The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-07-01
Charles Murphy, a New York Cyclist,
Does the Trick.
PACED BY AN ENGINE
FIFTY SEVEN AND FOUR-FIFTHS
SECONDS THE ACTUAL TIME.
Ride Was Made On Path Between
Tracks and Rider Was Protected
From the Wind By a Hood-Had
to Be Lifted On Train at End
Details of the Race.

New York, June 3o.-Charles NJ. Muir
ply, of the Kings county wheelmen,
rode mile on a bicycle paced by a To-
connective in 81 40 seconds today. His
course was a two-mile board track on
siding of the Long Island railway.
Murphy followed an engine and day
coach, the latter being provided with
q mood. which acted as wind shield
for the rider. The board track was lalG
<near haywood, l.. l., and extended
from that station two miles east and
was as nearly perfect TO a level as skill
could make il. Fully 5000 people saw
Murphy make his daring ride.
q ENGINEER Sam Booth had his hand on
the throttle of engine "A when the word
WAS given to start, ten minutes past
D, the engine started al a rapid rate and
before 400 yards had been traVersed
was running at a rate OF more than
fifty miles an hour. Murphy was keep
ing well within the hood. As they
neared the beginning of the mile
stretch the pace was a mile a minute
and cloud of dust obscured every
thing from the view of the spectators
who lined the banks on either side.
On entering this pace which would
test his speed. Murphy in reply to a
query, shouted: I'm all right, send
her along" but there was no neces-
sity for his remarks as to speed as the
engineer was sending the big steam
flyer along at top speed. The quarter
was reached in Is seconds and the aaf
in % % The timers for the three
quarters were MessrS. Bieges and Stoll,
the former registering A and the latter
43 A.. AT the finish two of the
watches showed 81 As, one 81 So, an
other SIS, and the fifth 5134, which was
held by Sheriff Creamer. The timers
kTTrrrhy had covered the
distance IL 81 AS seconds.
Watched the Rider.
Those on the back platform watched
Murphy all through his wonderful ride
stated that the riders handle bars had
knocked against the rubber buffet at
least six times and each time the con-
cussion sent him back fully six teet,
but Murphy always had strength
enough to regain this distance. Dur
ing the last quarter of a mile the rider
covered the ground for the greater part
fully a wheels length outside of the
hood, but as he passed the finish he
was close up
lust then two strong men on board
the train reached down and seized the
rider by either arm and lifted him
aboard the car in safety Their action
undoubtedly saved Murphy's life, be-
cause he was then in such weak con-
dition that had he been allowed to re-
main on the wheel he would have been
unable to control it and serious II
not a fatal accident might have hap
pened.
Murphy was carried to the front part
of the car and laid on a cot, where a
physician administered to him and in
less than five minutes the cycHst Was
able to converse with those around him.
Murphy seemed dazed at first and said
in answer to queries as to why he Tell
back so many times:
II did that so that / might not come
in contact with the planks which were
being torn up in front of me.
Later OF, however, he did not refer
to this, but said:
Boys, I've always felt that could
do this Now that ! have done IT, am
satisfied, and SO are many Others"
Before the train had reached Baby
lon, Murphy had regained his normal
condition.
Murphy rode a 2S-inch wheel geared
TO 10 6lh-inch crank hangers, and the
weight of the machine was 20ls pounds.