The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-02-14
reported for THE RUTLAND GLoBE,l
PEDEsTRIANIsM EXTRAORDINARY
Walking Twenty-four Hours Without Rest
or Sleep at ringfeld-vermont' Cham
pion Pedestrian-His Record-Full Descrip-


Walking Twenty-four Hours Without Rest
or Sleep at ringfeld-Vermont Cham
pion Pedestrian-His Record-Full Descrip-
lion.
SPRINGFIELD, Vermont, Feb. 10, 1877.
Mr.. A. II. Libby, Vermonts champion
pedestrian, will attempt the most difficult
feat in the walking line ever attempted in
this state, namely, walking twenty-four
hours without rest or sleep. He COM
mences Monday evening, Feb. 12th,at eight
p. M, at the rooms of his gymnasium, the
conditions being that he shall walk until
Tuesday evening at eight o'clock without
rest or sleep, excepting four minutes each
hour for necessary stops. DIR. Sawyer has
been engaged and will be in attendance.
Judges and scorers will be present during
the entire time and no cheating will be al
lowed Libby is to walk three miles per
hour during the whole time. He attempts
this feat without any preparation whatever
and it will be feat of endurance rather than
speed. AT precisely eight o'clock he ap-
peared on the track and started on his long
Journey having the best wishes of his
friends for his success. He appears in fine
health and at starting DR.. Sawyer reported
his pulse to be 70 and his animal heat 90 Q.
Outside, the building appears fine, it be-
ing illuminated by lights in the windows,
and everybody is talking will he accomplish
his ndertaking-Libby has everything to
contend against previous training and
the shortness of his track, it being only
thirty-nine feet long, necessitating 1875
trips across for mile, he will have to
travel back and forth 0,936 times to walk
his seventy-two miles. Up to four O'Clock
Tuesday morning he had gained enough
time by not using his four minutes each
hour to rest sixteen minutes, which he used
in taking O warm bath and in eating his
lunch. At this time, nine o'clock Tuesday
morning, he has gained about three
miles ahead of his time aud Is very coma
| dent of success. This feat is attracting 9
| great deal of attention here and he was Wis
tied at all hours last night. Libby is thirty
years of age, is five feet ten and one.hali
inches high, and in costume weighs about
144 pounds. His fret public match was in
Lowell, Mass, in 1865, when he walked
six miles against Ii. w. Wilson and wor
| by six feet in sixty-one minutes. The same
season he walked ten miles with the same
man and was beaten one-half mile, Will
sons time one hour and torty-four min
utes. In 1866 Libby beat Henry Boyle il
q mile run, time five minutes and two sec
onds; also "fxed" G. Davis one-hali
mile, time two minutes and twenty-onC
seconds; YVES beaten by VIM. Strick
land in one-half mile run
time 2.O7. In June 1868, Libby
was beaten again by Ii. W. Wilson il
Portland, Me-, in twelve mile race-win
ner's time, two hours and Ave minutes
October list, same year, Libby won the in
ternational half-mile race at Biddeford
Me-, beating James Goddard of England
time 2.04i. In 1860, at Locks Rink
Sacp, Me-, Libby accomplished the feat o.
walking seven miles in SO 50. In the sea
son of 1870 Libby performed his half hou
feat, walking two miles forward, one-hal
mile backward, running one-half mile an(
covering twenty-one feet in two standing
jumps, inside of thirty minutes, at the prin
cipal agricultural fairs west and south
and beat every short distance pedestrian ht
met, for which he received the short dis.
tsnce championship medal of the west. Ii
1879 he won two mile walk at Chicago
against James Smith time 10 46. Tit
same year Libby walked 122 miles, at Wo
burn, Mass, resting only one hour ant
twenty-eght minutes. The conditions OIL
this match were that Libby should walk OF
platform for fifty hours without sleep o
rest with the exception OF two hours t.
be allowed for necessary stops, and L
travel 100 miles IN the time. He walked
1872 miles and won with ease. He mex
walked in Boston against field of twely,
pedestrians for the ten mile championship
of New England, taking the second prize
In the fall of 1878 Daniel OLeary, tn,
| long distance champion of the world, mad,
his debut under the guidance of Libby a
trainer. Libby faithfully and successfully
handled OLeary in his great 500 mile
match with Weston, in Chicago, ILL.,, Nov
1875. Libby's last work in this line in tn,
west was as teacher of gymnastics at TIT
Mount Vernon military academy, Morgan
park, ILL., On retiring from this nstitu
ton he was presented by the president ant
cadets with handsome medal in token O
his services. Libby has walked here il
Springfield and vicinity number of times
His most notable achievement was the win
ming of the ten mile championship media
of Vermont last fall. His opponent wa
G. M. Mitchell of Concord, who claimed
the championship Of New Hampshire
Libby's time was one hour and thirty leigh
minutes. Mitchell gave out and did no
finish the race, being badly beaten By
Libby. Mr.. Libby has fine gymnasium
supplied with all the modern improvements
and has been we'll patronized. His room
are in Barney's block, using the second ant
third floors, and comprise rooms for hail
dressing and shaving, hot and cold bath
and gymnasium. His rooms are heated BY
steam and are o. X. in every particular
doubtless being The finest in the state. Mr.
Libby is intending to visit the principa
towns in Vermont, to give an exhibition o
his style as walkist, and will doubles
visit Rutland, in which case your citizens
will see some fine stepping"
BROWNIE.