Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1883-05-24
A BICYCLE STORY.
Fearful Ride Down "A Mountai

Fearful Ride Down "A Mountain.
Our mine, the Spondulix, of Colo
RADIO, was the highest on the range. II
was 800 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.
and at intervals almost level. The road
was made partly on the bare rock. and
wound up a narrow gulch; presently ii
climbed outside the chaSm. and here al
several places the road-bed had been
blasted out of the solid rock. or cut into
the perpendicular side of the mountain:
but everywhere the road was almost as
smooth and hard rs Il floor. Knowing
that loose stone might cost the lives
of both teamstcr and team, where some
times the brakes would not entirely
check the descent of IN ore-wamon, UNI
Til one of the ncarly-lcvel places had
been reached, the tcamSters were care
full to keep the surface of the road clean
and smooth
BY constant practice | managed at
last to ride my 52-inch 'sUnivcrsitv''
roadster up the whole slope to the
SponduliX, of course resting ut levels,
but my chief delight was the coasting
down again; il required skill, good
deal of nerve, and a 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 swiftcr than a horse
down the slope. In a few minutes
had on my riding-suit and was off.
The night was clear and crisp: the
full moon. except in a few curves,
shonc directly into the yulch. 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 ut 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
seemed to glide on the rushing wind.
Then | turned a 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,
a steep plunge of nearly half a 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 50
well that 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 "A frightened
bird, while the brake lever came home
to the steering 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 it
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-
ton was like that of falling through the
air. The rush of the atmosphere past
me was like fearful gale The wheel
no longer felt the inequalities of the
road. 1t seemed to glide smoothly over
a perfect plane. | felt no sense of
shocks from pebbles. or hollowS, or
protubcrances. In fact, believe that
there were many places, especially
when shot over the brow of q sleeper
incline, where the whole machine took
a flying hop. or rather long. skim
ming glide through the air, without
touching the road.
1t was lucky that had practiced so
much coastiny down this very road. and
that l knew every inch of it so thorough
ly. Going at that amazing speed. lean
ing far back in the saddle, the steering
was somewhat novel and peculiar. The
speed gave the wheel such an obstinate
disposition to keep on a straight line
that l could not have turned short
curve if had tried A verv little too
much turning of the steering-ba would
have wrenched it instantly from my
hands, and smashed the wheels to frag-
ments. But my practice had taught me
the necessity of making my curves long
and easy when coasting at great speed;
and by instinct my grasp upon the
steering-bar was that of desperation.
both my arms being kept as firm, vet
flexible. as spring steel.
When the accident happened, l was
just entering dark curve in the shadow
of the mountain. The wall on NV right
appeared dark, almost invisible
brown while the chasm on my left was
of an inky blackness AS rounded the
hollow of the curve, / could see the
moonlight shining far ahead on the
point of the elbow which must turn
where the road was channeled into the
we!l' As ] approached 1t ! had tho