The record-union., 1896-08-12
THE Big FOWLER SEXTET.
Kate Swan the First Woman TO Ride the
Monster.
She Describes Her Sensations While
on a Fast Spin at
Tyrone, Pa.


Gle built for six-that was exhibited in
Sacramento last year, was shown at
Tyrone, Pa, on the 25th of July. Kate
Swan, who was one of the crew, writes
the following description of her ride to
the New York ''World':
Twelve legs move as one, twelve ped
ais turn once around, and with one
bound the powerful sextet wheel ami
hilates thirtyeight feet of space.
1t is the sensation of being a giant
esS.
To cover as much space with one
stride, as this machine under the six
OF us does, should have to be a giant
ess more than lis feet tall.
1t was the strangest cycle ride ever
woman had, and it was my first ex-
perience with a wheel of any kind. 1t
was also the first time woman has
filed seat on the famous Fowler sex
tet that is to race in August with the
Empire State express.
For five days / had waited in Tyrone,
Pa, where the wheel was due to race,
just for the chance to ride the Sextet.
But the big wheel had been spirited off
the route by an express company, and
10 trace of it could be discovered.
When it did arrive the mountains
pricked rain clouds and let loose tor
rents of water into the valley of the
Juinata. The races had been postponed,
but Wooden's half-mile track was like
hard floor by noon yesterday. Rid
ing sextet is attended by vastly more
excitement than any plain bicycle can
provide. Then a $1,000 machine has
TO be treated with great consideration.
When it caroms off and waylays a
fence the chance of rupturing $1,000
tire Is enough to paralyze the nerves
of any ordinary person.
Six riders had to be found some
where. They were all scorchers and 1t
took them and half a dozen amateur
attendants to give me the first lesson.
The wheel travels in a big trunk.
When its 13S pounds were lifted out of
the car and placed on the ground 1t
looked very mischievous.
rs she all right?" asked George
Thomas. the Fowler agent at Altoona,
Ia whose charge the machine was for
the races.
''She isl was the reply, as couple
eff men ran their eyes over the green
machine from stem to stern. The six
men got into green, red, blue and yellow
harlequin racing suits, and ran the ma
chine down onto the track. Only one
man, Thomas, had ever been on a SEX
tet before, but after two miles run
on the track, with five men in the sad
dles, Thomas said: "Now, you may fill
the sixth seat, Miss Swan"
Frankly, the sextet, with It's five
harlequin-clad riders, was a wild de-
iirium to me. 1t seemed like an invita-
ton to mount a gorgeous, ,writhing pyth-
on that was likely to crush me in a
tangle of it's length. The length of
the machine Is thirteen feet, and 1 dis
like that number, of course. The sex
tet has a diamond frame, and 1 had
provided a short skirt.
1t was decided to put me on the
fourth seat, and I mounted first. Mr.
Thomas occupied the front seat, and
On his steering depended the number
of fences we should strike. Thomas is
not very big man, but he's cool and
nervy.
Now, boys, all on" he cried. Roy
Rose, Tyrone's "crack kid" rider,
swung into seat No. 2; Samuel Ross
of Tyrone swung into No. 3, just be-
fore me. Farren Zerbe was behind me
and the man over the rear wheel was
Harry Wertz, the Canoe Valley
Scorcher"
Starting is not play for children A
couple of men steadied the machine,
for in mounting it is supported by at
tendants, and does not come under con-
troll Of the riders until a speed of about
eight miles an hour is reached. Every
body inquired If 1t was all right.
mo matter what happens, don't
scream; just keep still and don't think
you're going to fau off," Mr.. Thomas
said. I clutched the low, curved han
ole bars, designed for racing, and felt
a bit of terror at my audacity in try
ing to help ride such a powerful piece
OF mechanism.
I've got the wheel straight, push
her SLOW" Thomas said to the mer
running beside the sextet. Then wt
began to move, oh, SO slowly, like &
ship at launching.
Faster" called Thomas as the ma.
chine got under way. Now, let hel
CO.,
The men sprang away and we swep
along with increasing speed. Bending
over the handle bars, my nose within
an inch Of the spine of No. 3, didn'