The San Francisco call., 1899-07-01
Murphy Goes a Mile
in ST AS Seconds.
FASTEST CYCLING ON RECORD
NARROW ESCAPE OF THE OAR
ING: WHEELMAN. j.. !. FL. =.
Bumps Into. the Car Ahead Several
Times During the Thrilling =
Ride, and Is Rescued.
in Nick of Time. s.. =.
speeial plspateh to The call.

NEW YORK, June S0,-Charlesc NJ: :
Murphy Of the Kings County: Mhae1-
men rode a. mile on a bicycle, paced: by
a. locomotive in 81 As seconds >to~daX
His course was a two mile board TRACK
on a siding Of the Long Island r ailW a y:
Murphy followed an engine AND q. day
coach, the latter being provided with q
hood. which acted as wind shield for:
the rider. =: .:.:: Fl. -: -.
The board track was laid near May
wood LII, and extended from hat sta
tiOn two miles east, and wa las nearly
perfect TO- "a level as sLlEi cGlTld make IT.
Fully 30Q0" people saw Murphy make his
daring ride. Engineer sam: Booth had
his hand on. the throttIe OF engine. Z 4
when the@ word was: given TO. start. AT
BIO the engine started, at a :ra pid rate
and before 400 yards had been ira versed
was RUNNING .aJ a. rate of more than
fifty miles an hour. Murphy wa s. keep
ing we'll within the hood: !: 4 $ = hey
neared-The. beginning. OF. he in1Ie stretch
the paGE was a mile a minute, and=a
cloud dust .obscured everything from
he1.ieW W of the spectators, "yNhQ1ined the
banks 6n either side. :.. -@. :.
on &utariug the spaCe=.W which would
test his. speed, Murphy in replyz.to Query
short ,i:I liI>all rights send her -alQng;%
Il
marks regarding speed as the engineer
was sending the big steam flyer along
al top speed. The quarter was reached
i'm Is seconds and the half. in 29.2-5>. Ehe
timers for the three-q qua rters- We're
NIessrs. .Bieges and Stafl, the. former
registering. A and the latter q A. s.. : AT
the lnislI= two. of the. watches: showed
g. 4-5, one :57@3- another s5S and. the
NTH WHICH was held#.2Y Sheriff
treaIner1< The timers agreed that: Muir
Ihy had. covered the distancez>tn% 81 40
s-eends.: .>:.: - T. =:::*
Those on the back platforms who
watched Murphy all through his .Wol-
drfuI ride stated that the riders ham:
die bars had knocked against. the rub
b-r buffet at Least six times, and. each
time the. conclusion sent him: :" back
fully six feet, but Murphy always. had
strength. enough to regain this distance
During Jhe last quarter OF a: mile the
rider covered the ground for the greater
part fulIy.a Wheels length outside, of
the Od,#but: as he passed*the finish
he was close up: Just then two strong
men on board the train: .Teach d0M:tl
and seized the rider by either ~arm#and.
lifted him aboard the. car in safety.
Their action undoubtedly saved Muir
phys life, because he was then: in such
q weak condition that had he been all.
lowed tO=:remafu on the wheel he would
have been#una BILE TO COntrQE it nd a
serious If: not=a fatal accident might
have happened. u = II. ~ =. =.
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. .cyclist was.
able t0#cOnNerse with those around
him. Murphy seemed dazed at first
and said n:ansWer TO QuerieS=as to:Why
he fell back so many times: Il did
that so 7. might not come lin. contact
with the planks which were being torn;
up in fr0nt:#of me-, -. =. =: ::
Later on. However, he did not refer
felt that .could do this. Now that /
have done it'll am satisfied, and=so are
many others. -. ;.
Before the. train had reached Babylon:
Murphy had regained his normal condd5i-.
tiOn. III t.. = <...:.:
Murphy. rode a 2S-inch wheel, .geared
to 120, 61a-inch crank hangers, and the.
weight Cf the machine was 2012 pounds,