S. G. Spier's Long Trip on a Columbia Bicycle - Oakland Tribune 09 Sep 1886, Thu

Oakland Tribune 09 Sep 1886, Thu  • Page 3

ACROSS THE CONTINENT.

S. G. Spier's Long Trip on a Columbia Bicycle 

Record-Union, Sept. 8th.

S. G. Spier, champion long distance bicyclist of the world, arrived in this city about 7 o'clock last evening and put up at the Golden Eagle Hotel. He has just crossed the continent on a bicycle, his purpose being to beat the record - 105 days from New York, made in 1884 by Thomas Stevens. Mr. Spier is a young gentleman of pleasing address, somewhat above the medium hight [sic] and of athletic build, and is well bronzed from exposure to the sun and wind. He left New York city at 1 o'clock P. M. on the 1st of June, and is due in San Francisco on to-morrow evening, but expects to reach there by 3 o'clock in the afternoon. He has traveled some 400 miles farther than Stevens did on his trip two years ago, having left the main road and taken a run down (or rather up) to Leadville, Colorado. From the latter place be crossed the country by the trail to Salt Lake City. He has been ninety-nine days on the road. He carries a book in which each Postmaster along the route has recorded his name, and also affixed the official stamp of his office. It has been Mr. Spier's rule to report every night to the Pope Manufacturing Company, of Boston, the distance traveled during the day and his headquarters at the time. He has made his trip on an “Expert Columbia” machine, presented to him by Colonel Pope, and manufactured for the occasion. The bicycle, although as staunch as the day it was made, shows that it has undergone severe usage, the rubber tires being worn down almost to a ribbon. When his journey shall be completed, Mr. Spier will have accomplished the fastest long distance journey on record in the world. He left Reno on Sunday morning and made the run to Truckee by noon. On Sunday night he encountered a train of cars in tunnel No. 12, [more about Strong's Canyon - MF] and for a moment thought his journey had come to a premature and inglorious, not to say unfortunate, termination. The night was dark, and worse than Egyptian darkness was the interior of the tunnel. The bicyclist says he jumped off his machine, pushed it up against the side of the tunnel, got as close as he could himself, shut his eyes, muttered a prayer, and then awaited consequence. The giant locomotive thundered by, almost touching his person, and then he was safe. He made the run down from Colfax yesterday, a distance of 55 miles. He enjoyed good health throughout his trip, but his appearance shows that it was a tedious and toilsome journey.

Mr. Spier leaves here this morning at 7 o'clock for San Francisco, following the railroad by way of Benicia. During his trip he made the following fast records: Sixty miles in four hours, 116 miles in twelve hours, and accomplished 3,000 miles in a space of thirty-eight days, running time.

Photograph Of S. G. Spier (Worked For Pope)

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