Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-08-15
Augusta County furnishes the Champion
Pedestrian Of the World

Augusta U0untV furnishes Ine Unampl0n
Pedestrian Of the World
A SKETCH OF HIM AND OF HIS DEBUT
BEGINS LIFE AS TRACK WALKER ON
THE CHESAPEAKE & OHIO R. r. sc.
The pedestrian feat quoted by the Phil
adelpia s'Times" (which the VINDICA-
TOR referred to last weekly from a Lead
vile, (Coloradol correspondent, as having
been performed by a briefless young ''law-
yer from Augusta county, Va.," unknown
to the Staunton bar, has found a solu--
ton. Geo. W. Evans; the young lawyer
is a son of VIM. and Mary Evans, born
and reared near Waynesboro, Augusta
county, who was cast upon the world in
childhood, and by Mr.. James A. Critzer
provided home, where he remained for
some years. At about IA years Of age he
found employment on the Chesapeake &
Ohio railroad as track walker, and IN the
discharge of his duty met with an accl-
dent which very nearly proved fatal. On
recovery he worked his way to Texas and
thence to Leadville, Colorado, where after
nine years absence, he has turned up as a
lawyer and promises to go ahead Of most
gentlemen of the profession. George was an
intelligent enterprislng youth, aud has
sister now living with Mrs. Branam IN in
Waynesboro to whom he sent an
account of his feat. His repu-
tation as an advocate, for the present, may
be local, but as shown by the subJoined
extract found in the New York ssHerald''
he has vaulted into fame as walkist;
which at an early day may give him the
highest honors that lie in that direction.
We first give the full acco unit in the Phil
adelphia Chimes" of his feat:
LEADvILLE, July 24.-One Of the most
remarkable pedestrian feats onfecord, was
concluded here last evening. Some months
ago a young lawyer came here to practice
his profession. He found the field already
fully occupied, and not seeing much pros
pect of earning more than his salt in his
profession, became sheep-herder down in
the Arkansas Valley. He could find no
thing in his books relating to the conduct
of the case in hand, and so dropped it.
Arriving in Leadville last week, with
empty pockets, he overheard converse
ton, OF which pedestrianism was the sub
ject, and remembering his long tramps in
the Valley, limited at his abilities in that
direction. The upshot of the matter was
that next evening he was seen tramping
up and down Harrison avenue with bag,
containing one hundred pounds of sand,
on his shoulders, in the effort to walk
three miles in an hour, carrying that
weight. He accomplished his task and
pocketed fifty dollars But he wanted to
do 70 h1u VII nd ho
ct ceteras that give tone to a lawyers Of
flee, and got an offer of five hundred dol
lars in case he should make five hundred
miles in six days. A quarter mile track
was laid out on Harrison avenue, extend
ing from the Court House to the Theatre
Comique, up hill one way, and at O'Clock
on the evening of the 18th he began his
tramp. Watchers were employed, and for
the six days ending last evening at Z
o'clock. our young lawyer could be seen
earning his first fee in Leadville. Fancy
man attempting such feat on Chest
nut street, and you can form some idea of
the difficulties overcome. There was no
carefully prepared track and clear course,
but crowded street, with teams to be
dodged and an abundance of mud under
foot. The rainy season has begun, and a
daily shower is a matter of course. On
the last day of his walk Our pedestrian
carried an umbrella, as it rained nearly all
day, and he was compelled to take to the
rain, mud, crowd, darkness, the
night tramp in the open air, and
the difficulty of severe exertion in
this altitude, four hundred and forty
five miles were accomplished in exactly
one hundred hours of actual walking. If
the weather had been favorable the five
hundred miles would undoubtedly have
been made. AS it is, the feat is unparal-
aeled, and places the plucky young lawyer
i'm the front rank of pedestrians. His name
is George w. Evans, age twenty-five years,
weight one hundred and forty five pounds.
He comes from Augusta county, Virginia,
and was without previous experience or
training. His method was to walk ten
miles and then rest from ten minutes to
two hours, AS soon as he retired from the
track he was offered ample backing in
case he would go East and enter the lists
against O'Leary and the other champions
and ex-champions, and in case he con-
cludes to accept these offers look out for
some wonderful walking. A man who
can make four hundred and forty-fve
miles ia the open street in six days, at
this altitude, is marvel and will be heard
from again.
The n. Y. "Herald. +" of July Oath which
COuJdlIS, ny GclCSiopu3 o AuiI AoPoAo VI
Evans walk at Leadville, says that he has
the greatest endurance as pedestrian of
any man before the public. The Leadvllle
4Col.) sCh-onicle" Of July 21st says:
s.When the circumstances under which
Mr.. Evans was obliged to walk, are taken
into consideration, his is certainly the
most wonderful feat now on record. He
walked exactly one hundred hours and
made four hundred and forty-fve miles
The hlndrances by muddy streets, uneven
side walks and streets blockaded by teams
was certainly equal to fifty-tive miles.
another remarkable thing about the walk
lis that Mr.. Evans never had an hour 8
ltraiaine and was in poorer condition when
he entered upon this task than on the
hour when it WAS closed. Had it not been
for the severe rain storm yesterday after
n 9on. be could easily have made his four
hundred aud fifty miles. AS it is he re-
ceives nothing but glory for his long
tram Whilst this will not set him UP
immedia te,y in law Office OF his own IN
Leadyille. it is likely to make him con-
testant for the champion belt ct the world.
lie had no more than finished his walk
last evening than he Was invited TO prl-
vate room at the Clarendon Hotel, where
offers were made TO bring him out at I'LL
more's Garden in New ofk, as the cham
pion against O'Leary, Weston and all the
other great pedestrians.
Serious Accident. to a Springs Visitor: