The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1906-12-28
lights Went Out During Race
in Ring.
Guided Machine by Intuition viii
Horrible Death Present ON
Either Hand.
SENSATIONS OF THE MOMENT

1t was during bicycle meet al
night about Ave years ago on an eight
lap board track in Western Washing
ton. The band played a stirring air,
while everyone waited expectantfy
for the big motor tandems to come on
for the event of the evening. The
two riders who We're to compete for
the honors appeared and a shout
went up. One was the local star and
the other hero of many six-day
races at Madison Square Garden.
In a moment everything became
hushed as the two big pace-making
machines. capable of mile minute,
were silently rolled upon the track.
The event was to be a .twelye-mile
motor-paced race and'six riders en-
gagged in 1.-TWO on each pace-mak-
er and the stars following.
The machines were mounted and
the race was on. the two stars falling
in behind their respective machines
after the first few laps.s | was steer
ing one of the pace-makers, and, AS
the pace increased, everything soon
became a confused chain in the light
of the 10 large arcs over the track.
We had soon gone over half the
distance. for I heard the megaphone
cali "seven." then "eignt." rhine, "
ten and as We came around for
the eleventh mile the gong rang for
the finish.
The rider following behind my ma
chine then called for more speed, and
gripped the handle bars more close
ly as my partner on the rear turned
on the Juice" The. machine leaped
forward and we passed our competi-
tor.
We had hardly got by when sud-
denly and without the least warning
all the lights went out and. we were
rushing almost 40 miles an hour
through the dark on a narrow sixteen
foot track of frail pine boards.
To go either into the center or over
the top meant certain destruction. /
CROPPED blindly to distinguish the
track but could not. My riding mate
tried TO reduce the speed, but could
not find the levers heard the agQn-
izing cry of the spectators. Suddenly
the machine gave a lurch, and u
awoke to the fact that we were rush
ing into one of the high banked turns
at the end where there was no fence
at the top. Gasping at the faint
chance of staying with the track BY
mere feeling called into play all my
past experience in Judging speed and
banking to hold the turn.
/ wondered how rar Il was to some
thing to land on over the top and ex-
pected every instant to feel the in
creased vibrations of the motor and
the sinking sensation of flying into
space and sure eternity, for the track
was built on the outskirts of the
town in. almost forest of stumps and
logs with jagged knots all over them
To leave the track going at such ter
rife speed meant a leap through the
air Of 80 or 100 feet at a death-deal-
ing pace.
The horror of the situation was ex-
IRENE, when the lights came on as
as they had gone out and
We found we were near the top of the
track and passing the grand stand
like an express train. The other
machine had succeeded in slowing
down and was opposite to us on the
other side and almost stopped.
Realizing the race was of we stop
pod as soon as possible, but before
We had fully slowed down the crowd
rushed in upon the track, taking us
body from the machines, hosting us
into the air Shaping us on the back,
and shaking us by the hand until we
thought they were mad.
But they were only glad over our
escape. We had ridden for almost
an eighth of mile in total darkness
and experienced a brief 20 seconds
that seemed like eternity. Chicago
Tribune.