The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-07-01
MURPHI,S WONDERFUL MILE.
The Cyclist Paced by Train Covers
 Distance i'm 57:45 Seconds.

New York, June 30.--Charles M. Mur-
 phy, a Kings county wheelman, rode a
 mile on bicycle paced by locomotive in 57 4-5 seconds to-day. His course was
 a two mile board track on a siding of
 the Long Island railroad. Murphy fol- l lowed an engine and a coach, the latter
 being provided with hood, which acted
 as wind shield for the rider. The 1 board track was laid near Haywood, l..
 l., extended from that station two
 miles east and was as level as skill could
 make it. Fully 5000 persons saw Mur- | phy make his daring ride. Engineer
 sam Booth had his hand on the throttle of engine "A when the word was given
 to start at ten minutes past o'clock. | The engine had started at rapid rate, 1 and before 400 yards had been traVersed | was running at the rate of more than 1 fifty miles ap hour. Murphy was keep ing well within the hood, As they | neared the beginning of the marked
 mile stretch the pace was mile min-
 ute and a cloud Of dust obscured the rider from the view of the spectators,
 who lined the bands on either side. En- terng on the space which would test
 
 said: "I am all right. Send her along" but there was no necessity for his re- mark regarding the speed as the engin- eer was sending the big steam flyer along at top speed. The quarter was reached in fifteen seconds and the half in 29 2-5. The timers for the three quarters were Deges and Stoll the for mer registering A and the latter 43 4-5 At the finish two of the watches showed 57 4-5, one 57 3-5 and 59 and the fifth 57 3-5, which was held by Sheriff Creamer. The timers agreed that Mur- phy had covered the distance in 57 4-5 seconds.
 Those on the back platform who watched Murphy all through his won derful ride stated that the riders handle bars had knocked against the rubber buffer at least six times and each time the concussion had forced him back full ly six feet, but Murphy always had strength enough to regain this distance During the last quarter of mile the rider covered the ground for the great CT part fully wheels length outside of the hood, but as he passed the finish he was close up. Just then two strong men men on lne tram reacneQ down and | seized the rider by either arm and lifted | him aboard the car in safety Their | action undoubtedly saved Murphy's life | because he was in such weak condi- | tion that had he been allowed to re- main on the wheel he would have been unable to control it, and serious, if not fatal accident might have happened.
 Murphy was carried to the front part of the car and laid on a cot, where Dr. Holly ministered to him and in less than five minutes the cyclst was able to converse with those around him. Murphy seemed dazed at first, and said in answer to queries as to why he fell back so many times, 'I did that so that I might not come in contact with the blanks which were being torn up in front of me-" Later, however he did not refer to this but said: Boys, I've always felt that I could do this. Now that l have done it I am satisfied, and so are many others Before the train had reached Babylon Murphy had re- gained his normal condition. Murphy rode 2S-inch wheel, geared to 120, six and a half inch crank hangers and the weight of the machine was 201h pounds.