The morning times., 1897-01-31

driven by seven crack riders and they
will shortly attempt to cover mile in
less than sixty seconds. The big machine
withits spread OF canvas presents u strange
spectacle.
Frank ] Marion or Syracuse, y. Y, who
got up the world-famcd race between
tile Empire State express and sextet.
in which the bicycle came Off victor,
designed this latest cycling sensation. The
idea of machine which could carry a
spread OF canvas and seven men is abso
lutely unique.
Incnsting about for some means by which
the riders OF this, the largest practical
machine ever constructed. could receive
additional aid in their record breaking
attempt. Mr., Marion one day conceived
the idea of adding sail power TO the ma
chine.
The subject of adding two big sails to
the machine was suggested to II f. Mas
lin, who is himself an enthusiast upon the
subject OF record breaking by quintet
seXtct and septuplct riders, and after some
discussion and study OF the matter ii was
decided to rig the huge machine with
sails and see what would result when
with seven strong-lirnbed riders and two
drawing sails it 81 o;Ild be set going against
time.
The idea was decid edly novel one,
for while sails on single bicycles had
previously been tried with more or less
success, the idea of actually rigging big
seven rider machine with complete suit
or sails, which should he controlled by the
riders, was something decidedly new in
the history OF cycling. This scptuplet is
an exact counterpart of the scxtet which
raced the Empire State Express, with the
single exception that whereas the Sextet
carried six riders, the septupet, as its
name implies, has seven.
1t has never been shown in this country,
but was sent as soon as it was constructed
to Paris. where 1t remainedfor two months,
after which il was shown by its riders
in a number of cities OF Europe. 1t
was then taken to London, where it was
constant source of wonder and comment
TO the English riders. The machine has
just been returned to this country. and
immediately on its arrival here Severn
Dorion, well-known designer Of small
sail boats, was consulted and after cOnsld-
Grafton of the plan. Saidhe saw no noreasun
why a suit of sails should not work as
well on big machine as upon a sail boat
or ice boat. He was accordingly given
the order to make proper suit OF sails
for the machine, and these have just been
fitted on to the light spars which carry
them.
The maStS are Of wood, light but very
strong. The forward one is fitted or
stepped into metal holder or socket
which rises from the framework Of the
machine. just back OF the scat OF the
first rider, while the second mast is placed
between the sixth and last riders. The
forward mast is about IL feet in length,
while the second or rear stick is some
feet shorter. The rig is almost that of
| q canoe. The sails are somewhat TRAN
| Eular in shape, and, when set, are kept
| in position by numerous small gaffs which
| are in the nature of small booms running
from the mast through the sails to their
| outer edges.
The sails are controlled by the second
| and seventh riders. by means of system
OF cords and pulleys, in the same mann er
| as the sails of a canoe are governed. The
lower booins are on level with the seats
| OF the riders, but inasrnuch as there is
| very little tacking done when the ma
4
| not so great disadvantage as it at first
! appears. When however, it is necessary
| to come about or set the sails on the other
| side of the machine, the booms can be
/ raised by cord and pulley, so as to clear
| the heads OF the riders and allow the sails to
| swing across clear. The upper gaff OF the
| front or larger sail extends several feet
| above the top of the mast, while the boom
| projects outward about twelve feet from
| the machine. This gives a sail area OF
| approximately 126 square feet, while the
| second or rear sail has an area of about
| eighty-fiye square feet, thus giving COM
| bined sail area OF something over 200 square
| feet.
In the preliminary trials which have
| has been demonstrated that while the sails
| are under certain conditions OF the wind
| of very material assistance to the riders
| in tie matter Of speed, they cannot be used
to advantage with any breeze which may
/ blow. Under certain conditions OF wind tie
| big sail area holds the wind, and on several
| occasions tie seven ri.lers have had TO do
| performances in order to avoid anaSty spill.
| When, however, the wind is fair the sails
carry the machine along at rate which
equals that of a railway train, ans, in fact,
exceeds the speed OF many local trains.
The big machine, with its sails AID its
crew of athletic riders, is now all ready
for the race against the record, when it Il