The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-01
4 MILE IN 57'4-5 SECONDS.
'H URPHY's WONDERFUL SPEED
IWHEEL BEHIND A LOooMOTIVE

Runs Into the Car at the Finish and Is
Dragged Onto the Platform Uninjured.
Riding behind locomotive drawing one car.
In what for q goodly part OF the distance was q
true race against the engine. Charles NJ. MUIR
ply yesterday, ut haywood. l.. l., pedaed his
bicycle mile In 81 AS seconds. He rode the
first quarter in Is seconds. the second in IA %
seconds and the third in Ii As seconds 1t
was his ambition to ride tho mile in one
minute or In slightly better time IL possible.
His actual performance was very close
to two, miles in two minutes. He not
only followed behind the train. keeping
close to his wind shield. but once he
dropped well behind Its protecting back. got
out where the wind was. and then, ia real and
terrific race against the locomotive, he beat its
mace by sprint that made up the lost distance
ana brought him again close to the rear plat-
form and well within the sholtering wings oil
the board that had been butout from the sides
for his benefit.
Later In the wonderful performance he
again fell back and was outside OF the shield
Ing vestibule. and there in cloud OF dust he
chased after the iron pacemaker to the end
At the finish he added to the worlds record he
had lust made OF travelling by self-exerton
faster than any man or animal ever has done,
another record. which was that OF boarding
train while 1t was moving at the rate OF milo
in one minute. This was accomplished by his
running full tilt into the back Of the car and
being snatched from his falling wheel by the
arms OF friends and being dragged exhausted
but uninjured on to the platform.
1t was q wild ride from end to end more per-
ilous to the man and more thrilling to the
spectators In every way than was the perform
ance OF this same locomotive chaser on the oc-
caslon OF his trial attempt on June ~ such
was its effect on those who watched it that
Referee James f. Sullivan. stout hearted and
seasoned athlete No he is. said afterward that
he never would care to witness another ride OF
the kind. The same car as was used on June
81 was employed. with the boxlike structure
on the rear. topped with rounding roof. sides
standing out FIVE feet from the platform and
running straight to within two feet OF the
ground. where the boards slanted inward
toward the ira * and Tapped over on the inside
OF the rails.
Within this hood OF boards. facing an upright
strip Of narrow plank on which a vertical line
had been painted for him to keep his eyes
upon. Murphy rested with his hand on the
Tending rail fixed for him and waited for the
start. Underneath the car the boards were
built forward to prowlike point and pliaDle
lip OF rubber running around the bottom edge
Of this prov. insured the sweeping OF all OBJ
structions from the Ave pine planks each ten
inches wide. that had been laid for his.cycling
track his wheel rested on the, centre plank.
which had been h selected and laid with especial
out but this was hope that proved vain.
The sta ,t place was haf mile north
Island Raiiroad. which Is on short V bran eS
ay Tf long Pad
INLET ana aSsolutely lsye along the mile oyer
variation from the level is in a slight down
grade over the three-9uarters OF n mile al
speed beere erosns tier to
and IN very slow up grade over the five
sh Tsry q ;ew mas rsst the nsh Oh,
spread in picturesque, confusion over the face
mile. in, the mi ddie OF the "V course. were ere
thousands who had, reached the I scene e' by
@ fTnSe knd sa 6narcsa pOm
their Long Island summer homes were there
farm ers from the surroGndins country in their v
ned carts and the cyclists, sports and idlers.
wlonS o SWsr a9ot the
leberry bushes. 1t was motley assembly.
and and ne expeetaney Of It was more ike that
In holiday gathering.
In response to call OF ready and pull
Sozonts bar Of @ @5S w sasf th r9e
at that q ne he s SSG s ior
war. pndply his front wheel would pass under tie
s and se the head 81 his machine
cling the distance named, the eyciist
asng le spS f S ron to u Rssr
shadow Of Tho bar He was bare headed sd ana ens
although within the projecting shield, his hair
syelis!. pale blue Jersey. with, a black necf
sS Hiding shoes The Wheel he a rode en-" Was oW Of
ignt pne matching the hue OF his shirt.
wha ddssdT TTy noticed
Heated and ~hiEi:d about within the SQUARE.
ihe tape had been covered Murphy be9a ale 10 10
beycs ~sa r ssSeT raj R9s'bo bon
hind the rear e1Id, line OF the sheltering sides,
an exeiamaton To those standIn Hsp en the the
man In despair and hearts leaped as the wit
netses thought they saw a failure. A stupen-
hnds and the rider was back in, hin place where
dueed the feat to one OF fast leg wort. strong
erms. brave heart and nervous force.
lime across the boards and two red da LAY ana Saf
S Si the RsaRd ,deG 0fs the TRs
aTe 99e tSs stationed at The windows inside
their teeth The Knowledge that the S car %u was Se
now moving faster than Murphy or any other
men ever rode before. his seeming tendency to
fan and the flpy halo, OF dust about him
to, tension that was painful
Like piston rods threatening to fly apart
IRON sheer rapidly ~ motion moved the legs
o. the rider. and continually to the strained
gaze they seemed straining to move faster
Every second was one in which he might relax
u the terrible struggle against steam. and that
lear was In the beat Of every heart. The
timers inside watching the white flags that
parked the quarter miles, dart by them,
knowing nothing as to how the battle
s %aGed h were mute as waxwork, The
Peerlng over the heads and between the
legs OF those on the platform. spoke in low
strained tones II was the fear that the string !
Of pHr s Erit that held the ,whooIman, to his
failure. and failure for him meant death In n
{righttul form. This dread filled cvery instant, |
twas dire enough W to the half-mile flag, |
which was reached in ~ % seconds but soon
after that was passed the rider again fell back |
the hood ''
Three, or four feet beyond the shelter. or
ABOUT eight or ten feet from the roar Of the |
car. ne rode in a cloud Of dust that whirled |
AFOnnI IN "A Ur,n hall ,Nf,