The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-08-30
WONDERFUL WALKING.

A Pedestrian UufEs 1000 quarter HHeS
in an Equal Nnn.ber of Quarter Hours.
[From the Cardiff (Wales) Mail.l
Punctually to the second, at half-past
z o'clock on Wednesday evening,
William Gale started his final quarter
mile, and in four minutes and half af-
terward had accomplished his marvel
GUS feat of walking 1000 miles in quar-
ters, commencing at every consecutive
ten minutes. What c contrast be-
tween the triumphant finish and the
solitary start made at l o'clock on the
morning of the 28th of June ! Under
the pale moonlight, as keen wind
stirred the branches of the sturdy trees
that line the Canton Grounds, William
Gale, ON that memorable Thursday, be-
gan his unparalleled feat of pedestrian
ism. Some dozen of the talent hung
about the grounds a curl of tobacco
smoke indicated the whereabouts of the
head; kissing oil-lamp, or, if the
shadows of the thick hedgerows inter
vened not, the grey midnight glow of
the moon revealed the countenance, and
oDe inferred that man was here, and a
man there, notwithstanding the woolen
about the throat, the size of the ears, the
lean d" "chops," the shaven neck, the
clipped pate. It was a motley and
lachrymose gathering.
But the brave work had been begun,
,nd the referee announced two minutes
forty-fve seconds as the time in which
Gale had accomplished the first two
laps which made up the first quarter of
the first mile out of 1000. Last even
ing how all this had changed The male
spectators and their wives and daughters
We'd with one another in necking' the
course the gentlemen of Glamorgan
ran hither and thither to watch the
tough and high-strung pedestrian the
"talent," now displayed at its best,
swept the ground over which the plucky
little man had to tramp ; the Conquer
ing Hero danced in stirring strains
bled; cheers, claps, congratulations-the
freaks of frisky youth, the solid assent
of sober age, excitement, variety, ami
mated speculation-such were the indi-
cations of the curiosity and admiration
which Gales pedestrian marvel had
worked up. Every consideration was
swallowed up i'll the big fact that the
greatest feat of pedestrianism on rec
ord was being brought to a splendidly
successful finish, and that, too, IN Car
diff, at the Canton Running Grounds.
Three times, just a week apart, did
Gale show symptoms Of breaking
down. On the first occasion he was de-
lirious, ON the second physically weak,
on the third he suffered bodily and
mentally. In each case he picked him
self up in A ] style.
Doubtless a number of interesting
questions relative to Gales feat Will yet
be discussed, not only by those specially
interested in the pedestrian, but by the
medical profession generally, as well as
by the thinking portion of the public.
For the present the big fact is that 4, 900
quarter miles have been walked III A, 900
consecutive ten minutes by William
Gale, of Penarth.
The editor of the Western Mail, hav-
ing undertaken the duty of appointing
referees to authenticate the due per-
formance of Gales walking feat, official
ly declares:
1. That William Gale commenced
walking at 1 a. m on Thursday morn
ing, June %, 1877.
1. That from that time onward he
walked quarter of mile at the COM
Increment of every ten minutes, with
out intermission, until he had accom-
plished l, 900 miles.
3. That the feat was concluded on
Wednesday, the 25th of July, 1877, at
7 hours, 81 minutes, 80 seconds, having
occupied 81 days, Is hours, Al minutes,
80 seconds.