Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-12-14
The Great Foot Race.

At late hour on Friday morning WE
of the result of the gre It foot race, against
time, If it may be so called, over the
track owned and controlled ny the Coun-
ty, and announced the same in brief
paragraph.
The race has excited great interest
among the "aportiog" fraternity, the
terms and conditions. IA we'll as the stakes
pending, having been announced by the
entire morning press of Vermont, and the
result has been hooked for with the most
intense anxiety. In order to relieve this
reasonable anxiety and TO satisfy the laud-
able curiosity Of the rest of mankind, we
have succeeded in OF lining the following
brief partic ulars Of the antecedents of
the parties, the preliminaries to and re-
suit of this great feat, which, in its sue
cessful accomplishment, Leaves Weston
and Other wGlsists nowhere.
George Harwood, the successful walk
lat, was formerly connected with the
United States Army, and states that
when connected Herewith, be often walk
ed twenty four hours without rest. He il
now, and has for some time been, connect
ed with the Vermont State un-Volunteer
service, and was on duty at the Rutland
barracks. Previous to being assigned for
duty at this place, it is said that he made
the fastest time on record, from Castleton
to Massachusetts,.
The hacker of Time against muscle was
formerly the leading dealer in his branch
of business in this county, but more re-
Gently was connected with the wholesale
Chicago trade. He was accompanied by
gentleman recently connected with the
Chicago press, who, we regret TO learn, is
unavoidably detained, and will at present
be unable TO furnish his regular report TO
the press of that city.
The stakeholder and referee had estab-
lished for himself quite reputation for
the rather careless manner in which he, it
is alleged. "stcks knives in his Brandon
nei9 bors."
The preliminaries being satisfactorily
arranged, time was called at precisely six
o'clock Wednesday evening. HARDWOOD ap-
peared on an elevated platform, some
twenty-four feet in length and two feet
wide, and commenced his rounds. He
was in excellent spirits and was heartily
cheered by the spectators. 1t may be
proper here to remark that the company
assembled was not very large, Dat was, in
The true sense of the word, selected. The
absence of a larger number il accounted
for from the rather unusual terms reqnir.
ed for admission to the inner courts.
From this time till morning he con-
tinued in uuceasng walk, relieved only
by the constantly recurring ecessity of
turning around. He was watched
through the night by relays of watchers,
specially detail.d for that purpose, who
performed their duty with satisfaction 10
Themselves.
At seven o'clock, Thursday morning. a
ra.t of fifteen minutes was he'd for re-
treatments He eat heartily and with
relish
At fifteen minutes past seven he returned
to duty, with new life and vigor, and,
with the exception OF fifteen minutes rest
at noon. continues his course on the track
until SIX pm. when whistles from the ma
chine shop and marble shop, and the
Court House bell announce him the VIC
tor-the race ended and Chicago suffering
another losa. He had walked fifty five
miles in twenty-three hours and thirty
minutes, was in good condition and had
excellent Spirits and blistered feet.
At the close of tho race, the hoaPitali-
ties of the State were extended to the vic
tor, the referee, the gentleman from Chi
caRo, and the pri0i'eqed spectators, and
they sat down to magnificent banquet.
prepared at the expense of the State, at
the "Sanderson House." where the ut
rnost good feeling prevailed, aud the most
substantial Justice done te the excellent
bill of fare, We are pleased to record
that the banquet was conducted on strict
ly temperance principles -wines and
other liquors being vigorously excluded.