I know I'm going to hate myself in the morning, but the following is from a
1999 note to the Yahoo! "foothill-bike" group (don't ask how I ran across
this note, which I've edited somewhat for brevity). The Triumph reference is
in the next-to-last paragraph:
Wednesday June 30th, 1999 was the one hundred year anniversary of
Mile-a-Minute Murphy, the first man to go 60 MPH. In doing so, he proved his
theory of wind resistance and set a nation on an obsession for speed.
While riding rollers, Charles M. Murphy, (a champion professional bike-racer
of the 1890's,) correctly calculated that he could attain 60 MPH, if wind
resistance was removed. At the time, the mile-a-minute barrier was regarded
much in the same way the sound-barrier was to later aviators.
Murphy [convinced] the Long Island Railroad [to assist him]. Carpenters laid
a seamless 2.3 mile wooden track between the rails in Hampstead Plains, New
York. Finding a train fast enough was the next problem. The first six
attempts failed to break 64 4/5 seconds, it became apparent that Murphy was
capable, but the locomotives were not.
Nine days later a specially prepared locomotive and crew was delivered. The
smoke and dust made it almost impossible for Murphy to see, "It was a hot,
fast and serious life-or-death contract in my hands." Murphy recounted.
Murphy was nearly killed in the attempt. When officials realized that the
mile-a-minute barrier was broken, they ecstatically waved their arms. The
engineer thought this was a signal to slow down and shut off the steam.
Murphy slammed into the back of the train. Horrified officials grabbed
Murphy and held tight, just as the board track ended.
On June 30, 1899 Charles Murphy covered a mile in 57 4/5th seconds on his
Triumph bicycle. "Mile-a-Minute Murphy" became a household word and an
international star.
Murphy's own description of the events, "A Mile-a-Minute Career" by Charles
M. Murphy can be found at: http://www.lihistory.com/vault/lirrsky.htm,
although he doesn't mention the make of his bicycle.
Jim Hill
Madison WI
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