Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-26
WESTON ENDS WALK
Slated 10 Arrive in Chicago at Four O'Clock Great Ovation
 Awaits Him.


 Weston, 69 years old, is scheduled tc walk into Chicago at 4 p. m. to-day pr thereabouts, at the rate Of i've miles an hour and complete at the steps of the New Illinois Athletic club record breaking walk of l,23O miles from Portland, Me, begun De- tober 29. ".
 If Weston finishes his walk as ar ranged, and there is every chance that he will, for at 2 o'clock thls morning he was resting at Chesterton, Ind, but forty miles away, he Will have done what he set out to do and beaten the record established by him. self forty years ago, when in his prime as a pedestrian, he was one of the champion walkers of the world.
 His record for the distance made when he was 29 years of age, was 26 secular days, for Weston never walks on Sunday. If he finishes his present performance in Chicago this after noon he will have beaten the record of his young days by several hours. .. According to the dispatches sent out from towns at which he mas touched along the route, Weston has been getting faster, rather than slow CT in his promenade for many days past. For some time he was troubled with acute indigestion which hamper ed his speed. Of late, however, he has been in perfect physical condi- tion and has been reeling off the miles at the rate of five per hour with as lit tie apparent trouble as the average broker negotiates the distance be- tween the club and the motor car at the curb.
 The New Illinois Athletic club will have a reception committee Tn auto mobiles at South Chicago to greet Weston when he hits that part of the route. There will also be a detach- ment of the First regiment as guard of honor, and a bugle corps.
 Not the least interesting part of the throng that will greet Weston Will be the old timers who cheered him when he entered Chicago forty years ago There are thousands of men still liv- ing who were present when Weston came down Michigan avenue on No vember 2S, 1867, whipping his mus cles to further activity with a short "swagger" stick which he carried Among the features of the reception will be the appearance of Alderman Mangler at Michigan avenue and 22nd street, driving a "one-horse (shay''-exactly the same vehicle as { was used in 1867 by s. D. Mcclure, ST, when he drove to welcome Weston. The long hike of Weston was begun on October 29, when he left Lhe post office at Portland, Me, bearing let ter to be delivered at the post office in Chicago to the postmaster or his representative Weston's schedule called for his arrival here by Novem- Der 27, but he has consistently kept ahead of the schedule. If he reaches the city this afternoon he will beat the record of 1867 by nearly 24 hours. Weston has met with good deal of difficulty on the present trip because of muddy roads, but in spite of that handicap he has steadil, maintained his advantage over the demands of his schedule. The only advantage he has in his present at tempt in comparison with the walF when he was young man is that the roads on the average are much better now than they were then over the route traversed.
 During the entire trip Weston ha! been met with much enthusiasm al along the route, towns turning out CD masse to greet him.
 It is stated that Weston intends tC make a lecture out of his experiences on the present trip. He has already |done a considerable amount of lec- eture work and is declared t3 have made a success of it. Weston is al most eE:husJastic b1 lie 'e: in the vir |tue; of walking, which he prUnoIICef Fa cul .'-all for the ills O. humanity. Weston's walk of forty years ago tended on November 27, the date of ahis departure from Portland being the Same as on the present attempt. He keached Chicago in the morning and ft was estimated that ne was welcom- Ied by a throng of 50,000 persons, who theered his pluck and persistence to the echo. The occasion largely took Ibn the nature of a public holiday and many shops closed so that the em- bloyes might take part in the recep. lion.
 His arrival in Chicago on that oc- basion was the finale of walk which had interested almost the entire coun-