The sun., 1897-11-27
WALKS is MILES A Day.
Trudged from Home to Mill for
Twenty-Five Years.
HE ENJOYS THE EXERCISE
This Quaint Old Frenchman Leaves
Home at Four A. NJ, and
Returns Twelve Hours
Later.

"How many miles do you walk ,
day w
"Sevcn and half each way, they say
The query was addressed to probably
the oldest cmploye Of the Du Points, -
Mr.. Sylvester France.
In twenty years this strange old gentle
man has walked upwards Of two million
miles, Mr.. France was born in Parda
mar Monchcre, Bonchemberre, France
He lived in the old country until he at
tained the age Of thirty-eight years. He
then determined to try his fortune in
the United States, and accordingly set
sail for this country.
When Mr. France sailed for the United
States, the passage across the Atlantic
was not made in the short space OF time,
in which it is accomplished at the
present day.
On his arrival in this country. Mr..
France came to this city. After living
here for five years, he obtained employ
ment in one of the mills of the Du Pont
Powder Co. Shortly after this he met
and married Miss O'Brien. Miss o. Brien
was wcIl-known here, her father having
kept large grocery in this city for a
number of years.
After his marriage, Mr. France went to
live at his present home, No. 5Os Walnut
street, which was then the residence of
his brides parents. Mrs. France is the
last representative OF her family, having
had the misfortune to bury all her family
from her present home, where they were
born, lived and died.
Mr.. France is, at present, sixty-fve
years OF age. He started to work for the
Du Points at the age of foty-thrce years.
Thus for twenty-five years he has worked
for that company. During that time,
though he has been present during the
narrowing experiences Of explosions and
loss OF life, it seems as if a special Provi-
dence has watched over him, for he has
neither had al explosion i'll the mill in
which he works nor has he been injured
in any way. This state OF affairs is not
caused by the fact that his work is less
dangerous than that Of other men, for
his work is right in the midst OF the
POWDER, and there is only very thin
veil between him and eternity. The lack
OF accident in this mill is, in a great
part, due to the fact that Mr.. France is
an extremely careful man, his long cx-
periencc in the powder not having rem
dercd him less careful than he was when
he first started to work.
The peculiar fact about Mr. Frances
daily life, is that he walks to and from
work. He does not do this from any
mercenary motive, but because he has
become accustomed to the walk and en-
joys the exercise it occasions.
The distance from his home to his
work is about seven miles and half.
He walks this twice day, making ff-
teen miles per day. He walks this dis
tance at least three hundred and sixty
five days in the year, making 5,475
miles per year; but he has walked this
distance for twenty-five years, making a
total Of 12O $50 miles he has walked
during the time he has been in the en-
ploy Of the company.
This is an astonishing record, and one
to be proud of. He is very methodical
in regard to the way he goes and comes
and has rever changed his route. His
family consists of his wife, two sons and
one daughter. We hope he may live for
many years yet, and continue to enjoy
to its fullest extent, the perfect happi-
ness of contented mans life. He
leaves home at four o'clock in the morn
ing and ends his homeward trip at four
o'clock in the afternoon.