The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-16
The Grand Finish,

|
| New YORK. March 15.-The great interna-
tional walking match which has been exciting
this part OF the country for the past week has at
| last come to q close. A more successful pede5-
tran contest, financially and otherwise, has
probably never taken place In any part OF the
world. From beginning to end 1t has been
full OF surprises, keeping the public In one
continual state of excitenent.
| On Monday morning last, when the match
commenced, the crowd was so great that
thousands had to be turned away. In the
rush for admttance the crowd broke down
one of the large entrance doors and a riot
was feared, but after sharp battle the police
succeeded in driving the mob back and re-
storing order. Soon after the start Rowell
| took the lead and maintained 1t to the finish.
| At the end OF the first day he was ten miles
| ahead. On Tuesday he had increased it to
fourteen miles. Wednesday was the great
sensation day of the contest. The first sur
| prise was the withdrawal of 0'Leary from
the @ contest on account Of sickness. The Sec
ond incident Wednesday was one that came
very near throwing cloud over the match.
| This was the falling of @ portion OF the gal
| lery, by which a number OF persons were So
riously injured, but fortunately none were
! killed.
During the early part OF the week consid-
cradle feeling was shown against the English
man, apparently without cause, and threats
were made that he would be prevented from
winning. The plucky little Rowell paid no
attention to the threats and jeers OF the
roughs, but kept steadily at work, even
though, as known, suffering much from blis-
tered feet and swollen legs He kept this
secret, however. and never allowed any OF his
competitors to take the lead he had gained.
| The crowd In the garden began to grow
denser about this evening, and continual
stream of people poured In to witness the
end OF the .raee. The galleries were crowded
and all the seats were taken.
After completing 457 nj les Ennis retired for
supper and was off the track nearly an hour.
Hartman went off about the same time and
was In his cottage nearly an hour and half
ROwell, while alone on the track, maintained
steady gait and made lap after lap with
methodical regularity. Hartman looked
tagged out, but still ,lated by the cheers OF
the audience, he moved rapidly around the
track with his old accustomed gait. Ennis
maintained good face and frequently Spurted
with Rowell, both men receiving their full
share of applause. The race, so far as the
belt was concerned was already decided, and
the men now walked to cover as great dis
tance as possible and give encouragement to
Hartman, who was now approaching his
450th mile. After completing 466 miles,
at Z :33 D. H., Ennis retired to his COTTAGE
leaving the other two pedestrians on the
track. He returned in about fifteen minutes,
however, and started on slow run. All
three kept pegging away to the great de-
light OF the audience, who almost went wild
over every squirt made. Rowell, by his gene
raj demeanor and manly conduct, has made
thousands of friends, and to-day he was
cheered as much as either of the others, and
all fears OF violence towards him were dis
PEELED. There was all day an extra force of
police both inside and outside the building,
and had any miscreant dared to interfere in
any way with the contestants he would have
been roughly handled.
The peeuliarties Of the three pedestrians
when on the track are noticeable. Rowell car
ries sponge In his right hand, which he
sucks occasionally, and a handkerchief in his
left. His persistent following In the tracks OF
the other competitors has created much ad-
verse criticism, but was hardly deserved.
He adopted the policy of gaining a few laps
as opportunity offered, and then when resting
guiding his pace by that OF the man going
fastest and so lost nothing of his lead 1t is
doubtful if he ever thought Of worrying a
competitor, and his record Is that OF fair
man on the track.
One-half the wear and tear and loss on the
track comes from anxiety and from losing the
gait which the runner or walker intends to
keep. Rowell avoided all this. He simply
fell in behind the man going fast, and, ma
chine-like, followed the steps made for him.
1t saved him wind and strength, and proba-
bly, II Ennis had employed the same tactics
he would have been much closer to the Eng
lishman, and perhaps ahead of him. Ennis
has doubtless lost many laps by short steps
taken in passing the scorers stand to turn to
look at the scores. and in passing his cottage
to catch glance of recognition from his wife,
and begrudges the time lost In holding out his
hand for bOQuet.
Daniel O'Leary is at the Metropolitan
Hotel, and will start for Chicago Monday.
He takes a deep interest In the walking
match, and is kept well posted about the pro-
gress made. He is feeling better and expects
to be all right in few days. He thinks it
improbable that he will walk again for the
belt. 1t Is stated by other parties, however,
that Rowell will be Immediately challenged,
and will remain In this country until June,
when another six-days' contest will take place
at Gilmore's, participated In by Rowell,
OLeary,, Ennis, Hartman, and perhaps
others from England and this country
BULLETIN OF THE RACE.
8 a. m-Rowel 453 miles, Ennis 43o Har-
riman 415
9 m-Rowell 459, Ennis 433, Hartman
A3.
$50 a. m.-Rowell 457, Ennis 435, Hartman
46.
10 a. m.-Rowell 459, Ennis 437, Hartman
418.
10 80 a. m.-Rowell 4s2, Ennis 4S9. Hartman
40.