The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-01
PACED BY LOCOMOTIVE B.
Record Breaking Trial Takes Place On Long
Island.-- Rides Over Plank Track Be-
hind a Sheltering Hood---Nefvy
Attempt Witnessed By Thous-
ands--He Finished Srong.

of the car and laid onIa cot, where DR..
Holdy administered to him, and in less
than five minutes the cyclist was able
to converse with those around him.
Murphy seemed dazed at first, and
said in answer to questions as to why
he fell back SO many times: II did so
that might not come in contact with
the planks 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 have done it l am
satisfied, and so are many others
Before the train had reached Baby
lon, Murphy had regained his normal
condition. Murphy rode 28-inch wheel
geafed to 120, 615 crank hangers, and
the weight of the machine was 201a
pounds.
About 100 yards before the starting
point was reached a big splotch of paint
was smeared on the track to warn the
rider and the timers that the place was
about to be reached, and a second
splotch of white was placed about the
same distance from the end of the mile
TO let them know the finish was at
hand. To preclude any possibility of
error at either start or finish the cross
ing OF the lines were announced by an
Electric bell sounded by a specially de-
signed striker.
Murphy has done most of his prepare
ton for the event on home trainer.
This is device consisting of three big
polished wooden rollers set in a plat
form so that the roller surfaces project
slightly. The bicycle is fixed in position,
with the front wheel resting on one roll
lei and the back one on two. 1t requires
considerable skill to hold the wheel on
the frame, and even after the knack is
acquired it is necessary to ride very
fast to stay on.
The rollers which work on ball bear
ings, slip around with remarkable ease
and as the trainer is indoors, where
there IS no wind resistance, it requires
little effort to make fast time 1t is a
severe test, however to pedal rapidly
and ketp steady, especially as the roll
ers are only 10 inches wide.
CHARLES Murphy used to be promi-
nent figure several years ago on the
national cycle circuit He was born in
1870 andlearned to ride at the age of 9.
He won his first race in 1887 on an old
bone shaker" In 1888 he won the ia
nous IrFington- Millburn road race,
which WIS that year held under the
auspices Of the Kings county wheelmen,
his home club. In 1891 he won the sec
ond time prize in the Millburn race,
coming in fifth, and in 1898 the first
time prize getting sixth place.
In 1895 lie did his best work on the
track. He won the five mile national
championship at San Jose, Cal At Los
Angeles, the same season, he beat Bald.
Cooper and other flyers In a mile lap
race of four laps, winning every lap.
His time WIS 2 min. II Sec, which was
very good at that date He then made
a trip to Europe, but did not ride very
much over there. His best race and
most important victory was at Bor-
deaux, whert he won the one kilometer
national championship.
Murphy Weighs about $50 pounds
stripped. He is married and has one
child, a boy Sf 4, who is considered one
of the fastest cyclists of his age in the
world.