The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1903-11-11
SAILOR JEANS" TOUR.
ASPIRING AUTHORS PLAN TO GET
MATERIAL FOR A BOOK.
lean A. Krohn Will Spend the Winter
Tramping Southern States Over
5000 Miles Already Covered.

"Sailor JEAN" who is visiting all the
state capitals of the nation afoot, ar
rived at Macon, Mo-, the other day,
says the Kansas City Star. He had
at that time completed his three thou
sand eight hundred and ifty-second
mile and had worn out his eighth pair
of shoes. Sailor Jeans" real name is
Jean A. Krohn He was feeling first
rate and hopeful. He had only 49,
200 miles ahead Of him. He has the
postmaster of every town through
which he passes register his name with
the office cancellation stamp. At state
capitals the secretary of states issues
him a certificate of his presence, at
tested by SEAL Sailor Jean" trun-
dies a small barrow which has a cask
and flag on it and which he calls his
"troleyette" He left Boston April
without a penny. The revenue comes
from little aluminium card trays he
sells at 10 cents each. jeans wife
and baby travel ahead on the railroad.
They wait at designated point which
he reaches Sunday, and he spends the
day with them. Jean is now averag-
ing $40 a week selling his souvenirs.
Sailor Jeans" statistical report up
to Oct % was as follows: Bitten by
snakes, once; bitten by dogs, eleven
times; killed ten of the biters; held
up" by highwaymen, once; loss, a gold
watch and $3.50 in cash; attempted
'holdups," two; miraculous escapes
from suffocation in railroad tunnels,
three; sick, two hours; best days
march, thirty-eight miles; worst grub,
in mountains west of Virginia, cold
cornbread and dried apples. 1t takes
eight pairs of shoes to travel 1852
miles and five tires for the trolley
cite" wheel.
Why is Sailor Jean" going to all
this trouble? Because he has fallen
victim to the universal desire to be an
author. He explains it in this wise:
81 had observed that most people
who wrote stories of travel journeyed
over the country in first class coaches.
They visited only the great cities and
points of known interest. They are pl-
loted around by guides, from whom
they acquire most of their information.
Their stories are of beaten paths and
dress them as artistically and original
Iy as they may, they are only telling a
tale that has been told. While making
no particular claim to superiority in
writing, l thought by assuming the
garb of a sailor and travelling as one
of the plain, everyday toilers l could
get closer to nature and her children
and tell a story of our country such as
had never yet been told. l meet the
farmers, the miners, the railroad men,
the workingmen, not Of one state or a
dozen, but of all. l make notes con-
corning the condition of crossroads
hamlets that are so small they do not
appear on the map. AT the mining
camps l go through the pits and sleep
in the homes of the miners. 1t would
surprise you to witness the variety OF
people in our country. There is wide
difference in the characteristics of the
Americans in different sections, just as
the climate differs"
Sailor jeans" route was made out
in detail before he left Boston. Ac-
cording to his contract with his pub
Usher, he must complete his tour in
three and half years. He is now
southward bound and will pass the
winter tramping the southern states.
His schedule requires him to report in
Topeka, Kan, in the spring. He is to
go on foot the entire distance, except in
crossing streams, where ferries are the
only method