The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-02
RODE DOWN THE CAPITOL STEPS
A WheeIman's Desperate and Reck-
less Feat-NO Bones
Washington Star

Washington Star
William Shields, of Woonsocket. r. l.,
rode down the steps of the west front of
the Capitol Wednesday afternoon on a BIZ
cycle and lives to-day to tell the tale. Per
haps 1t would be more exact to say that
he dropped slantwise from the top or the
terrace to the ground below while astr1de
of a wheel. There is no question that he
accomplished the feat, for he was photo
graphed during his rapid descent. and the
inco%ntrovertible product of the camera Is
on exhibition to convince the skeptics.
TO ride down the steps on the west front,
though riders have accomplished the feat
on the east steps. The scene of the per-
Torrance was the ascent, or rather de-
scent leading to the Maryland avenue en-
trance to the grounds. Here there are
four flights Of steps mounting the terrace.
The two lower flights Of sixteen steps each
are broken by a landing about ten feet In
width, then there are another landing about
twice as wide and the two upper nights
of tWenty-one steps each, these IN turn pc
ing separated by a landing of equal width
to that of the lower steps. Thus there are
seventy-four steps and three landings 10 pc
passed over in the descent. Every one who
has Wake up these steps realize how steep
they are. and will no doubt wonder that
any one could successfully ride down them
Shields waited until the steps and APP
breaches were entirely clear of visitors,
and then placing his bicycle at the brink
of the steep incline, swung easily into the
saddle and began the perilous descent. Be
fore reaching the bottom of the uppermost
flight ne lOSC MS p6QdlS, dlld hldhAiiS ~
attempt to regain them, sat rlgldly upright
in the saddle, his feet hanging clear or the
rapidly revolving cranks, holding to the
handle bars with a wise like grip, and his
ewes fastened fiXedly on the path at the
bottom. 1t only lasted for about fifteen
seconds, but the intensity OF the strain in
creased much more rapidly than the sec
onds passed. Gathering momentum with
every foot of the downward passage, the
rider seemed to be going as II shot out OF
the mouth of a canno When ne reached
the third and last landing the velocity of
he literally leaped over the final flight of
sixteen steps to the bottom. His wheel did
not touch a single one of the steps, but
took an onward and downward bound for
the bottom. Then it was the few who wit
messed the descent shuddered, the momen-
tum attained being so great as to pitch
the rider over the last flight. He left the
saddle, but at the bottom wheel and rider
fell in a heap. Shields escaped, however,
without a serious bruise. The wheel which
he was riding did not loosen a bolt or yield
at any point under the strain to which it
was put. and aside from a twisted handle
bar, received at the fall at the bottom,
cane out of the ordeal without a scratch.
Shields 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. Courthouse steps, city hall steps and
steps to monuments are his especial de-
light. and out in Cincinnati he even at
tempted to ride out of a second-story win
dow down a painters ladder to the street
below.