hours
limit. The following as copied from the
club register shows who did the riding , and
where they went : Tom Spencer , Waterloo ;
Collie Hamplo , Waterloo ; F. W. Fitch , go-
as-you-please ; Leonard Hartson , Hooper ,
Neb , ; Hugh Thomas , Hooper , Neb. ; Howard
Hayman , Fremont ; L. I ) . Erlon , Fremont ;
J. Mlllhouse , Hlllsdalo , la. ; Cyclone Pete.
Hlllsdalo , la.
With a good prospect for nice fall weather
the best part of the riding season Is yet be
fore us. Today weather permitting the
Tourists will go to Carson , la. Next Sun
day Springfield has been named as the
prospective point. Are you wld' us ?
Whether a member of the club or not you
will bo welcome to go , and by doing so we
may get acquainted , and you will bo given
on opportunity to join us if you BO de-
Biro ,
Ask Cyclone Pete what the excitement was
Friday night at the club rooms ? Did Du-
berry finish that game of hearts ? What
prompted tbo delegation of sllverltes to
call at the Tourists' club rooms so late In
tbe evening ?
"Dad" Holton and Louie Flescher made
good tlmo on their relay ride through Iowa
lait week when carrying the packet In. the
great Journal-Examiner "Yallcr Fallcr"
race.
race.F.
F. W. Fitch Is n widower now-a-days , his
wife having gone to visit relatives for a
short time.
H. C. Hnrtry says "Faithful dadke" run a
dead heat paced by his " 107. " but unluckily
for Dean ho picked up n tack wltb his rear
wheel and fell by the wayside. "
Captain Spencer has Issued the Septem
ber tours , and the following list embraces
many enjoyable rides : '
Sunday. September C , Carson Start 7 n.
in , ; dinner at Randall's , round trip , sixty
miles. . ,
Wednesday.September ( . „ 9 , Florence Start
7:30 : p. m. , fqnrtfien miles.
Sunday. Spenbcr | ) ( ) 13 , Springfield Start
8 a. m. ; unless otherwise arranged will re
turn to Papllllou for dinner , thirty-four
miles. f m ,
Wednesday. nScjitembcr Ifi , Fort Crook-
Start 7:30 : p. ifl. . Awcnty-two miles.
Sunday. Sujjtember 20 , Glenwood-Start
7 n. in. , nfty.wiljijs.
Wcdnesdny,18qntembcr , 23 , Dodge street-
Start 7:30 : p. m. , twenty-two miles.
Sunday , September 27 , Annual Century
tour of the Tojtrlst Century club. This tour
will bo manned by the Century club.
Wednesday , , September 30. Optional-
Start 7:30 : p. m.i , . . . . .
The regularim'tp'h'y ' ' c'll' ' ) mooting win DC
held Thursday , September 10.
. Century club will
The Tourist , Wheelmen
hold its an nuaU .century tour over the
famous Tekamah course on Sunday. Sep
tember 27 , leaving Its club house In the
Crelghton block , corner of Fifteenth and
Douglas streets.'at 6 a. m. ou are cor
dially Invited to bo present and enjoy n
nice , loin : country spin. The first section
will maintain a moderate pace from start
" ' " division will
to finish. The "scorchers'
start perhaps an hour later , and those wno
doslro tn lower any lust records may have
an opportunity to do so.
It is desired to make this the largest cen
tury run ever made out of this city , and
all hardy road riders or those who desire
to make this tholr Initial 100-mile Jaunt
There Is an abundance
are Invited to Join us.
dance or beautiful scenery curoute aud only
enough hills to break the monotony of the
usual century trips.
Whllo it might not be advisable for anyone
ono to attempt to maku the trip unless
they were accustomed to long-distance rid
ing yet this course has been chosen on
account of the fact that it runs almost par
allel with a line of railroad with trains
which might be taken homo the same day
If any of the party should have any acci
dent or break-down or. become tired and
did not care to make the round trip. Re
spectfully yours. W. C. BOUK , .
Chief Centurian Tourist Wheelmen Century
Club.
OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
Plants are said to grow faster between 4
and G a. in. than any other time during the
day.
day.There Is a hole In tlio Yellowstone Park
which Is only six inches in diameter , but
which Is over 3,000 feet deep.
Consumption kills more persons annually
than any other disease. In this country
diphtheria comes next In fatality.
In Denmark an "old maids" Insurance
company pays regular weekly benefits to
spinsters of 40 years and upwards.
There Is a bedstead In the Whitney man
sion , New York City , which was purchased
by Colonel Oliver Payne In 18S3 , and which
cost exactly $10,000.
A rug only four feet square , but which
had 57C stitches and knots to the square
Inch , was lately sold In London for a sum
equal to $10,000 of our money.
The sun , if hollow , would hold 300,000
earth globes , and an eye cable of hourly
viewing 10,000 square miles , would require
55,000 years to eve all Its surface.
Three Damascus swords in the British
museum-nro BO finely tempered and flexible
that the point of each blade can bc readily
curved until It touches the handle.
A chick that waa put in a store window
at Santa Ana with three hungry rattlesnakes
saved Itself' byMts innocence. Every time
a snake v/ojild make for If'tho chick would
pack at the1 forked tongue , which' It mistook
for a worm.'A'nd as the surprised snake
backed off trite oliick jumped on for a ride.
The serpents1 ga.Ve It Up.
Out at the Fcftt Hall Indian agency is a
clerk who can probably boast of tho'longest
mustache In the. world. Ho parts his name
In the middle ! signing his letters H. Elwell
Jenkins. OnjlnaMly Mr. Jenkins folds the
ends of his bine-foot mustache away out of
sight under his yest , but sometimes he lets
It drag tholo9r | to show its full length ,
Just as n wopjan' , with a wealth of back hair
exhibits It ip the privacy of her boudoir tea
a coterie of admiring and envious friends.
Mr. Jenkins" mustncliu Is still growing.
TIJI3 ' 'SII.VHII ni.VG.
Two KmlSJ ! ( of Sliver Mlm-H mill Two
ICIiulM of Silver MiniOvriirrM. .
Mr. G. W. Pqarce of Hoston , a promoter
of mining properties , writes to the New
York Sun to say that Boston Investors In
silver mining properties refused to contrib
ute to the free silver campaign fund. The
mission of solicitors ' 'wns
, Mr. Pcarce says ,
unsuccessful for the reason that all the
mine owners of Boston who own gO'jd prop
erties are for sound mojjpy. They ara
satisfied with the present condition of sll <
ver minlnfr , and btllevo that the 16 to 1
swindle vould not only ruin the manufac
turing and agricultural Interests of our
country , but also seriously cripple the sliver
mining industries by breaking down tha
price of silver to BO near the cost of pro
duction as to leave no margin for profit.
As the silver mining Interest is today ,
good mines which arc equipped with modern
apparatus and managed by shrewd and en
ergetic managers are paying fairly well.
Yet there Is not anywhere to be'found among
experts In silver mining one man of na
tional reputation who will sign his name
to the statement that silver under free
coinage will so upward and remain for
ninety days at $1.29 per ounce. Within tha
past ten days , ono and one-half million dollars
lars have gone from Boston for Investment
In machinery and railway approaches it ,
two silver mines In Mexico wherein silver
silver can be mined for 52 % cents an ounco.
"Tho present market price of refined sil
ver , Oil cents , doea not tempt makers of sil
ver nnd plated wares to lay In largo stocks
of the metal , Every refiner and maker of
wares made wholly or In part of silver ex
pects to see refined silver , hammered down
to 40 cents an ounce within a year al ! the
furtberest.
"The howl for a government swindle upon
the people to shove a 53-cent dollar out of
our mints comes from the persons who' own
poor mines whore pay ore cannot bo landed
upon the surface of tha earth In competition
with good mines , A Boston broker and
dealer In mining Investments , who has
placed millions of eastern capital In west
ern mines , says that the silver ring's case
In a nutshell Is tfils : 'They own a lot of
mines which are played out or not worth de
veloping , but by film-flamming a free-coln-
agrt bill they may find a market which will
enable them for a short time to work the
market and unload their mines on gullible
Investors , But without government help
the silver ring' cannot get 10 cents on the
dollar for their mines , because It has beqn
figured out by n score of the ablest mining
engineers and Investment brokers of the
west and east that the stiver ring mines
from 1879 until January 1 last have not
averaged a dally wage of 75 cents a day for
each man engaged at the mines. In the
good silver mines owned by persona who are
for honest mdney ; the average dally wage
during the ab6vo mentioned period Is $2.50 ,
"Many of he ; ' silver ring's mines have
been on the marSet for years ; the properties
have boon scornfully rejected at homo and
abroad by well-informed Investors , and after
having gone thrpugh the 'one dollar a share ,
nonassessable' 'schema ( o milk the farmers
and mechanics of their hard-earned savings ,
have been consdlldatcd by the ring for the
purpose of swindling the voters Into the be
lief that a half-dollar dollar is better than
a hundred-Cent dqllar. "
Till ) Morning : Swell.
Cleveland Plain Dealer : "I hate , " said
Mr. Tolllver , as 'he ' vainly tried to get his'
straw hat over1 his head , "to get these mis
erable hats wit. They shrink so. "
Mrs. Tolllverl looked up from the breakfast
table. < I
'There was noiraln last night , " she frcez-
Ingly ren-arkefl. '
Then Mr Tolllver hastily perched his hat
on top ofhis aching head and hurried from
; lie house.
FAMOUS SOUTHERN SPIES
Women Who Intrigued Desporntoly for tlio
Lost Cause.
SHREWD , ZEALOUS AND UNSCRUPULOUS
A DniiKeriiii-i Hole IMnyiMl l > y n ( Hrl
In ( lu > UnnfVilpriili * SlKiinl ( 'iir | >
The ( Hit Capitol Prlxim Ctinptcr
of DiMVrltloti UlHt < ir > - .
Altogether the strangest fcnturo of our
great civil war of 1881-65 was the prime
part played by the gcntlo maidens of the
south In the spy system of the confederacy.
! They outnumbered the mon , and were
shrewder , more zealous and unscrupulous.
During the wnr It was hard to find a woman
south of the Meson and Dlxon line , no
matter how fair her face and rcflnert her
clmiactcr , who was really a non-combatant.
For the flrst two years of the war all alii
and comfort for the confederacy north of
the Potomac were mainly derived from the
women of the ancient regime at Washlng-
ton. These rlpo and languid beauties who
had formed the court and assisted In the
ceremonies of successive administrations
learned with speed and certainty many of
the most Important secrets of Lincoln's ad
ministration md Imparted them to their
friends In the south. As long as this con
tinued LOO'H spy system was perfect. Ho
knew the union army organization. Us num
bers and Its position , while the federal
generals were absolutely In the dark In
respect to his.
In the third year of hostilities this posi
tion of affairs became Intolerable and the
federal government organized a bureau of
military Information , which had command
over all the spies , the ball room 'and ' the
signal corps. As a natural consequence the
government soon ascertained the numbers
and commanders of every brigade and regi
ment in t"o confederate nimiy and cou'il
toll at any time within a few thousand
Lee's entire numerical force.
MISS MAHY WATSON.
One of the means of communication these
Intriguantes had was by signaling across tin-
Potomac to their agents on the Virginia
side of the river. The chief among the
spies was Miss Mary Watson , the daughter
of Major Roderick 0. Watson , who resided
upon a bluff at least 100 feet above the Po
tomac river , at Pope's creek , near Port To
bacco , Charles county , Aid. Miss Watson
was a remarkably pretty girl , 23 or 24 years
-of ngc , with a mop of black hair , darl ;
eyes shaded by long lashes , iind heavy
black brows. Her carriage was erect , and
figure slender , which made her appear a llt-
tlo above the average height. She loved the
confederacy with an ardor s > o Intense that
it Is believed she would have made any sacri
fice for its cause. Sheas tha
chief female confederate mull ear
Her with Thomas A. Jones north
of the Potomac , from about March ,
1802 , to the close of the war. She and Mr.
Jones successfully managed to transmit south
all the confederate mall entrusted to their
care by the confederate agents north of the
Potomac , and received the' mall from the
south which was to be distributed at the
north or to be distributed to the confeder
ate agents In Canada and Europe. It was
owing to her vigilance and untiring zeal that
not one of the confederate malls were cap
tured during the war , notwithstanding the
neighborhood1 of her homo was Infested with
federal detectives , spies and soldiers. She
also kept up during the entire four years a
signal station in one of her father's high
garret windows by means of a black shawl.
The house of Thomas A. Jones , with whom
she operated , was the headquarters of the
confederate spies.
A FAMOUS WAH JAIL.
The character of the prisoners confined IT
the old capltol was a matter of wide varia
tion , differing In this particular from an. '
other place of confinement. It held prison
era of stttn particularly , such as partle
charged with active disloyalty at the north
bounty frauds , counterfeiters of Unit'I
States notes and treacherous contr.iK
tors who had swindled the government , am
confederate spies.
Of the secret agents or spies in the service
of the confederate government , there wort
some who achieved notoriety at least , and
they were well represented at the old capl
tel , among the latter being the famous Hellc
Boyd , who did the confederacy some service
by her nlerlness and enterprise as a spy.
On a particularly daring expedition she was
arrested and imprisoned an a spy. Aftci
remaining a prisoner In the old caplto :
about cloven months she was exchanged foi
Colonel Michael Corcoran of Meagher's
Now York Irish brigade.
TWO AIICII SPIES.
Miss I ) . , at the outbreak of the war , \vai =
a lovely , fragile looking girl of 10
remarkable for the sweetness of her
disposition. A few days before the
battle of Bull Hun a country market carl
stopped In the confederate lines at the dooi
of General Uenham's tent. A peasant glr
alighted from the cart and begged for an im
mediate Interview with the general. Ii
was granted. "General Denham , I believe , '
said the young lady , In tones which be
trayed her superiority to the disguise she
had assumed. Then , pulllm ; down her loni ,
black hair , she took from its folds a note
small , damp and crumpled. Hut It wa :
by acting upon this informal dispatch thai
General Ueauregard won the victory of Bui !
Kun.
Kun.Miss
Miss Antonla T , Ford was tlio Delilah b >
whom General Stoughton was betrayed Into
the hands of the confederates at Fairfax
court house , Virginia.
Miss Ford was arrested a few days after
ward and conveyed to Old Capitol prison.
In her possession was found her commission
as honorary aide-de-camp to General Stuart
and Important letters showing that she held
the most Intlmato relations with the con-
fodoratfc and had been employed on many
Important missions.
A LIST OF NOTED PRISONERS ,
Ono of the most Interesting characters
In the Old Capitol prison was Mrs. Hose 0.
II. Grecnhow , an alleged southern spy , who
ivas arrested on the Hth of August , J8G1 ,
and confined until May 31 , 1802 , when she
ivas sent to Old Point to be delivered Into
the confederate lines. Mrs. Grecnhow was
a dashing widow , rather tall , of small facial
outlines , and graceful in movement. Her
husband had been employed In the State de
partment as translator. She was n woman
of letters , and was born In the south , al
though brought up In Washington. SJie
was confined with her own daughter , Mrs.
Rose Grecnhow , after she was sent within
the confederate lines , wont to Paris , where
she left her daughter In a convent school ,
and then attempted to return to the south ,
but lost her life by drowning near Wilming
ton , N. 0. , In October. 1801 , while attempt'
Ing to run the blockade. Her body was re
covered and she was burled there with Im
posing military honors. While Mrs , Greon-
how wan incarcerated In the Old Capitol ,
several other Interesting southern ladles re
ceived the hospitality of Colonel Wood.
Among these may bo mentioned Mrs , Mary
E , Owln , the wife of Senator Gwln of Call-
fornla ; Mrs , Philip Phillips , wife of an ox-
member of congress from Alabama , and the
sister of Mrs , Qreenhow , and the MUses
Fannlo and Lena Phillips , her daughters ;
Mrs , Levy , a widow , whoso husband was
formerly In the United States army ; Mrs.
Dotty A. Hoplcr , a lady of fine education
and of fascinating manners , who was born
and reared In Washington , but whose , hus
band was a southern man , and Miss Bcsslu
Perino of Baltimore , for giving aid and com
fort to the enemy.
A REBELLIOUS CAPTIVE.
Mrs. Baxley was arrested on December
23 , 1SC1 , upon her return from Richmond ,
where It was said she was In communlca-
: lon with Jefferson Davis , and obtained from
ilrn a commission In the confederate army
'or a Dr. Brown , She was a courageous
woman and born an Intense hatred toward
northern men , Her whole soul was devoted
.o the southern cause and when Incarcer
ated was Inclined to bo troublesome to the
prison authorities. While confined in the
Did Capitol prison she refused to sleep under
a blanket marked "U. S. " A black silk
apron , represent In tf' a confederate flag , was
sowttlmea hung from her window , and ,
: hougb ordered by the guard to withdraw
t , It was not often that she agreed to the
equest. Colonel N. T. Colby , the officer
n Immediate command of the prison , said
that while confined In the Old Capltol "her
rrepresvlble hatred to Vankeedom often
jrecjpltatcd traced/ rather than corned/ . "
once to the window of her room
[ which WAS locati-d-ln the second story of
the building ) sneMjrgan * scathing and
contemptuous crltlcjsm of the sentinel un
derneath , until , Roadcd by her tongue , ho
threatened to fire antler It she did not desist
and leave the Vlndftw. "Fire , thru , you
Yankee scoundrel ; Veil were hired'to ' murder
women , and here Is Van opportunity to rx-
erclso your trade. " Stung by the words
and thinking to frighten her , ho raised
Ills piece , but aimed nbove her bend and
fired , the ball crashing through the win
dow over her. Not a muscle stirred ns
ho still coolly faced the window as be
fore , saying contemptuously : "A shot
worthy a Yankee ; load and try another. "
While In the prison she saw her son , a
confederate soldier , die there , nnd at
tended his funeral in the congressional
cemetery. She was accompanied to'the
cemetery In the same carriage by Mrs. Sur-
rott ( who was afterward hanged for al
leged complicity In the assassination of
President Lincoln ! , and u couple of guards
detailed for the purpose.
These prisoners , with Hello Hoyd , made
a very Interesting "set" at the Old Capltol ,
and nmusnd themselves "
by singing "Mary
land. My Maryland. " They sang It at nil
hours , night ordajvln doflnncc of the guard ,
who would often ordrr them to bo silent , to
which Belle Uoyd's reply wns "I shan't do
It , " and then Bho would repeat the line :
"Huzza ! she spurns Uio northern scum ! "
and , suiting tlio action to the word , she
would seize a broom and apply It to the
part ot the floor trodden by the guard.
A noitsKsiior or niiinucti.
SIIVOMVnr mill 'IVnr 1111 tlio Ilium-
mill Milken Vo Nitlnt * .
If the latest phase of modern Ingenuity
proves a success , says the New York Tri
bune , there will b < no more heavy trampling
and the rhythmic clicking of the hoofs
of four-footed steeds. There has been In
vented a new horseshoe- ! steel frame about
which Is built a cushion of vulcanized rub
ber. The advantage claimed for It Is that
as the rubber Instead of metal strikes the
ground there Is no concussion or Jar , and
the borio's hoof , leg and shoulder are
saved.
Thirty-three per cent of the diseases of
horses , It has been said , are maladies of
the foot , and there Is little question but
that even the- best shoeing , as It Is dnno
now by burning .tho hoof , Is In a incssuro
Injurious. This now horseshoe Is to bo put 41
on cold , and the hoof simply pared or cut to A ]
fit. It Is nailed on In the ordinary way. I
An Additional advantage of the rubber solo tt\ \
Is that It will give the horse a firmer hold i ( |
upon wet or treacherous pavements , and , by
securing him a good purchase , onnhle him
to go up or come down steep hills with n
heavy load far more easily than at present.
Tin * llnrrllilo " .llnwi-rV of Afrlon.
The village of Mayllo , * nys a writer In
the Century. Is surrounded by a bema of
stakes , elayrd four feet up ; the three gates
arc firmly clo.iod at night. The natives do
not venture outside at night for any pur
pose , nnd thli gives the village a very pretty
aspect. The place Is horribly Infested with
the burrowing fli-a , "tho Jigger. " the pest of
mon , women and children , who are a mass
of horrid sores. Through lack of washing ,
and removing the Jigger when ho flrst en
ters , big sores are found all over ( ho kfect ,
I felt very sorry for the children , who were
all more or less lame , and many stumping
about on their heels , unable to put foot to
ground , owing to swollen toes. The moanIng -
Ing of women nt night , and the bellowing of
youngsters , were most distressing to hnr.
I tried to Impress on them that constant
washing and attention to their feet and oc
casional flooding of the > low , clayey ground
In hut and street would cure the ovllj but
It was too much Ilko hard work to bo
adopted. The flooding could bo dona with
out the slightest injury to property , us the
streets are qulto level , and the clay floorIngs -
Ings of grass brlek are raised about a foot
nbove the ground ; but no precautions are
taken and even the babies are permitted to
squat on the bare ground as though th
Jigger did not exist.
CflllfllllllU.
"Somebody to see you , sir , " said the of
fice boy to tlio editor.
"What kind of a man ? "
"I can't say for sure. "
"Where nro your eyes ? Haven't you any
powers of observation ? "
"Yes , sir. llut I've guessed wrong BO
often that I'm afraid to try any more.
Times are getting so now that you can't
tell by the way n man wears his hair
whether he's a poet or a populist. "
Riding 'Cheaper Than Walking
When you can buy u good wheel nt tlio prices named below.
Wo liuvo : i few SIKH ] wheels that wo worn comimlk-d to taUo
back on account of non-payment they will bo sold for- just
what is duo on them.
Second Hand Wheels. New Wheels.
Unions O Nationals
$55 , Unions ,
Nationals 35 \ Napoleons and Czars. ,
Gendrons ' 96 mode's , all high grade.
Ramblers S $100 wheels , lower than any
Wavcrlys house in town , See us and
Road Kings let us make you a price.
A L. DEANE & CO. ,
J. J. DERICHT. Mgr. 11KJ FA UN AM ST.
GUARANTEED
TOBACCO
HABIT
Oroi'1'KUOOO boxes solil. 301,000 euros prove Its potrcrtr , destroy the rtoslro for lobnrrolnnny _
form. No-to-bao Is thocroitcst norvo-fooU fn the world. Alauy iraln 10 pounds In lUdur.snml Itivjvcr
1:1113 : to nialco tlio wcakimpolRiit stron , vlu-orous and . Just .
man muirnntlc. try a l > or. Vim will ln > do-
Untile.I.Vo expect you tobellevo wlmt vosar.loracuru 13 nlisulutulr nimnintced by dnii'iilMs nvcrr-
wliorc. Send for om-booklet "Don't Tobacco nlt unit hmolto Your J.I to Avniy , " written eimrantcu anil
free sample. Atldniss'l'UKS'rKUI.I.VOKIJJlEDV CO. , Clilc.iuo or JVciir Vcrlc. lil
SOLD AND GUARANTEED BY KUHN & CO. . OMAHA , NEB-
OF OMAHA
Not a Dark Office Room Incandescent Electric
Lights-Perfect Ventilation
In any '
Night and Day <
Part of the Building. Elevator Service.
ttftts s i'tA& X-m s-jfVeSjSwiiaaas ,
GROUND FLOOR.
FIDELITY TltUST COMPANY , THE OMAHA LOAN AND BUILDING AS-
J3OCIATION. O , M. NiUtlnjj'-r , Secretory.
\VYCKOKF , SBAMANS & UKNBDICT , MUTUAL LOAN AND ULULDINUASSO
Remington Typewriters and Supplies. CIATION.
FOKKST LAWN OEMJSTKRY ASSOCIA ROHERT PRITCHARD , Loans.
TION. R. K. CAMPHELL , Court Roiundn , Clears
S. T , JOSSELYN. Insurance. and Tobacco ,
DEE HUILOINO HAUliKU SHOP , Fred JOHN KKLKINNEY , Tlio Lobby.
lluelow , Proprietor.
FinST FLOOIl.
TRANBMISSISSIPl'I MUTUAL FIH13 HlJI'HniNTKNDKN HRE HUILDING.
WESTERN UNION TULHGIIAPH OF.
COMPANY. y.Kw3CimiBTIAN ! ASSOCIATION.
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CIETY ,
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OR A. 1C. DETWILER.
HUGH MURPHY , Contractor. CONAWAY & DREXEL , Managers Nation-
a' Ltfe , Hartford Conn.
THIRD FLOOR.
FIDELITY HUPTUR13 CO. JOHN A WAKttFIKLD. Lumber ,
PROVIDENT SAVINUa LIFE AS3UR-
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. U. TRAUERMAN , Attorney. PROVIDENT LIFE AND TRUST COM
EQUITY M. COURT , Rooms Nos. fl and 7. PANY , Philadelphia ; A. Lunslns , General
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ROYAL ARCANUM LODGE ROOMS. j
Elegant office' ' rooms with all modern conveniences ; Apply
to R. W , Baker , Supt. , room 105 Bee Building ,