The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-01
MADE HIS DARING RIDE
Murphy Wheeled a Mile in Fifty
Seven Seconds.
WAS PACED BY AN ENGINE
He Made His Marvellous Ride Behind q
Hooded Car over a Planked
Course on the Long L.
land Railroad

New York, June 3O.-Charles NJ Muir
ply of the Kings County Wheelmen
rode a mile on bicycle paced by a
locomotive in 81 AS seconds to-day
His course was a two-mile board track
on a siding of the Long Island rail-
road. Murphy followed an engine and
a. day coach, the latter being provid-
ed with hood which acted as a wind
shield for the rider The board track
was laid near haywood, L. l., and ex-
tended from that station two miles
east. and was as nearly perfect to
level as skill could make it. Fully
5000 people saw Murphy make his dar
ing ride.
Engineer Sam Booth had his hand
on the throttle of engine "A when the
word was given to start, 10 minutes
past 5 O'clock the engine starting a
rapid rate, and before 400 yards had
been traversed, was running at rate
of more than so miles an hour. Muir
ply was keeping well within the hood.
As they neared the beginning of the
mile stretch, the pace was a mile
minute, and a cloud of dust obscured
everything from the view of the spec
tators, who lined the banks on either
side. On entering this pace which
would test his speed Murphy, in reply
send her along" but there was no nee
essty 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 half
In 1926. The timers for the three
quarter were Messrs. Bieges ana Stoll,
the former registering A and the latter
43 AS. At the finish two of the watches
showed 81 As, one 81 3-5 and another
IS, and the fifth 57% which was held
by Sheriff Dreamer. The timers agreed
that Murphy had covered the distance
in 81 As seconds.
Those on the back platform who
watched Murphy all through his Won
derful ride stated that the riders han
die bars had knocked against the rub
Der buffer six times, and each time
the conclusion sent him back fully six
feet, 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 great
err part fully a wheels length outside
of the hood, but as he passed the finish
he was close up. Just 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 Muir
phys life, because he was then in such
a weak condition that had he been al
lowed to remain on the wheel he would
have been unable to control it, and a
serious, if not fatal, accident might
have happened.
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 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:
II did that so that 1 might not come
in contact with the planks, which
were being torn up in front of me-
Later on. however, he did not refer
to this, but said
Boys, I've felt always that l could
do this Now that i have done it, I
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 120; 61a-inch crank hangers, and
the weight of the machine was 201a
pounds.