The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-06-07
.D0UGHERIY DID IT.
The Plucky Little Rider Loops the
Loop Successfully.
THE ACT is A THRILLING ONE
Now That the Loop Has Been Con-
quered the Feat VIII Take
Place Regularly.

Josiah Dougherty, of Ss Sixteenth street
N. rlvaled the great "Diavolo" by sloop-
ing the loop" at the Elks' fair last eve-g
ming. Undismayed blythe failure of John
Larsen to achieve Ii the feat yesterday
morning, when the latter took a wild
flyer into space, little Dougnerty faced
the ordeal without tremor, and won
where a less stout heart would have fall
tered Remarkable nerve, an eye for pro-
portion and complete confidence in ones.
self-those are the qualities requisite to
such a performance, All these has Dough-
erty. Moreover, he is a trick bicyclist,
who has been on the road with circuses,
and he is used to taking desperate
chances. -.
An attendant having taken his wheel up.
the slope, little EDougherty coolly paced2his
way up the steep, walking backward and
carefully measuring every foot Of the dis
lance with his practiced eye. II
"It's a cineh; I've got it sized up just,
right he informed the crowd from the
summit as he prepared to mount.
Anticipating another accident-as did
! most every one present-"Spieler' Brown
who travels with the show. warned the
crowd to make no demonstration no mat
ter what happened
| Ladies and gentlemen" he exclaimed,
''no matter what may happen to Mr..
| Dougherty, everybody will please remain
where they are now standing d..
This was far from reassuring to Dough
erty, who was then climbing on his wheel
| from the dizzy height, but he didn't mind
Before taking the plunge, he. announced
that, instead of sitting down, he would
stand up, on his wheel, believing that he
could control his mount better in that
| way.
Harry Cooper, the cycle dazzle rider, who
started Dougherty, was trembling with 'ex-
element.
| me off straight
The next instant he sped down the mar
row track at railroad speed, mounted up
| the precipitous side of the loop shot IN
der the roof and sped down the other side
before the, spectators had time to draw
their breath. Just as the plucky rider
was leaving the loop at it's finish his
wheel slipped and wheel and rider rolled
over and over before losing their mo-
| mentum. -..'-. ...t 2
He was scarcely on his feet before ia
bour had both arms around him, :hugglng
him like brother and assuring him that
he was "all right
| Considering the nervous suspense which
| held every spectator of the remarkable ex-
hibition, it is not strange that one of
the women who looked on should have
tainted away. The moment Dougherty
| struck the loop she screamed and fell
over backward. She was Immediately car
ried into the open air by one Of the at
tendants where she was soon restored.
Dougherty announced that he would
ride the loop twice a day from now on.
He was roundly applauded by the crowd.
| Dougherty weighs 1874 pounds and is 5
| feet inches in height Another expert
| enced rider will arrive from New York
Monday, so that the "loop'' can be counted
on as a regular performance next week.
| Dougherty's performance inspired
! p111oo arr ToH tnf frxy
training down few pounds he is conf
dent that he can do the act. -
The rain didn't keep people away from
the fair yesterday While it interfered
with the open air performances, there was
7 enough to amuse the sightseers under the
! tents which house ten of the shows on the
Midway. 1t was Eagles day, and that
order was we'll represented
| To-day was childrens day Every child
entering the grounds was given a ticket
| emitting him to chance to draw the
handsome Shetland pony. Orphans from
Minneapolis asylums were guests of the
management. Baby jumpers furnished
| considerable amusement for tiny: folk in
! the New England Furniture company s
| booth Babies were checked free of charge.
| Monday is Elks' day. All members of
| the order will meet at the lodge rooms at
| 1 o'clock to prepare for the parade, which
starts at o'clock.
49,: Next Weeks Attractions.
There -is a strong special feature for
every day Of the coming week. The
Elks' parade Monday afternoon is ex-
Epected to call out a fine showing for the
." order and invitations have been sent to
= gsome twenty lodges to participate" Gov
ernor Van SAINT is expected wi tn his st AFT
on Tuesday "Wednesday evening there
will be a decorated automobile parade
in which there will be some fifty hand
some floats.
On Thursday the United Commercial
: ETravelers will be escorted to the grounds
in the afternoon and there will be a lot
of impromptusfun The travelling men are
to be invited to act as Spoilers for
), the midways shows. On Friday Minneap-
oils day, there is to be a baby show. The
entries already include the Nelson trip
= LETS from Mont icello and a half dozen
, pairs of twins and there will be babies
galore for the other prizes. 'Ellery's
f Royal Italian band is to give parades and
concerts fboth afternoon and evening
I Saturday, the closing day.
There are to be two more weddings in
, the midway. One will take place Wednes-
day evening and the other Saturday eve
ming The latter ceremony will take
z place in a lions cage. In addition, there
+ will be many minor features to liven ur
the show and give visitors their moneys
worth of fun as we'll as of sight seeing
Loop-the-Loop Problem.
They were discussing looping the
loop" while gazing at the big cork
screw at the Elks' fair grounds.
a *'Dey couldn't get me to do dat fer {
AF.