The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-02-01
ODRIEM
the WAFER WALKER
Resehed Gsssnsdus sssdsy Astesnssa
-Aasss,ssR Reception.

"A RssslsS Reception.
The expected has happened. Tha'
which has been passing through th,
minds Of almost every human being IL
the city Tor the past two weeks cam,
into ~reaiizstion yesterday the .watel
walker arrived.
All day yesterday the levee aIonf
Greenville's front was thronged will
psopls. but yesterday afternoon about
$50 whom II va announced that "ths
water walker had turned the 'bend,'
. rush from every section Of the city
was made for tho river front and by 3:4t
about 1900 people, and every available
kodak, wore crowded on the levees.
At ten minutes past 4 o'clock Prof
Charles ". Oldrieve, tho water walker
and party arrived and landed at the foot
Of Main street, he being accompanied by
Mrs. Oldrieve, his wife, who is champion
oars-woman Of america. She rows con.
tinually In . skin 10 front Of her hus.
bsnd while be Ia walking, protecting him
from dangers which might at any MON.
ent cause his instant death. Other
members Of the party are Capt. ]. W,
Weatherington, Pilot Arthur Jones and
Engineer A. y. MAIDEN, who travel in a
gasoline launch. The launch furnishes
living quarters and Is comfortable In
every respect.
The object Of the trip is a wager Of
5000 In which Capt. weatherington
takes sides with Prof. Oldrieve, while
Pilot Arthur Jones represents the oppo.
sing side. The conditions Of the wager
are that Prof. Oldrieve is to walk from
Cincinnati to New Orleans, a distance Of
1858 miles by river, within 40 days,
The party left Cincinnati January /, at
1915, and, are due In New Orleans Feb
ruary . at II o'clock, noon, allowance
being made for sickness. They having
lost q day In Memphis on account Of
sickness, gives them until February 10.
Capt. Weatherington thinks, however,
that thoy will complete their journey by
February 8, al Greenville Is two-thirds
the distance. Capt. Weatherington states
that they have made much better time
since leaving Memphis than before, o.
they were forced to travel through rains
almost continuously In the upper rivers,
while for the past few days everything
has been in Prof. Oldrieve's favor.
Prof. Oldrieve's home Is Boston. He
Is much smaller than the average sized
man, weighing 100 pounds, but an ath-
lete, rs he was q wire walker in days
previous. The shoes worn by Prof,
Oldrieve while walking on the river are
I feet and 8 inches In length, Q inches
across, 7 inches wide and weigh IL
pounds each. They are made Of canvass
stretched over . frame work and are
painted with asbestos, which makes
them air tight.
The launch was first to arrive yester.
day afternoon and In a few minutes later
Prof. Oldrieve, who, after walking both
forward and backward in full view Of
the public, entered the skif and rowed
In to the launch, where no was hidden
from the public and only after continu-
GUS requests was he persuaded to 60 to
upper deck, where he was introduced
by Hon. Louis Waldauer.
It was soon discovered that he was q
member Of the grand order Of Elks, ar5
he vas taken into custody by members
Of that body here and entertained at
the club rooms.
At 10 o'clock this morning Prof. Old
rieve and party left the city, after
claiming to have spent a most enjoyable
time in Greenville. They we're watched
until out Of sight by about 2,000 people,
who began to gather on the river front
at 1880 o'clock this morning, as 1t was
not announced when he would leave.
While taking the trip down the river,
Capt. weatherington is having photos
taken for stereopticon pictures which
will be put Of exhibition within the
next few weeks,-Greenville Democrat,
Jan. 2Sth.