Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-03
DALLAS.
The o'Leary-Gay Match Has Revived an
Interest in Pedestrianism.
Paying OF City ciaIs-BurgIars Doing the
Town-A wins-Room Girl Commits
suicIde-Local Notes.
THE GAZETTE BUREAU, )
70 MAIN STREET. Z
DALLAS, TEX, june 2, 1880. }


Dick Flanagan, at whose place on the
corner of Main and Ervay streets the de-
tails of the o 'Leary-Gsy walk were ar
ranged, has paid over to o'Leary, $500
the stake money walked ror.
While o'Leary won his match with
Gay he lost bet of 5000 made with a
travelling man that he would complete
the fifteen miles in TWO hours aud forty
minutes or less The condition of the
track, which was heavy and sandy, pre-
vented him from doing this. He says
that if the track is rolled he can make
fifteen miles within the time named and
is willing to try and do SO If it is made an
object for him.
O'Leary says Gay is man of grit and
patience and that his only mistake was in
walking so short distance. He might
beat me'' said the champion, lin fifty
mile walk Gay walked IN a logged,
determined manner, showing the power
to endure and to remain to the finish no
matter what distance lay before him.
The walk of yesterday has revived IN the
mind of the writer the memory OF the
first great event in the history of pedes-
trianism in this country, being the re-
ception accorded Edward Payson Weston
upon the occasion of his entrance, on
Thanksgiving day 1867, into Chicago, at
the conclusion of his great walk of twen-
ty-six days from Portland, Me-, a dis
tsnce of l 300.
The day was mild and cloudy and q
"a In1 do
the sidewalks wet and the streets slushy.
Notwithstanding this, the greatest
crowd, until that time, known
to the history of Chicago, thronged the
streets through which Weston was to pass
and anxiously awaited his arrival. Wa
bash avenue then next to Michigan av-
enue, the leading residence street of the
city, was an almost compact mass of
people from Madison street TO Twenty
second street.
1t was about noon when Weston termed
into Wabash avenue from Tween fZsecond
street. Here the beginning of the great
multitude met him. From sidewalk, to Z
center the thoroughfare through which
he was to pass was packed with men
women and even children, all anxious TO
see and greet and cheer The man who hads
accomplished what was then regarded as
a marvellous feat of physical endurance.
The fact that it was q holiday and
the noon hour helped TO swell the crowd
enormously. As Weston advanced, pre-
ceded and fanked on each side by an
escort of police, who with difficulty
opened a way for him through the surg
ing mass of humanity, he was cheered at
every step, while from every window
fair faces smiled down upon him and
waved and fluttered by
fair hands gave him greeting.
As near as memory can recall, the
great pedestrian presented Hnobby''
He wore low-crowned
stiff hat, dark velvet cut-away jacket,
knee-breeches, a pair of args-looking
heavy soled walking shoes, and carried in
his hands either small whip
or cane. He walked with an
easy, graceful yet a r7pid stride.
and frequently lifted his hat to tine fair
ones in the windows. His walk through
the city to the board of trade was q
march of triumph. 1t is doubtful if any
other man ever walked the same distance
gazed at by so many eyes, oheered by so
many voices, and made the object of a
popular demonstration as great and spon-
taneous rs it was unusual and unique.
he was given public reception and 1
made the recipient of honors usually re-
served for the famous and distinguishsdf
among men, but through it all he bore !
himself with manliness and modesty. His |
great walk started into life new athletic |
sport. Others rose up to emulate and TO |
outdo him, but from his first |
race to his last he made a rec
ord as fair, honest walker !
With powers of endurance, kept up |
tests, by a life of abstinence from all |
exciting, stimulating or intoxicating |
agents. 1t is the testimony of Dan
'Leary, to whom Weston yielded the |
Iix-dsys' championship belt, that the |
after is man of the most remarkable |
endurance Said O'Leary recently, in |
talking about Weston: 81 could and !
lid beat him in a six day g walk, but if |
re had had to walk another day, 1 be-
ieve he would have beaten me. He had |
he most unconquerable viii of any man
ever met on the track, and would never |
give up" Weston is now well ad-
1anoed in years, and would hardly be
to do or endure as he has in the
past. 0'Lsary, though nearing fifty,
still feels young enough TO give those
rho wish to compete with him chance
s6ow the mettls that is in them.
The walk of yesterday has revived in
crest in this sport here, and 1t is not
Improbable that other and more exciting
contests will be arranged in the near tu-
ure. Both o 'Leary and Gay have dem
that they can put up good
match, and there are several ambitious
ocal pedestrians who will endeavor to
make record for themselves in the near
uture.
This Is pay day at the city hall, a9af
bout Sl2 900 poured from the CITY
into the pockets of school
eschers, city officers, employees and
aborers.
The city is considering the question of
utring in complete electric fire and
,olice alarm system. The present sys-
em is exceedingly inconvenient and de-
ective.
Burglars entered the room of O. s.
'ay and D. E. WEIGH, ga Ross avenue,
asst night and took therefrom several ar
lcles of clothing belonging to the occu-
ants. Toward morning G. E. Corn
'all, assistant chief of police, arrested
fil Clark, suspicious looking negro,
tho had in his possession well filed va
Sc. He was taken to the station, where
be clothes In the valise and part Of those
n his person were identified by Fay and
Telch
Dat pa,11r -ano-.. that b,,r,io-, --;.;.,s |