The Washington times., 1901-07-28
PERILOUS BICYCLE FEATS.
Men Who Have Ridden Down the
Steps of the Capitol.
william Shields. the Famous
"Rubc" Rider-Robertson's Rcck-
less Dash at the East Front
on an Old-FashiOned "Star.o

less Dash at the East Front
on an OId-Fashioncd "Star.,
The feat of riding a bicycle down the
steps of the Capitol has been accomplish
ed several times in the past and will
doubtless continue to be performed at
times by expert and enthusiastic cyclists
who delight In astonishing the public by
their foolhardy ventures. The risk in
CURED is very great. and the man who
makes the atteupt virtually takes his life
in his hands. The feat has only been per-
formed when the Capitol policemen were
out of the way. 1t is needless to say that
the daring ride requires a steady brain,
expert knowledge of the wheel, and a
certain dash of recklessness.
Two of the men who have ridden down
the steps are nuliam Shields and VIII
liam II. Robertson. Shields has acquired
a wide reputation throughout the country
as a trick rider. He travels under the
name of 'Rube," and dresses in the con-
ventional stage fashion of 'hayseeds."
His countrified clothes, however, do not
interfere in their awkwardness with the
marvellous agility of their wearer. 1t was
down the steps of the west front of the
Capitol that Shields rode. the fight that
faces the entrance to the Botanic Gar
dens. These steep steps are seventy-four
in number. broken at intervals by land
ings, the middle landing being twenty
feet wide and the other two ten feet wide
each. In order to get some practice be-
fore attempting his astounding feat,
Shields went to another Government
building and rode down its steep flight,
finding tine task easy on account of the
Oh. <at,
him off his wheel. Then, on April /, 1897,
accompanied by few friends and pho
tographer. he prepared to descend the
steps of the Capitol
Watching his opportunity when the
watchmen and visitors were out of the
way. the rider sprang into his saddle. his
bicycle resting on the edge of the upper
step. While coming down the topmost
fight he lost his pedals and, unable to
recover them. he gripped his handle bars
fast, and kept his eyes fixed on the steps
before him. He came down with incon-
ceivable rapidity. and when he reached
the last landing. his wheel had acquired
such momentum that it leaped over the
final sixteen steps at one bound without
touching one of them. Both rider and
wheel fell in a heap at the foot of the
steps, and the spectators thought Shields
was killed But he had escaped without
bruise. and not bolt of the wheel was
loosened the only injury being twisted
handle. bar.
In 1885 Robertson made his famous
descent Of the east steps of the Capitol
on an oId-fashioned Star machine.
Robertson was at the time champion rider
of the District, and he determined to ride
down the east side steps, which number
forty-two, each ten inches wide and eight
inches deep. The wheeIman applied to the
authorities for permission. but was re-
fused on account of the great risk in
volved. The feat, therefore, had to be
performed ciandestinely, and in the dull
light of the early morning. when few
were stirring and the watchmen were
elsewhere engaged, the event come off.
When the news was circulated astonish-
ment was general, and many people said
that such feat was impossible. But
that 1t actually was done Is sufficiently at
tested.
One of Shields remarkable achieve
ments was performed recently in Cincin-
natl He rode down ladder extended
from a second-story window TO the street
below. The angle was at least 6o de-
grees, and the window out of which he
was to ride was twenty-four feet above
the pavement. Shields appeared at the
window. and his cries to the crowd to
keep out of his way only brought them
closer. At word he jumped on his
wheel and shot down the ladder like
streak. At the bottom crash came.
The excited multitude thought that he
had been thrown against the curb and
killed. but in second he was on his
feet. safe and sound.
The first man to ride down the east
STEPS of the Capitol on a safety was
Charles Fitzpatrick, the famous one
legged bicyclist Fitzpatrick also accom-
plished the feat of standing with his
wheel on top of the power house CHM
ney. He is also reported to have stood
on the top of the great Lapey Wheel, In
the Isle of Man. This wheel is over
hundred feet high, and its circumference
is covered with buckets, into which the
water flows, one revolution being made
every forty seconds. Fitzpatrick obtained
of himself standing on the platform al
the top of the whee.. This. of course,
presented no feature of danger, and was
probably used by Fitzpatrick as a mere
pretext for a very daring act. He had
timed the revolutions and decided that
he could iuTp out upon the wheel. be
photographed, and get back within the
forty seconds, feat which he safely ac-
complished. The performance terrorized
the onloOkers. who thought every mo-
ment fitzpatrick would be dashed to the
ground.
Fitzpatrick, It would appear. has a YER
table passion for risking his life. Some
time ago when he was in South Africa
doing his one-legged bicycle act with
travelling circus he climbed up on the
back of an elephant and stood on the
animals head. Ii was risky said the
keeper of the elephant, for there was no
knowing what "Old Ben" would do. But
when Fitzpatrick got safely down he was
not satisfied and asked the keeper to
show Ben the bicycle to see what he
would do with it. The elephant calmly
examined the wheel, then held it up in his
trunk for closer inspection. and, with
Fitzpatrick on his head. was snap-shotted
by the ubiquitous camera fiend.
RULING ON AN OFFICERS PAY.