New-York tribune., 1879-03-06
PEDESTRIAN MATCHES.

COARSE SCENES IN SEVERAL CONTESTS.
TIE CLASS OF PERSONS WHO PArRONZE TIE
wOMrN's WALKING EXHIBITIoNs-MANY JADfD
WOMEN TRUDGING ABOUT THE RINGS TO SUP
PORT LAZY LOT OF MANAGERS AND DOOR
KERPRRs
The mania for walking matches appears to
he the increase spite OF the numbers who OF late
have entered the with the osensibe purDoac Of
showing the great advantage that il TO he derived from
healthy exercise To casual observer. however, the
real object Of these exhibitions would seem TO be TO
gather in the stray quarters aud haidolars from the
Of the hundreds whose curiosity is piqued by
hghycoOred poster bearing the picture OF extremely
short-skirted woman. The buildings IN which these eI
hibitons held invariably covered with square
rods OF flaming pictures and great has become the
demand for these alurns posters that firm finds II
profitable advertise female pedestrian figures OF
siI different designs" furnished 10 order There IL
striking difference, however between the picture OF the
the outside Of the hall and the reality within
There at present seven women, whose ages range
FROM ffteen to fortytye fifty, who ploddins
around the tracks IN various halls In this city Besides
these there arc several others who in training"
and who hope soon TO be waking around crowds OF
staring men and oging women.
TIE duness hat for some days has characterized tho
exhibition which Van Ness and two young women
have been making OF themselves at the old 5th ReG-
ArmOty in Hesterst relieved recently by the
saiwar pedestrian who,at opportUne moment seized
arevOvcr and perforated the SILK hat OF one friend and
grszed the arm OF another. lie then added another
quarter q a nile 10 his The room Is cherries,
cold place, an1 the Two women who walking are
obliged 10 thoiv cOaks Tie floor spUnked with
liberal amount Of sIwdust and the general appear
OF the place including the convenient bar appears
20 accord well with the character OF the lew men dnI
fewer who gather watch the almost repusiye
spectacle TrudEng sugeishy about the track are an
apparently Eafiusanc man, with swollen feet, and two
women, fifteen years Od, whose feet are blood
bsters big silver dollars, and the other somewhat
older, with a shock OF blonde hair and tired look Tho
younger often cries from pam while walking
aud when askcd Yesterday why she was doing what she
seemed 10 be 90 i1tted for she replied the influence
brewster Hall. at Ffth-ave. and Fourt rtecnth-st.,
Madame Franklin and Fannie Edwards stlll continue
todsport hemse ves for the edcatlOn Of small gather
ing, Ot men and women. The hali-doLeu abIe-9odIod
men who seem To wax tat ou' OF the exhibition Of tlcse
women cit about, and when the Interest ntgs hey see
80 1t that the hearty and spontaneous applause is
begun AGAIN owing Doubtless To Ihe situation OF tLe
hd Respectable women are Occa-iclaty seen W enter
but casual visitor would probably infer tIat the
entertainment was patlonizcd chiefly 10y men VINO were
the ph! s!cal development OF the walkers. The two
women alternate on the ii4ch ana t"e tL'I 80 ps 70
equally well air. On the floor above is a
training school for amateur female walkers, from
winch tuey be graduated and enter the bus ness
on the track yesterday there were twO-a young and
from the cares of a half century, and whom a young
man, apparently well yersed ia the "busluess."
admirers OF the walkers occasionally indulge a
friendly "spurt on the track ana taken all N all
there Of OOscness and freedom 10 the show tlt
would appear 10 be better suited to the BOwery hau 10
IHthaye.
Cora Cushing and Florence Le Vanion, in long
narrow hall on SlItnave near Thrteenthst., are two
more women who are struggling 10 walk 5000 quar-
ter miles IN many quarter hours" The sign " no
smoking" which ID prominently displayed, does not
deter Of the who attend from iudulgne IN
pipes and segars. The music from piano, which
TO be Indispensable to suCh show, and tie sight OF tue
red. jaded women afford the staple OF amusement
The Cushing woman ls stout In person. and wears n
blue skirt OF the customary breyity. The lie VauiOn
d little OF salOw compile XiOn. ana her
walking slow and evidently painful that n
pleasant to watch her The two struggle on, however
and III sOmeWa ay manage 10 support the half dozen
buIy managers, tmekeepers, trainers, piano players
and o. her attendants.
LasI evening 8 o'clock Maggie L. smith began
5000 quareT-mlle tramp III Clarendon Han, III East
Inirtecnthst 10 the music OF ID tuneless piano. There
were the usual number OF men and women inside the
sswdust track and they gazed with lazy sort Of In
difference at the ttIng red dress and soed stockings
OF the walker This woman is called " the now famous
tenemcHt-hOuse Ledesrlau,' She left the track
last Saturday when she had walked 500 quartermies
policeman who was present last evening appeared to
aTlpE no a. 81 l