Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-07-06
LIGHTNING BICYCLE RIDE.
Down II Mountain Grade Which Fell
800 Feet to the Mile.

A LIGHTNING BICYCLE RIDE.
Down II Mountain Grade which Fell
800 Feet to the Mile.
From the Washington National Republican,
Our mine, the Spondulix of Colorado, was
the highest of tho range 1t was 2G70 feet
above Silver Brick station, and nine miles
distant from the village. From the works
up to the mines there was broad, hard,
smooth road used for carting ore down
from the mines and hauling supplies up,
The average grade down the mountain was
300 feet TO the mile in some places it was
sleeper, and at intervals almost level.
BY constant practice | managed at last to
ride my 52-inch University roadster up the
whole slope to the Sponduix, of course rest
ing at levels, but my chief delight was the
coasing down again; it required skill, a
good deal of nerve and firm grasp of the
brake.
One evening an accident occurred to one
OF the men at the mine. | instantly got out
my bicycle, explaining that could go swift
er than horse down the slope. In few
minutes had on my riding suit and was Off
The night air was clear and crisp; the full
moon, except in few curves, shone directly
into the gulch, lighting up the road. Lean
ing well back, with my legs over the handles
and firm finger on the brake, allowed the
wheel to glide down the first long slope at a
speed whc, had never dared venture before.
Finding the motion safe, | allowed the ma
chine to run faster aud still faster. Over the
first level shot like an arrow. Down the
next slope seemed TO glide with the rushing
wind. Then l turned curve and ran into
the shadow of the mountain upon the next
level. Knowing every inch of the road
however, did not slacken my speed, except
very slightly.
AS | flew over the top of the next slope,
a steep plunge of nearly half mile, another
curve completely shut out the moon, making
the road almost as dark as a pocket. Here
put down the brake hard and checked my
speed materially. Still knew the road SO
well that had no fear. But just as was on
the seepcst plunge OF the slope
Clink
Something flew from the machine like a
bullet. Instantly the wheel darted forward
like the rush of frightened bird, while the
brake lever came home to the steering bar
under my finger.
The broke had broken short off at the elbow
There was nothing to check the machine,
which was running away with me, with over
five miles OF mountain grade before me, and
the chance of meeting team at any mo-
ment in the dark. l might have leapcd
backward off the machine at the instant of
the break but five seconds afterward it was
too late. To attempt a dismount would be
certain death. There was nothing to do
but stick to the saddle and take my chances.
When the accident happened to the brake
was just entering dark curve in the
shadow of the mountain. The wall on my
light appeared a dark, almost invisible
brown, while the chasm on my left was of
an inky blackness. AS | rounded the hol-
low of the curve l could see the moonlight
shining far ahead on the point of the elbow
which must turn where the road was chan
ncled into the wall. AS approached it
had the sense and nerve to run on the outer
side of the road, close to the edge of the can
yon, thus giving myself as broad a turn as
possible. found by the track Of The wheel
afterward that at the slarpest turn had ac-
tually ridden within three inches of the eX'
treme edge for several rods, where, if | hac
been going at a less fearful speed, the whee
would certainly have slipped over the edge
and carried me down fall of 1000 feet.
Safely past this, the worst point, the re-
naming curves were easy. Thus far there
had been no time to think. My actions were
more instructive than reasoning. My mine
was Wild confused whrl of sensations ant
| fears.
| But now, as ! shot down the last steer
incline, l suddenly experienced terrlbl,
mental shock. 1t was caused by hearing TIL,
tnlle of q bell far below and seeing the
spark of II lantern such as the mine team
stcrs carry in front of their wagons. There
was a team, perhaps train OF teams, com
ing up the road In few seconds shou!C
| ho frk, ph,,k nln ;nl,
and that clearly. If the teamster was walk
ing beside his team he would be on the iu
side, next TO the mountain wall, and the team
would be in the middle of the road
he was riding the team would be KEEP
near the mountain wall at safe dis
tance from the outer edge OF the track
Either way my best chance was to pass OF
the outside. AS approached, therefore,
ran close to the outside edge of the track
and flew by in safety, hearing the teamste
shout as ! did so. Here it was lucky that
was going at such speed, for the teamste
saw the red light of my lantern when wa,
nearly mile distant, and, recognizing it a
once, he started his team ,oward the outer
most edge of the road, so as to give me the
safest passage on the inside but had pass
ed him before the team could be driven over
otherwise should assuredly have run into
them.
And now the wheel ran along the level t,
the bottom of the mountain; still my fright
full velocity did not perceptbly diminish.
ran on past the works aud into and along thu
village street. Luckily the street was cover
ed thinly with sand not enough to make i
bad riding, but sufficiently to gradually stol
a coasting wheel. My speed slackened per
ceptibly. Still ran nearly through the vii
lagc, and then managed to turn broad cor
ner up the slope of a side street, which final
ly checked my speed 50 that ventuted t,
drop my feet cautiously and take the pedals
after touching them as they came up for
number of revolutions, to help check tn
machine.
And so finally stopped and leaped to thu
ground, exactly in front of DIR. Cameron
house.
On mounting nj the mine house / la,
; looked at my watch after a habit | have
and now, from the same habit, looked a
it again. was not astonished to find ha
made the nine miles from the mine to III
. Doctors in a few seconds less than 13 mir
, utes. Allowing 81 for the first two miles
before the brake gave way, and Imust hav
made the last seven miles in less than
minutes. | firmly believe that | covere
, seven miles in less than 6t minutes, incred
BILE as such speed seems.
A Baby's Death.