Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-07-22

Our mine, the SpondulIx OF COlorad'
was the highest on the range. Il va
B90 feet above Silver Brick Station
and nine miles distant from the viIlag,
From the works up 20 the mines thsr
was broad. hard, smooth road, use
: for cartine ore down from the mine
: and hauling the supplies Up. Tn
Z average grade down the mountain va
. 30 feet 20 the mile; in some places
was considerably sleeper, and at inter
walls almost level. The road vas mad
partly on the bare rock that wound q
, the guich; presently il climbed outsid
the road-bed had been blasted out O
the solid rock, or cut into the perpen
diculaf side of the mountain; but every
where the road was almost as smootl
and hard as the floor. knowing that
loose stone might cost the lives of boil
teamster and team, where sometime
the brakes would not entirely check tn.
descent Of an ore-wagon, until one o.
the nearly level places had been reached
the teamsters were careful to kesp ths
surface of the road clean and smooth
BY constant practice managed to rid.
my hfty-two inch University" roadster
up the whole slope Of the Spondulix, OF
course resting at levels, but nay chief de-
light was the coasting down again; it re-
CURED skill. good deal Of nerve, and a
nrm grasp of the brake. One evening
an accident occurred to one of those en-
gagged at the mine. instantly got our
bycicle, explaining that / could 90
svifter than horse down the slope. In
a few minutes had on my riding suit
and was off.
The night was clear and crisp; full
moon, except in few curves, shone d.
rectly into the gulch, lighting up the
road. Leaning we'll back, with my legs
over the handles, and q firm finger on
| the brake, / allowed the wheel to glide
down the first long slope at a speed
had never dared venture before. Find
ing the motion safe, / allowed the ma
chine to run faster and still faster.
| shot like An arrow oyer the first level.
Down the next slope ssemed to 90 like
the rushing wind. Then / turned a
| curve and ran into the shadow of the
mountain on the next level. knowing
every inch of the road. however, did
not slacken speed, except very 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 put down the brake
hard, and checked my speed materially.
Still, / knew the road so we'll that had
no fear. But just as was on the steep
est plunge of the slops-clink. Some
thing flew from the machine like bull
let. Instantly the wheel darted off 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 of in the elbow There
was nothing to check the machine, that
was Running away with me, with over
five miles of mountain grade before me,
and the chance OF meeting team at
any moment in the dark. might have
leaped backward off the machine at the
moment of the break, but five seconds
afterward it was too late.
To attempt dismount would be GER
tain death. There was nothing to do
but to stick to the saddle and take my
chances. Within thirty seconds the
machine had acquired velocity never
The sensation was like that of falling
through the air. The rush of the at
mosphere past me was like a fearful
gale. The wheel no longer felt the ine-
qualities of the road. 1t seemed to
glide smoothly over a perfect plane.
felt no sense of shocks from pebbles, or
hollows, or protuberances. In fact, l
believe that there were many places, es-
pecially when l shot over the brow of a
sleeper incline, where the whole ma
chine took flying hop, or rather a
long, Swimming glide through the air,
without touching the road. 1t was lucky
that had practiced so much coastino
down this very road, and that knew
every inch of it thoroughly. Going at
that amazing speed, leaning far back in
the saddle, the steering was somewhat
novel and peculiar. Tho speed gave
the wheel such an obstinate disposition
to keep on q straight line that could
not have turned short curve if l had
tried. A very little too much turning
of the steering bar would have wrencbed
it instantly from my hands and smashed
the wheels to fragments. But my prac-
tice had taught me the necessity of
making my curves long and easy when
coasting at great speed; and, by instinct,
nav grasp upon the steering-b bar was
that of desperation, both my arms
being kept as firm, yet flexible, as spring
steel.
When the accident happened l was
just entering dark curve in the shadow
OF the mountain. The wall on my right
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, i could see the moon
light shining far ahead on the point of
the elbow which / must tuln where the
road was channeled into the wall. As
approached it had the tense and nerve
to run on the outer side of the road. and
close to the edge of the canyon, thus
giving myself as broad turn az posi-
BILE. found by the track of the wheel
afterward, that at the sharpest turn
had actually ridden within three inches
OF the extreme edge for several rods,
where. II ! had been goinga at a less fear
full speed, the wheel would certainly
have slipped over the edge, and carried
me down fall OF thousand feet Safe
past this. the worst point, the remain
ing curves were easy. Thus far, there
had been no time to think. Nv actions
were moro instructive than from reason
ing. My mind was a wild, confused
whirl of sensations and fears. But.
now, as shot down the last incline,
suddenly experienced terrible mental
shock. Il was caused BY hearing the
tinkie of a bell far below and seeing the
spark of lantern such as the mine
teamsters carry in front of their wagons.
There was team, perhaps train of
teams, coming up the road. In few
seconds should be upon them. The
shock made me think, and that clearly.
II the teamster was walking beside his
team, he would be ON the inside, next to
the mountain wall, and the team would
be in the middle Of the road. II he
was riding the team would be kept near
the mountain wall, and at a safe dis
tance from the outer edge Of tho track.
Either way my best chance was to pass
ON the outside. As approached, there
fore, ran Close to the outside edge of
the track, and few by in safety, hearing
the teamster shout a. did so. Here L
was lucky that was going at such great
speed, for the teamster saw the red LIGHT
OF my lantern when was nearly a mile
distant. and, recognizing 1t. he started
his team toward the outer edge of the
road. so as to give me the safest passage
on the inside; bat was upon and past
him before the team could be driven
over, otherwise should surely have run
into them.
And now the wheel ran along the
level at the bottom Of the mountain,
and my friehtful velocity did not psr-