Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-06-23
A BICYCLE STORY.
Fearful Ride Down a Mountain

Fearful Ride Down a Mountain.
Our mine, the Spondulix, of Colo.
RADIO, was the highest on the range. II
was $50 feet above Silver Brick Sta
ton, 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 three hundred feet to the mile; in
Some places it was considerably sleeper,
-an0 at intervals almost level. The road
was made partly on the bare rock, and
wound up narrow gulch; presently it
climbed outside the chasm, and here at
several places the rOad-bed had been
blasted out of the solid rock, or cut into
the perpendicular side of the mountains;
but everywhere the road was almost as
smooth and hard as floor. Knowing
that loose stone might cost the lives
'of both teamster and team, where some
times the brakes would not entirely
check the descent of an ore-wagon, I'M
til one of the nearly-level places had
been reached, the teamsters were care
full to keep the surface of the road clean
and smooth.
BY constant practice I managed at
last to ride my 52-inch "University"
roadster up the whole slope to the
Spondulix, of course resting at levels,
but my chief delight was the coasting
down again; it required skill, a good
deal of nerve, and firm grasp of the
brake
One evening an accident occurred to
one of those engaged at the mine. /
instantly got out my bicycle, explain
ing that could go swifter than horse
down the slope. In few minutes L
had on my riding-suit and was Off
The night was clear and crisp; the
full moon, except in few curves,
shone directly into the gulch, lighting
up the road. Leaning 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 which / never dared to venture
before. Finding the motion safe, al:
lowed the machine to run faster, and
still faster Over the first level shot
like an arrow. Down the next slope L
seemed to glide on the rushing wind.
Then / turned curve and ran into the
shadow of the mountain upon the next
level. Knowing every inch of the road
however, did not slacken speed except
slightly.
AS flew over the top of the next slope,
steep plunge of nearly half mile, an
other curve completely shut out the
moon, making the road almost as dark
as pocket. Here l put down
the brake hard, and checked my speed
materially. Still / knew the road SO
well that 1 had no fear. But just as /
was upon the steepest plunge of the
slope
Clink!
Something flew from the machine
like bullet. Instantly the wheel dart
ed forward like the rush of frightened
bird, while the brake lever came home
to the steerng-bar under my finger
The brake had broken short off in the
elbow!
There was nothing to check the ma
chine, which was running away with
me, with over five miles of mountain
grade before me, and the chance OF
meeting team any moment in the
dark. / might have leaped backward
off the machine at the instant of the
break, but five seconds afterwards il
was too Late. To attempt dismount
would be certain death. There was
nothing to do but stick to the saddle
and take my chances.
Within thirty seconds the machine had
acquired velocity never before ex-
perienced by mortal rider. The sensa-
tion was like that of falling through the
air. The rush of the atmosphere past
me was like a fearful gale. The wheel
no longer felt the inequalities of the
road. 1t seemed to glide smoothly over
perfect plane. l felt no sense of
shocks from pebbles, or hollows, or
protuberances. In fact, believe that
there were many places, especially
when shot over the brow of sleeper
incline, where the whole machine took