New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-01
ONE MILE IN 81 4-5 SECONDS
MURPHY MAKES WONDERFUL.
WHEEL RECORD
A HAIR-RAIsING RIDE WHICH SETS A NEW
PACE FOR BICYCLE RIDERS-DE-
TAILS OF THE WILD RACE
AGAINST TIME BEHIND
LONG ISLAND RAIL
ROAD ENGINE


LONG ISLAND RAIL
ROAD ENGINE.
Charles NJ. Murphy. OF Brooklyn yesterday
afternoon accomplished the ambition Of his life
| when he rode a mile in less than a minute az
Patchogue Long Island paced by a locomotive
The official time for the most remarkable per-
formance in the history OF modern sports was
% 40 seconds. The officials who were on the
car and saw the performance were reputable
men, who have served for years as timers at
some OF the most important athletic and bicycle
contests In New-York. The accuracy OF their
/ timing is unquestioned. was also the fact
/ that the course between the tracks was exactly
one mile. James +. Sullivan, OF the Amateur
Athletic Union. and competent surveyors and
engineers. went over the course measured II
carefully and then made affidavit Of the fact
that the measurements were correct before q
notary public.
The performance OF yesterday is the final re.
/ suit of a conversation which took place nearly
/ ten years ago between James f. Sullivan, Fred
/ w. Burns and Charles NJ. Murphy, and several
/ other men who are or have been prominently
connected with amateur athletics Murphy
made the statement at that time that he be-
/ lieved he would be able TO ride mile minute
behind a locomotive. Few agreed with him.
! but the conversation was brought UP at inter-
walls. The officials of several railroads were
appealed to to have the trial made but one
/ after another refused until II. b. Fullerton, of
the League OF American Wheelmen induced the
Long Island Railroad to take up the matter.
and the actual preparations for the perform
ance were begun less than a month ago. Mr.
Fullerton is the vice-consul Of the League OF
American Wheemen OF this state. and he de-
termned that the trial against time should be
made in connection with the State meet OF the
division, which is being held In Patchogue
There were about twenty-five men the car
which attached to the engine at the tine
Of the performance and out OF the lot there
is not man who would to repeat the
( experience. There were blanched faces all along
/ that stretch OF road running through scrub. oak
and pine but on board the train there were not
! only blanched faces. but starting eyes and hard
| ly breath was drawn during the terrible ride.
! Men who have taken part in all branches OF
sport turned pale. Men who have given and
,,ceved knockout blows In the prize-ring found
! their jaws firmly set and their eyes almost
/ starting out OF their sockets.
1t was a spectacle to the heart 10 fut-
ter and then to refuse for the minute to do what
Nature intended it should do. The blood seemed
to stop in the veins for a brief interval and
then started coursjng at a speed calculated to
upset reason. 1t a spectacle which no man
can fully appreciate who was not there on the
spot. 1t was thing which no man will wish
to see second time.
No fault could be found with the management
Of the trial. Only half a dozen al
lowed on the platform Of the hooded car.
and before the mile had been made every one
| of that haf-dozen had something to do which
required nerves OF steel and cool head
1t was possible to have in such position.
The timers were at the windows on the inside
of the where they would have perfect
view Of the different timing flags the engine
Numbered past. The start was marked with
two immense red flags. bordered on each side
by a green and white flag. The finishing
point was marked in the same way. while flags
marked The course at each quarter. The Ave
1O-inch planks between the car tracks had been
polished until they shone in the sunlight as the
engineer sent the pacing outfit over the course
TO see that all the machinery was in good work.
/ ing order.
MANY WATCHERS OF THE RACE.
Many people had come from New-York and
Brooklyn to witness the performance, while the
residents from the neighboring towns drove to
the scene in conveyances OF all sorts. from the
stylish drag from the summer homes Of the
rage of the farmer. Hundreds more came on
! bicycles. Pretty women sat on the tops OF the
four-in- hands. and others rested among the
scrub oak and pine alongside the track. It was
not unlike the spectacle sometimes seen at
country fair.
A quarter OF mile from the finish drag
was conspicuous for the number OF pretty
women it contained. On the front seat sat Mrs.
Murphy trying to look brave and confident, but
with her heart in her throat. and with unbidden
tears ready to gush forth at any minute. She
seemed 10 see her husband ground Into bits by
that monster Of iron, steel and steam, but the
brave little woman knew that the trial was the
ambition Of her husbands life and she would
not have told him to stop She was sending
him forth to accomplish something no man had
ever done before something which required
nerve and determination possessed by few men,
something requiring suppleness OF muscle and
alertness Of eye possessed by few Now that
Murphy has done it. some other men Will try to
do the same and possibly some Of them may
succeed. Before they get through. however.
some Of them are likely to be killed
II was nearly o'clock when the engineer
blew the whistle a signal for the spectators 70
clear the track that the flight against time was
TO begin Murphy in an ordinary SUIT OF racing
! clothes, tights and jersey sat on h' ""ee' w.
hind the car for a few minutes "hiie the
photographers worked their cameras. ana
worked them quickly. Then the signal was
given for the start and Murphy looked up at
his friends on the rear platform and smiled He
was cool and collected although his face showed
that he was entering on an ordeal which he
Lnew might end in his death. He remembered
the hard work he had had the week before In
his trial. and the conditions yesterday were to
No more exactlng and desperate. He had In
aro..ed his gear from l12 to 100. and decreased
The weight OF the machine to twenty and half
rounds There was not an ounce OF superhuous
weight anywhere, for every ounce In such q
trial would mean much.