Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-06-22


or business can be sent by telephone.
Entered st the Postofice Aexandris. Viys;n.
Ia, as seconG-class matter.l
A MILE IN SIXTY. FIVE SECONDS
a man on bicycle rode mile yes
terday faster than anyone ever before
travelled the same distance by self pro-
pulsion. The man was Charles NJ.
Murphy, and he rode the mile in sixty
five seconds. 1t was done US honestly,
cleaniy, and in as sportsmanlike man.
ner as any bicycle ever was ridden His
sole advantage was locomotive with
one car attached, which set the pace
and enabled him TO ride in q partial
vacuum. No straps or tow ropes or
harness were employed. He rode nat.
urallY, simply keeping close TO the car
by rapid pedaling. 1t was wonderful
performance, and a spectacle of thrilling
interest.
The scene of the ride was on the Cen
tral Branch of the Long Island Rail
road. The car, q box like structure, had
been build to shield The rider from the
wind.
The sides extended straight out about
six feet and downward to within ? feet
of the ground, where they slanted in-
ward toward the track at an
angle of about forty degrees.
The bottoms of the windshield
ing extension Tapped over the inner
sides of the rails, setting close to them
Ike hauges, so as TO exclude sll he air
and dust possible. Within the shield
lng sides of this coptrivance Murphy
pedaled fJr more than two miles,
swerving only for a few inches AMI
II yer losing the tremendous speed OF
MS steam-driven pacemaker. He was
Daleheaded, wore 10 eyeglasses, mouth
or nose shield, or any kind OF appl.-
ances He rode bicycle of regular
siOck-racing model, weighing twenty
one pounds, and geared to 1l2, with
ordinary wire toe clips. There were
thr. quarters of mile to be Travelled
before the trial began, for the board
track was more than two miles long
aud nearly half mile was left iot
flowing up.
The cgclist pedaled faster and faster,
mis- wheel never falling away an inch
from its position and swaying from side
TO side o1ly five inches. There were
five planks, each ten inches wide, COM
posting the track. Murpny roHe IN
eutire distance on the middle ore and
ne used only one half Of ;hat from the
start to the finish. The rate OF spet d
varied only by fractions of a sec
ond in d quarter OF mile. The spects
tors had previously ridden over the
course in l :0S seconds when the en-
pineer was trying himself and engine.
Then it seemed flying leap from one
ezi of the boards to the other, but now
with the cyclist riding there under
their feet it seemed like an hour.
The first quarter was travelled IN 10
% seconds the second in 10 SO, ana
the third in 16 5 seconds. AS the
last quarter was begun the car bounded
inst little from some unknown cause
The cvclist then fell away for the only
time in his ride. he dropped back
four or five inches and every heart
stood still. but second more snd ne
was back again, his legs moving IKE
nistolnr DDS as before. When the tnsh
Ine was crossed the rider threw up
his head and flashed erinnlng count
enance at the watchers on the car.
Ttwas seen only for an instant ior
the train leaped like wounded ouck
and the rider receded from within
the sidewalks and quickly became
a speck in the distance. He was
sean to wabble frigh fully, but ne
aid not remain in sight long enough
for the watchers to know whether ne
fell or not, for the train swung erounu
p slight curve. Those who looked won
dered at the rapidity with which ne
fell awav. The fact was, that the en-
oineer. as soon as the finishing marx
was crossed, opened the throttle ana
the train bounded away al seventy
miles an hour, thereby leaving Murphy
who probably would have been unatle
to slow away from the car, had TINS noS c.
heen done. When the rider looked up
and erinned it was positive spock ~
tne watchers. Then there was q gene,
raj gasp. which developed into cry OF
enthusiasm as the timers announced
that the mile had been travelled 10 one
minute and five seconds. Murphy Is
convinced that he can ride mile 10 d
minnte aud SO is everyone who VIII,
messed the trial yesterday. he WIN
make the attempt on June oo d. 'i0
State L. A. W. meet.