Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1899-09-02
NOTES OF THE WHEEL
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO Dew
OTEES OF THE BICYCLE
Fastest Mile Ever Ridden Murphy
Satisfies His Ambition by Covering the
Distance in ;5s A-5-Midsummer Rae
ing News


When G. NJ. Murphy made his Official
attempt TO ride a mile in one minute
or less on the Long Island railway be-
hind locomotive before 5000 speeta-
tors he realized the one great ambition
OF the past eight or ten years of his
lie. He mas been thinking and talking
for years of accomplishing this feat.
which no cyclist ever succeeded in be-
fore, and which none has essayed save
himself and E. E. Anderson. There
have always been some doubts about
the precise time of 1:05 is made by
Anderson being authentic, as he drop
ped back some distance before the fin
ash, but there can be no doubt that
Murphy covered the mile in less than
one minute, for of the five watches
that timed his ride. two registered
i:5I As. one :57A, another 81 S-5 and
the fifth :5S, so 81 40 was taken as
Ahe official time No cyelist has ever
ridden so fast on a bicycle before and
few will have the foolhardiness to at
tempt 10 reduce these figures, so Muir
ply can enjoy his notoriety so long
probably as people continue to remem-
Der ii or refer TO it in time 10 come.
But Murphy came very close TO for
ever missing the fruits of his success,
and had he not been lifted bodily
aboard the train BY the officials on the
Sear platform at the end of the mile
II is scarcely to be doubted that there
would now have been no claimant for
the distinction.
The start was made at little after
O'Clock with engine No. "A in charge
OF the veteran engineer, Sam Booth.
At the start OF the measured mile the
engine was going at full speed, with
murphy hanging on close up under his
shelter behind. He was going at a
drightful clip, his body swaying with
the motion of his legs, into which he
was putting all his strength. At the
shout of warning at the half mile he
seemed TO wayer and lose his grip.
dropping back about six feet. and
everyone thought it was all over then.
But Murphy is made OF sterner stuff
than gutter and actually closed with
the car again amid that terrific whirl-
wind and awful din. Before the finish
ne had dropped back almost three
iengths, and then as the engine started
to slow down after the mile had been
completed he had no time to back
pedal even if it had been possible. and
shot forward against the rear of the
car with great force. Just as the head
OF his machine struck the fender Mr.
Fullerton and John Cummings. who
were in the platform, caught him by
the arms and lifted him on to the car.
His toe clips did not free themselves
and as ne struggled to loosen his feet
one leg slipped through the frame and
the machine was caught by Mr.. Post
Murphy was then carried into the car
and laid on a cot, where for a time he
appeared dazed, but recovered fully on
the return ride. The quarters were
caught as follows: First. III. SECOND
ia 20; third. IA 3-5; fourth. .13 AZ
The timers were w. H. Robertson
Robert Stall of the New York Athletic
club, Sam See, Frank d. Creamer and
Charles Dietges, president of the Park
way Driving club. James E. Sullivan.
secretary Of the Amateur Athletic un.
ION, acted as referee. Murphy ia sat
sshed now. He says he is perfectly
willing to leave future trials to 9TH
ers. Probably he will travel consider