The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-02-20
A MILE IN CITY AND COUNTRY
An Observing Mans Impressions of
Time and Distance in Walk
ing Them.

81 have observed a curious thing
about distances" said a thoughtful
citizen, states the New Orleans Times,
"and l have heard many persons com
ment on the same thing; but l have
never seen any satisfactory explana-
ton of it. In fact, 1 suppose nearly
every person who has had an op-
portunity to contrast conditions as
they exist in cities with the more
open conditions in rural sections has
observed the same thing. At any
rate, most men are inclined to re-
gard the city mile as somewhat
shorter than the country mile. Of
course, there are many things which
Will suggest themselves in explana-
ton of this matter, if we think about
1t seriously and yet they are not at
all satisfactory when we weigh the
problem analytically. Suppose we
walk the distance. Along the line
OF the city mile we find many things
which will crowd into the mind, pic
lures along the way, pretty trade dis
plays in show windows, handsome
buildings, men and women busting
hither and thither, and a thousand
and one other things which produce
a series of psychological effects which
deaden, to some extent, the idea of
distance, and consequently the city
mile is seemingly shortened. On the
other hand, the country mile, to the
average person who has had no taste
for artistic, and who can see no
beauty in the ruggedness of fence
corners in the tracements of the
hedges, is simply long and barren
stretch. But thus far | am thrashing
over old straw.
This is the common view of the
matter, and no doubt these psyche
logical processes play an important
part in determining the impressions
received with reference to distances
under the different conditions as
sumed. But here is the particular
thing l would like to call attention
to: The city mile will be made in
much less time than the country
mile. AS rule a man will walk
mile in the city in two-thirds of the
time it will take him to walk mile
in the country. Ordinarily, it would
seem that the shoe would be on the
other foot. There is so much more
to arrest his attention, to stop him,
and consume his time. In the coun-
try the way is clear, and there is
nothing for a man to do but hustle
for his destination.
"Of course, the walking is better
in the city because of good sidewalks,
and the lift of the feet is not so
heavy. But the main reason for the
shorter time required, in my opinion,
is found in the stimulus which the
city pedestrian receives from the ex-
citement around him. Everybody is
going at breakneck speed. Every
body is hustling. There is noise and
hustle, and in spite of the fact that
his attention is arrested, and in spite
of being bumped and jostled about
by men and women going in opposite
directions, in spite of delays at cross
ings caused by passing cars and We
hicles of every kind, the pedestrian
is worked up to quicker movement.
Excitement is the thing that deadens
the idea of distance, and makes it
seem so much shorter in the city
than in the country, and excitement
is the thing which causes a man to
walk mile in the city in just two
thirds of the time required to walk
the same distance in the country, and
the difference between a dirt road
and a paved street for walking pur-
poses has but little to do with it,"