The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1878-11-07
THE HEWHEELBARROW FIEND
After Five Months of Wheel Pro.
pulsiOm Across the COntincnt-He
Arrives in This City-SOmething
AbOut His Journey.

After Five Months of wheel Pro.
puision Across the Contincnt-Hc e
Arrives in This City-SOm e { h ing
Ab0ut His Journey.
[Fro,, the (san Francisco) Daily Evening Postl
The celebrated wheelbarrow man,
r. Lyman Potter, arrived in this city
by the Oakland boat to-day at half
past twelve o'clock. He was welcom-
ed at the wharf by large crowd, who
had early learned of his intended ar
riyal, and was escorted up California
street on his way to the New City
Hall by q humorous darkey, who act
ed as drum major for the motley pro
cession. The wheelbarrow tramper is
fine specimen of physical manhood
and possesses greater share Of mus
cular development than usually falls
to the lot of common mortals, and is
about 55 years of age. His hair, ting
ed with gray, is confinded by ham
let-like hat, and he wears hunting
coat and pair of overalls. He pushes
HIS HHSGlOaIiOW, Ou w ElCu nc h<eo A'o
blankets, ETC., before him, the weight
of which is supported by strap oyer
his shoulders. The stars and stripes
in miniture fioated over his vehicle,
which looked, as did its owner, not a
little the worse for wear. So great
was the desire to CLEAN brief sketch
of his trip from him by the crowd on
either side that his progress over the
cobbles was made well nigh impossi-
BILE.
Potter gives the following account
of his journey:
"I started April 10th at three o'clock
in the afternoon from the corner of
Warren and Swain streets, Albany,
New York, to walk to San Francis
CO, in 215 working days. The feat was
the upshot of talk between myself
and few friends about Weston. I
offered to wager 81 900 that would
walk TO San Francisco, and wheel a
barrow all the way, in 2l5 days, Sum-
days excluded. The bet was not taken
up, but number of betting men made
up a purse of $1,000, and I started.
Two men started with me; one of
them Orchard Downie) watched me
in the interest of the parties who
placed the $1,000 in bank, and the
other (Andrew Barker) represented
the people who had outside bets. My
barrow was given to me by the men
who made up the purse. It weighs
about sixty pounds, and was covered
over during my journey. 1 had to
stop several times to have it repaired,
as the jolting threatened to knock it to
pieces. To Buffalo l average thirty
miles day. followed the turnpike
from Buffalo 10 Cleveland and Toledo
and afterward followed the line of the
Pittsburgh and Fort Wayne Railroad
and leaving it struck the Chicago and
Columbus. I got into Chicago May
23rd, and stopped three days. After
left Chicago did not stop more
than a day or two anywhere on the
| route, except at Plum Creek, Nebras-
ka, where had sunstroke, which laid
me out for fifteen days. I meyer trav.
eled on Sunday, because it was one OF
the conditions of the feat. found i!
hard to get over the trestle-works
Every one on the road was very kind
to me, and would not, many times.
take any money from me. took let
ters to deliver on my way, at 25 cents
and got quite mail bag. At every
station 1 reached I got the stamp OF
the Office put in my book"
| Potter has in his possession diary
which shows the stamp of all the pos.
tai stations passed by him. The ex
penses of the journey were about $500
The average distance which he travel
ed over since leaving Albany was 21.72
miles per day. The journey was &C.
complished in 1SS days, which leaves
him thirty days ahead of time.