Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-03-28
International Walking Match.

Seldom has New York city witnessed such
scenes of excitement as prevailed during the six
days international pedestrian contest at Gill
more's garden. Night after night the immense
building in which the match took place was
packed with eager throngs OF men and women,
representing every grade of metropolitan socie-
ty, from the millionaire of Fifth avenue to the
squalid deni2en of Five Points. Day after day
anxious crowds surrounded the bulletin boards
which were to be seen at every point, and which
gave hourly reports of the progress of the
match. The whirlwind Of excitement which
pervaded all quarters extended even to the
ladies', hundreds of whom visited Gilmore's,
watching the walkers for hours at a time and
testifying their individual preference by enthu-
siasticaly waving their handkerohiefs at sight
OF their favorites or loading them down with
flowers. The match was for Sir John Astleya
championship belt and $500 side, and the
contetannts were Daniel O'Lesry, of Chicago !;
Charles Rowell, of England; Charles A. Harri-
man. OF Boston /; and John Ennis. of Chicago.
The belt had been won by OLeary in London
last year. the conditions being that 1t should
be won three times in succession before be
coming the winners property. Having de-
feated Hughes in match for the belt some
time ago, it was only necessary that OLeary
be the victor this time in order to retain per-
manent possession Of the trophy. The four
men started on their long tramp at A. NJ. in
presence of a dense mass of human beings,
whose terrific struggles for admission almost
ended in riot at the very outset of the match.
On the first day Rowell covered 40 miles, Har-
riman, 100 miles. Ennis ninety-five miles, and
OLeary, who had the sympathy OF the great
majority Of the spectators only ninety three
miles, The second day Rowell made
eighty-seven miles, Harrimsn eighty six miles,
Ennis seventy-eight miles and 0'Leary
seventy-one miles. Confidence in the lat
tar hnu cd
believed he was outstanding his strength
for the last day OF the race. But
this confidence was misplaced as on the third
day OLeary left the track after having made
215 miles in all. O'Leary claimed to BIO utterly
exhausted and unable to proceed further. The
sympathies of the vast audience were then
transferred to Hartman, who had been walk
ing steadily and rapidly with q long stride.
| The third day'srecord showed eighty-six miles
for Rowell, eighty-four miles for Hartman
and seventy-eight miles for Ennis. On the
| fourth day Harriman's strength gave out, and
he accomplished only fifty-hve miles to Rowells
seventy-seven miles and Ennis eighty-hve
miles. Once more the sympathies of the spec
tators underwent o change, and all looked to
Ennis to prevent the belt from going back to
England by defeating Rowell, whose short,
compact figure fitted around the track on an
incessant run that placed mile after mile TO
his credit. At the close Of the fifth day Row
ell had made sixty-eight miles, Ennis sixty
nine miles and Hartman sixty-hve miles. All
the energies of the latter we're now bent IL :
ward making $50 miles, the articles OF agree
ment making it necessary for each contestant
to accomplish that distance in order to obtain
share of the gate.money. Notwithstanding
Ennis was twenty-five miles behind. Rowell,
and the chances for his coming up to the sturdy
little Englishman were very slim, the crowd
and enthusiasm were as great as ever on the
sixth day. Hartman WAS utterly exhausted,
| but kept pluckily to work. A great deal OF
feeling had been engendered in some quarters
against Rowell, and it was asserted violence