Mexico weekly ledger., 1891-07-02
BOUND FOR CALIFORNIA.
Allen Swan I'm Mexico From Mas
sachusetts Going to the
Golden State on His
wheel.
. ALLEN W. SWAN arrive,

fNAA Friday evening from
eNSa1N5 Bedford, Massachusetts,, on
his Wheel-the Columbia Safety
going to San Francisco, California.
Mr.. Swan reached Mexico last
night at exactly 8 o'clock, having
travelled yesterday from Clarks-
Vile, Mo-, distance by the road
he came, via Louisiana, Bowling
Green, Vandalla and Laddonia, of
seventy-nine miles. He seemed a
little fatigued when he rode up in
front of the hotel and dismounted
from his wheel; but after he had
changed his costume some little
and prepared his toilet he partook
Of a very hearty supper and came
out of the dining room feeling ap-
parently, like the world-renowned
puglistic hero, John L. Sullivan.
By this time the various wheelmen
of Mexico seemingly felt in the
atmosphere something that indi-
Gated there was "a new wheelman
in town." and those who are the
quickest to catch on to anything
unusual in the rank of wheelmen
made Mr.. Allen Swans acquaint-
ance and it was only few moments
until all the blcyclists here were
surrounding and honizing the tour
list from Massachusetts. Some of
the boys invited him in to try the
good cool ice water in the hotel Of
fee and get cigar, which he kind
ly accepted. Mr.. Swan then took
a chair in front of the hotel and be-
gan to give the boys brief descrip-
ton of his journey, and 1t 1t was quite
interesting, even to the LEDGER
representative, who is not up in
'wheelology' like some of our ex-
perts. Mr.. Swan said he started
for San Francisco from Bedford,
Mass, five weeks ago tomorrow
Sunday morning, and looking at
the register on his wheel, which
indicated the distance he had come,
remarked he had just travelled up
to the time he reached Mexico,
one thousand five hundred and
sixty miles even. He is not en-
deavoring to beat any record for
quickness, but is making the trip
mostly for the pleasure in it and
the novelty of going SO far upon a
wheel in one stretch. He doesn't
speak in the most fiattering terms
of some roads he has run over in
the West-really it was quite
amusing to hear HIM describe some
of the diIemmas he got into on &C,
count of the bad roads and some of
the streams not being bridged. He
recited an instance that happened
to him last Wednesday, coming
from st. Louis to Clarksville. Ar
irving at broad stream of shallow
water without any bridge he was
compelled to disrobe and carry his
wheel and wade it without know
ing its depth. About the time he
disrobed and reached the middle
of the stream, carrying his wheel,
he was run upon suddenly by a
surrey .iull Of young ladies and gen.
tlemen out on picnic excursion.
The water was not deep enough at
this particular, critical moment for
his convenience in his disrobed
condition, and he did not have
time to run, so nothing could be
done but squat under the. water
and hold his wheel above his head
and exclaim to the young ladies
to "Hurry up; my arms can't stand
the weight long" Mr.. Swan said
Audrain county creeks and streams
were well bridged and he was glad
to find it SO. He took his de-
parturs after breakfast this morn
ing for Columbia.