New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-06-23
THE INTEREST FELT IN THIS CITY.
wEsToNs PREVIOUS FAILCgEs CAUSE SURPRISE Al
HIS PRESENT SUCCESS.

wEsToN's PREVIOUS FAiLCBEs CAUSE SURPRISE AT
HIS PRESENT SUCCESS.
The interest felt in New-York in the walk
ing match in Lopdon last week seemed In great meas
to he due to surprise No at any of the bulletin
boards I'm the hotels elsewhere on Saturday night
could point to the figures, weston at 1888 p M 800
miles" and say " told you so.' The opinion In this
city a week ago when the match began was universal
that Edward Wcstons chances fairly represented
in the betting tn which the odds stood 10 TO against
him. BrovD by his performance In April, seemed TO
justify the general opinion which made him the favor
ite Ennis was thought to have gained enough expert
encc his with Rowel March, when his work
on last two days unusually good, to have the
chance of making good second while even Harding
comparatively unknown man, preferred to Weston
by the bOokmakCrs.
The end Of tie Glst twentyour hours Of the six cav
both Ennis and Harding out OF the race aud although
Brown was stu tho fayOrite, Weston made so splendid
days Journey that his chances closely scrunzef
lie had walked and run 1913 miles and was only three
miles behind Brown Sporting men in NevYork were
surprised at this and Immediately inferred that he
learned to "Westons walking" said one Of these,
has always been between q walk, run and q
hop-skip and jump. He must be doing fair running
now, but he can't keep It up" On Tuesday and We'd
nesday he did keep up however, aHd at the close of
the Third day less than ten miles behind Brown,
who in the three DAYS had made 3ls miles, which was
twelve mites better than his record in April Up to this
point everybody expecting TO hear of WestOns
breaking down. and unprepared for the announce
meut which came on Thursday that he had taken the
lead from Brown, who was said 10 be suffering from
lame knee. Having obtained the lead Inc rapidly
increased II twenysz miles at the end of the fourth
day. It was then generally admitted that Weston would
probably bring the Ashley belt back to America and there
were not wanting persons who thought this had been
arranged SO allow another contest for tho belt TO
he held in America when tne proceeds would
ma
ior e mnen came S Zoo + R wt or nuS non
make 300 miles IN the six days and weson's statement
that he would The feat had never been accomplished
Weston then thirteen miles behind Browns record
In the match At which he only made 5i2 miles, and ne
had ways been known as promising to do much that
he never ACCOMPLISHED. Persons IN New-iork familiar
WITH these facts, aud who knew Weston were doubtful
of his ability TO do what he had undertaken They knew
thath was wonderfully " game man, tnat ne had
exeeptionabe recuperauve powers which enabled BIN
10 undergo fatigue with little seeming wear upon MS
nerves and muscles bu ne had SURPRISED tbem afeady
by going far that they were unwilling TO say that lie
believe that ne would on Friday Weston made SO
miles. a distance never before made by pedestrian
total distance of 473 miles, which although sull
miles behind Browns April record rendered IL possible,
II this possibility which created the great interest
s an al If Sr the cable
that West0n's score stood 49S miles there
hours tine left there were ffytwo miles OF distance
TO overwhelmingly five miles an hour. In the next
two hours he made 0s miles, aud the crowds In front Of
the bulletin boards calculated that he could Keep that
up lie would make the distance When two hours later,
ana he was keeping IL up, there were very few who
thought he could last at the pace and fewer still who
were willing wager their money on IT, AT O'Clock,
LOrdOn time. Weston making AZ miles all hour,
and crowds at the bulletin boards III this city AT last
believed that he would win. Every fresh bulletin was
greeted with cnthus astc cheers. These lOudest
when thc news came that at $3.50 Weston had beaCen
BrJwn', record OF 5422 miles in 40 II minutes
by making 513 miles and laps III the time. AT
the MadisOl-sq Ire bulletin the crowd fingered until
late hour waiting patiently for the ANNOUNCEMENT,
which came at last. that at 1000 Weston had made
$50 miles"
Edward Weston born I'm Providence X. L., March
10 1885, ana been know d pedestrian for upward
uf seventeen years. His first prominent undertaking
was the attempt walk from Portland Me-, TO Chicago,
which he did between October 30 and November 2o,
1867 Since then he has walked Ia almost every KIND OF
matches In America and England Ii has been calcu-
lated that he has walked professionally over 10000
miles. HIS best previous SIX days' record was IN
match against OLeary, Ia April 1877 when he de-
featcd but made the respectable Of 61O miles In
January last lie TO walk 1000 miles in 900
hours sundays excluded English turnpike roads
and deliver fifty Lectures IL different towns and villages
along the The time year badly chosen and
Be failed, although only by twenty-five and half miles.
His last match before that of last week was In April,
when made mis- record OF 542a miles, aud Weston
won share of the receipts by making 45O. How the
positions reversed Is shown In the following table