Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-07-06
Chas. M. Murphy Rides a
Mile in 81 as Seconds
on Planked Road.
WAS PACED BY AN ENGINE
Great Display of Nerve and speed
Thousands Watched tho Rider-AI-
most Hidden in the Dust-Faiter-
ed at the GINNING of tho
second Half,

New York, June 3o.-Charles VI. Murphy.
OF the Kings County Vince men has de-
monstrated that it Is not the pace that
killS.' He rode a mile after flying loo o.
motive this aft trnOon on a level plank, d
road between tn, rails in - - seconds
the ride was the feature of the J.. A. W.
New York state division meet at
fHtctoGue. 1t was a display of nerve and
speed that made onlookers apprehensive of
the 1ider's life as we'll as thrilled them. 1t
was daring flight through space that not
a Gtcat while back was not tn ought of
IT made those who could get close enough
to realize all that was going on, Cd ID
in amaze ment at the speed Of the rider and
tromhlc tor his safety. although SO far rs
the time was concerned il was Mt sur
prisinE after what had been done At the
trial il Was stirring spectacle that one
would not yearn to see again.
Thousands of people watched Murphy
make his ride though he seemed lost in Il
Whirl of dust as he chung to the year If
the hooded car. He never swerVcd from
the centre of the middle plank. His eyes
were tixed on the white mark on the bu -
Ter; his hands ClenChod the handle bars Of
HI. wheel, half dozen times in the fear
tul dash his machine struck against the
rubber buffer and rebouIdvd. Murphy
chung to il grimy and with Tremendous
EFFORT moved up again to his post .oot
oT two behind the overhanGing rail So
swiftly did his legs move that only "A blur
q flying pedals could be seen by those VIII,
watched he wheelman from the platform
crouChinG figure. riding like one would
RID" Tor life. The slightest accident would
have dashed him to death
10 was little after o'clock when Murphy
mounted his wheel and took his position
llSt back of the car and in the wind-shie id
r the ride. The signal tn, start was Civ
n. a
1he distance from the start to the bcgti-
ning of the mile was thrce-nuar,crS of "a
mile and by the time pace and paced had
reached the end of this the train was
humming along at a clip thar w9s not far
from ~ miles an hour. When the train
reached the first station it flashed by d
group of watchers who had scarce Y
aught a glimpse of the cyclS' before The
cloud If dust which followed the train
nveloped him.
Just before the line maCxing the begin
ninS of the mile was reached Murphy
omed to faltor bit and according to one
Of those on the rear platform, shouted
an aee. The dust was arising in a pos'-
feet cloud but in an instant the stout
hearted racer was back in his position
huGGnr the train. Shooting over the mile
mark the train was fairly Iui1ping
Th" board track what it'll" Of it could
be seen, vanished to the rear with the
rariditI Of lightning flash. Only ten feet
or mere of it could he seen on account Of
swi!lng dust.
1t old not seem as if Murphy could
breathe in the thick atmosphere. but still
lie flew along lightly. swiftly and courage
ouslH. Al the spectators had was one
heoting glimpse of blue sweater.
All went well enough till the half mile
MAJ X was passed, and then came d most
exciting p,riod. which brief as it was.
was llcnty long enough for the spectators
on the train who thought was rider was
going to lose his pace and perhaps meet
with some more serious reverse. just as
the train rushed into the second half mile
Murphy began to drop behind,
Hes losing the train. He's beaten"
was the shout that went up. II did look
that way, but it didn't turn out that waY.
The rider. pedalling desperately. slowly
rcCeded until his wheel was clear Of tho
protecting shed on the car. Come On
Charlie" was yelled to him from tho train
and Charlie heard and did come on. HIS
legs flew around fast they could not
be seen and his head bobhed rap!lly up
and down. His shoulders heaved a.l he at
lower over the handle bars. while the
spectators We're fearful that he would slip
Still further behind and get into tin sue
tiou of the train. whore catching up would
he an mpossibility They saw to their do
light and astonishment as well--for It did
not seem as II any llNlnS thlng COul'i 20
at such a broathless pace-that MulYhy
was holdng his own Not only this. he
was re gaining some of the ground he had
lost
With a magnificent effort and "A ucrvc
that WAS grand he forced part Of hi
front wheel back into the car extension.
The last quarter the train went into
with leap; hut Murphy hung on like
grim death. His front wheel was about
four feet from the fender on the rear
platform when the finish line WIS passed.
The train began to slaCkcr speed Niue
ply shot up to within reaching distance
the train and was seized under the arms
by II. r. Fullcrt IN and James r. Cumn'ns
IF the Long Isllnd road and pulled ahoar
he car He was limp but va, not long in
recovering.
1T was hard work all the way" Murphy
said but | had no tCouhla keeping W
The dust and the effect of the sweeper on
he boards bothered me.
MurphyS pulse was 81 aud mis- tempcra-
uie 99ie WHOM he was taken aboard the
rain. He rode a p pound wheel geared
IN l2o The time of his ride by quarters
L.