Evening star., 1897-04-01

broken by several landings.
1t fS believed that until Yesterday no
Wheelman ever attempted to ride down the
steps on the west front, though riders have
accomplished the feat on the east steps,
The scene of yesterdays performance was
the ascent, or rather descent leading to the
Maryland avenue entrance to, the grounds.
Here there are four flights of steps mount
ing the terrace. The two lower flights of
sixteen steps each are broken by landing
about ten feet in width, then there are an
other landing about twice as wide and the
two upper flights of twenty-one steps EACH
these In turn being separated by landing
OF equal width to that of the lower steps
Thus there are seventy-four steps and
three landings to be passed over in the de-
scent. Every one who has walked up these
steps realizes how steep they are. and will
no, doubt wonder that any one could sue
cessfully ride down them astride of a BIZ
cycle.
The Downward Flight.
Shields waited until the steps and ap-
proaches were entirely clear of visitors. and
then, placing his bicycle at the brink of the
steep incline, swung easily into the sad
die and began the perilous descent. Before
reaching the bottom of the uppermost flight
he lost his pedals, and making no attempt
to regain them. sat rigidly upright in the
saddle his feet hanging clear Of the rapidly
revolving cranks. holding to the handle
bars with d vise-Iike grip, and his eyes fas-
tened fxedly on the path at the bottom 1t
only lasted for about fifteen seconds but
the intensity of the strain increased much
more rapidly than the seconds passed
dathering momentum with every foot of
the downward passage, the rider seemed to
be going as If shot out of the mouth of a
cannon. When he reached the third and
last landing, the velocity of his descent had
reached such a point that he literally
leaped over the final flight of sixteen stems
to the bottom. His wheel did not touch a
single one OF the steps, but took an onward
ana downward bound for the bottom Then
1t was the few who witnessed the d scent
shuddered, the momentum attained being
so great as to pitch the rider over the
last flight. He left the saddle, but at the
oottom wheel and rider fell In a heap
Shields escaped, however, without a serious
brulse. The Sterling wheel which he was
rldlng did not loosen a bolt or yield at any
point under the severe strain to which if
was put, and aside from a twisted handle
bar, received at the fall at the bottom
came out of the ordeal without a scratch
Sh1elds seems to have a penchant for rid
ing down the steps of buildings He has
been out In Ohio and Kentucky astonishing
the people in that section with his daring
feats. Court house steps. city hall stens
and steps to monuments are his especial
delight, and out in Cincinnati he even at
tempted to ride out of a second-story win
dew down painters ladder to the street
below.
Just for Practice.
Yesterday morning, Just in the way of
practice, he went to the south front of the
State, War and Navy building, and rode
down the steep fight there. This, he said.
was easy, as there were no landings to b..
encountered, and consequently no danger
of being pitched off the steps.
The wheel on which the descent was
made has been placed in the show window
OF the company. 14th street and New York
avenue, where will also be exhibited the
photograph OF Shields taken during his
descent. Besides initiating that noteworthy
achievement of his New England proto-
type. the sturdy Gen. Israel Putnam, Shields
Is said to be a very clever trick rider. He
makes up as a Reuben from Wayback, and
with rough boots, short faded coat, paper
collar, yellow necktie, rusty, low-crowned
derby hat, goggles and a tawny wig, and
riding open-mouthed through the streets,
attracts staring crowds Of the curious. He
will doubtless appear on the streets of
Washington in this rig, q costume for
which he has several times been awarded
prizes in bicycle parades. Exaggerated
are not strictly novelties in the
city. especially during the theatrical sea-
son. but this is perhaps the first time the
capital has been visited by Reuben of the
wheel