The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-02
srAMFoRD's PEDEsrRTAM
Johnny Swan Trying TO Reat the Rest Record
In "a TweatI-fsur Hears Wsik.


STAMFORD, Jan 1. This pretty little
town has had m attack Of the pedestrian fever.
caught probably from It's sister Bridgeport. who
is poorer and wiser since the failure Of old
Sport" in Gilmoro's Garden. Last evening mt
10 o'clock John II. Swan began n walk OF "a
hours with the lofty intention OF beating tho
best record yet made. Johnny is n native Of
Stamford, and Is Is years old. He has been in
tho employ Of the Western Union Tele-
graph Company for number OF years
"a messenger boy. and in that ca
pacity has done a great deal OF walking
over all binds OF roads in all kinds OF weather
Last summer 1t began to be talked among the
boys that Johnny was fast walker and a tough
walker. and he began to think so himself SO
ono Sunday no went up on the Woodside Park
track. and did ten miles in 90 minutes and 46
seconds. thus beating the best time OF j. G.
Moore, the champion OF the state. who had
done the same distance in 100 minutes and &
seconds. He did this, too. in his stocking feet
over gravel track and yet his hardy feet had
not an appro1ch TO blister on them when the
walk WIS finished
ford citizens. twenty-five in number. all we'll
known men. decided to give him chance to
out u nice track. told Johnny on Monday that he
Gus m9st stop smoking eigarsltes, bought him a
with big yellow posters announcing that
j. ". Swan would attempt the won
derful feat Of surprising the best time on
record. walking twenty-four hours. Sir John
Ashley rules to govern. commencing ut 10 o'clock
on Tuesday evening. The net proceeds were to
scvcnty-il five miles: otherwise. they would 20 to
the Stamford Public Library fund.
There were ility men and boys In the hall
Tuesday evening when Johnny, rObed in q plaid
blanket, stepped upon the track. Al exactly 10
Orip"k the judge shouted Col" the blanket
was jrrkrd IRON his shoulders. and. clad in n
| white shirt. blue hreechcs, magenta stockings.
and wearing red handkerchief around his
neck. the plucky young fellow started on his
Swan is about 1--WE feet seven inches tall.
| weighs 1873 pounds and ~ clipper built. His
stock ings dis closed neat tgir Of legs with
muscular calves. His face. which ~ plucky. TX
urnumcutrd with Wellington nose and IL
| noses mrant anything. Johnny would win.
Ttc track. which was composed Of moulders'
| sand yellow clay and sawdust WIS 22i feet &
| hes In length. and tw"nty-four laos made
one mile with los feet to spare. Swan started
| Oh ut m easy pace. He walked as fairly and
spnnrcly as the prince 81 walkers, OIeary,
swinging his arms with hitch OF his
| square shoulders that was moro vigorous than
| graceful He carried corn cOhs. He began
leisurey, doing his first mile IN II minutes 30
seconds. his second in II seconds less his third
| "a Z seconds less than fourteen minutes. and
| Computing by laps he made ninrty-six turns
OF the track, or four miles and 1872 feet. I'm Sc
minutes and 40 seconds. This Was thought to
| be good walk ing
Then johnny, getting warmed up. let out n
| link or two. The hall meanwhile began 10 I'LL
| up. nni the Spectators continued 10 drOD in
| until after midnight. when there was quite
| delegation OF Young persons who had
hcen Inducing In the timc-honored Gus,
! tom Of attending watch meeting. AMI
| who stopped nu their WY home 90 see the Stani-
! ford boy The boy m"unwhlc rcelcd on the
| over two hours nude ten miles. amid the cheers
All night johnny kent at his walk. making
| only brief rests. and at O'Clock had covered -
| miles. This WIS not wonderful walking for a
professional pedestrian but II WI, good time
| for a boy who had never trained and knew
| nothing ~ walking except what mis- business
| hud taught him. At 80 o'clock Johnny ate n
hearty brrRkias NJ eggs. bc"istenk, and other
| nourishng food. and pIucNily declared that he
| ieit " first rate" He then began walking again
whilo tho citizens began dropping in to SEE
| him.
There was one thing that Swan seemed de
| trrmined 10 DOWN whatever gate moEcS
there would b. after expenses were paid, b,
| making seveuty-tlve miles at lcns:. He hac
| come 10 the conclusion that he couldn't quite
beat he best twenty -four-honr record. but h,
| hoped TO beat the best ls-yvar old record. =,
| h" -trod" hriskly around the little track. with
| thtrty-nins inch step while DIR. f. T.. kowll
well known here. looked after his physical wei
| fare.
A. tho day wore away the visitors becam,
| more nhundant and by \ > O'Clock this eveninl
the little hail was crowded. 1t was o'cocI
| when johnny made his seVenty-iiih mile. ant
the gate money was his The Spectators cheerc.
Justify and u II doubtful II even tho trustees -
liz, library fund ,,rud,..I thc how his hnr,
earned money. In order that there might b.
nu mistake. h. waikci another mile and half
| ms hackers amid much enthusiasm and lou,
cheers He WINS in excellent condition.
Tho total distance covered was srvcnty-s i'
AID halt miles. aud this WIS done In exact I
sixteen hours and fourteen minutes for b.
rested seven hours ana toryt-siN minutes. H.
fastest mil" WIS his iory-thlrI. ana WAS mad
| In ton minutes. tltrty-sHv-n seconds.
| IhI- walk hus excited much interest. and th'
yuun. m"u hero are already aspiring to hocom'
p"t' s'rians. IL H. ruuorud that A. q. Weed. n
the firm ~ Weed 4 Coz prominent groeu
n"r" anil Mr.. \. }. Nu'uns. WHO D. With Gun
| Co. uf Now YORK. have made match Tor 500
- walk twenty. four houre tho man tInt guit,
the truck first To- Loose and tho gute money To -
tn the poor ut stamford. Mr. Weed Is very tai
AMI ruth"r heavy. und Mr., Nuitiug is short aut
rather slght AMI consequently the mat 10 Il
looked forward To- VIA Interest The betting
on the a. p.rlug uedc sirlaus is about even.