National Republican., 1874-05-07
A GOOD TEN-MILE WALK.
MR. JAMES GORDON BENNETT OUT
WALKS MIR. JOHN WHIPPLE.

WHAT EARLY RIsERs SAW IN UPPER
FIFTH AVENUE YESTERDAY MORNING
A STOUT PULL THRDUGH THE MUD OF
FoRDHAM-MR. BENEFITS TINE HouH'
46 MINUTES AND S. SECONDS.
A ten-laile match, says the New York World,
for s., 900 a side was walked yesterday morning
in this city by James Gordon Bennett and John
Whipple, being won by the former in hour, 46
minutes an 55 seconds. The match has been
In prospec; for some time. Mr.. Whipple has
been the especial walking gentleman Of the
Union Club, and had gained much reputation
among amateurs for speei and endurance.
Therefore, when the match was announced Mr..
Bennett was no faVorite with the betters. he
was not at all known as pedestrian, in fact,
and the odds against him were heavy In one
instance i: is said 500 to $50. Large sums
were staked on the match, the average odds
being 500 to e75. But Mr.. Bennett is not in
the habit Of losing races.
1t was agreed that the two should walk
from Mr.. BeInett's residence, Filth avenue and
Thirty-eighth street, to jerome Park, distance
often miles, for s. ,O0OA side. Mt. Bennett at
once went into training, in charge Of Mr.. Judd,
and was trained up to the day Of the race. He
recognized the speed of Mr.. Whipple, and felt
thatin onder 10 Be Successful he must keep in
active training. Mr.. whipple, on the other
hand, felt confident of an easy victory, and did
not at first think 1t necessary to train at all.
But two or three days ago 1t was brought to
his ears that his opponent had sttaired great
speed. and had walked ten miles in one hour
and forty-two minutes. Mr.. Whipple then
placed himself in the hands of Mr.. Beaumyer.
According to the terms of the match the start
was to be made from Mr.. Benefits residence
at eight o'clock, but in order to avoid crowd
1t was changed to seven o'clock in the morn
ing.
The route was from the curbstone on the
north side of Thirty-eighth street, at Fifth
avenue, along the avenue to One Hundred and
Tenth street; along this street to Saint Nicholas
avenue, then to Seventh avenue, and thence to
One Hundred and Ffty-fourth street and
Macomb's Dam, crossing at Florence's hotel,
over the bridge, and along Central avenue 70
the road that turns down to the entrance to
Jerome Park, and thence through the lane to
the gate entrance of the park. This was the
most even route that could be got for such
walk, and is about ten miles. 1t rained yes
JcEud1 ulOEulug, COIu du4 hSIg hSS O4iAS4o
and at halfpsst six there was scarcely light
enough out doors to read by. Mr.. Whipple
and his friends appeared in carriages. 1t was
too wet and cold for a very large audience.
Only few night-caps looked out of three-story
windows. But, by and by, as seven o'clock
drew near, first the butchers boy and the
bakers boy, and afterwards a considerable
crowd, came up to see the start in the rain.
Just before seven Mr.. Bennett and Mr..
Whipple emerged from the front door of the
formers residence and came hastily down the
steps. They took their places on the west side
walk. They were accompanied by Mr.. Will
liam Bacon, who had been chosen referee; Mr..
William P. Douglas, Mr.. Benefits judge: and
Mr.. James A. Cross, judge for Mr.. Whipple.
Mr.. Bennett is thin and wiry, little taller
than his opponent, who. is broader than he.
Mr.. Whipple wore dark-blue shirt With dark
trousers and black silk cap. Mr.. Bennett wore
striped linen shirt, with yellow jockey hat
and dark trousers. Just at seven Mr. Bacon
gave the word "Go," and both men started of
insta1taneously side by side at a quick, ner-
vous gait. On they went along Fifth avenue
side by side, with the exception of occasional
. spurts by Mr.. Bennett, which put Mr.. Whipple
to his mettIe.
Mr.. Bennett walked with his hands well up
against his shoulders, and with free play of
the shoulders and mighty stride. Mr.. Whip
PIES movement was a contrast; there was
only q slight movement Of the arms, and
hardly any sway of the body, short, quick, and
apparently an easy step. At the corner of
Ffty-eighth street, at the circle in front of the
Park entrance, the first mile was completed in
nine minutes. The second mile at Seventy
eighth street was completed without any evi-
dences of fatigue in the men in nine and three
quarter minutes. The drizzly rain had mean
while continued, and through the rain and
mud the accompanying vehicles kept on, a
number Of visitors in carriages having branched |
off and passed through the Park. Both men |
were keeping up well, but Mr.. Bennett began
to take slight lead, and from that time Mr..
Whipple seemed bothered at his opponents
speed aud endurance.
Mr.. Whipple in short began to fall behind
and Mr.. Bennett to increase his lead. When
near One Hundred and Eighth street, when
three miles had hardly been completed, Mr..
Whipple grew dizzy and fell. He had been
outwalked, and made the mistake of not keep
ing within his own pace. He complained of a
pain in the side, but his trainer urged him to
continue the race, and after resting two
minutes, with great pluck he RECOMMENDED his |
Journey. Mr. Bennett had by this time got |
considerable lead, and it became settled fact |
that he would win the race. He struck the |
third mile az One Hundred and Tenth street, |
arriving there at thirty-seven and three quarter
minutes past seven o'clock. A crowd had |
gathered here to see the pedestrians, and as
MIR. Bennett moved along St. Nicholas avenue |
the crowd cheered him. Ten minutes after
wards Mr.. Whipple came along tired. There
was no doubt then as TO the winner of the race,
and the only excitement was to see in what
time the walk could be done.
Mr.. Bennet: reached Macomb's Dam, Flor |
enco's Hotel, at three and a quarter minutes
past eight. He did not appear in the least
fatiguca, and stepped along with the same
elastic movement as at the start, plodding |
down the muddy lane that leads to Jerome |
Park, wEcre 4 large crowd of the habitues of
the place awaited the finish. Mr. Bennett |
reached the entrance to the park at forty-six
minutes and ffty-fve seconds past O'Clock,
having made the distance of nine miles and |
seven tUrlongs in one hour, forty-six minutes, |
and ffty-iTe seconds, and arriving in the best
possible condition. He was received with
cheers by the assembled crowd. Mr.. Whipple, |
accompanied by his trainer and friends, reached |
the gate at ffty-three minutes past O'Clock, |
six minutes and ffty-fve seconds after his op-
ponent. Mr.. Whipple's trainer and friends |
claim that he was not in good condition, and |
that he overstrained himself. Fifty thousand |
dollars, it is said, changed hands on the result |
Mr.. WhiPpie was backed by Pierre Loril- |
lard, Robert Cutting. Lawrence Jerome, and |
by leadiI g members Of the club, who lost hoay- |
lily on tie race. A great deal of money was
wagered on time, also, and heavy odds were
Offered that the walk could not be accomplished
within two hours. Mr.. Bennett undertook, af-
ter the third mile showed the race was won,
merely to walk inside of Las He has walked
the distance in 1.39 while training. Early YES
terday afternoon Mr.. Whipple sent Mr.. Ben
nett his check for 5000, with congratula-
tory note, and thus the lorg -talked-Of-race was
ended.
AT MEETING in St. Louis of the direc.or3l