Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1908-04-23
WALKS IS MILES
TN Il HOURS, 40 MIN


ii o'clock last night Osa Smith,
"a y. NJ. c. \. athlete, hobbled UP 10
the association building at Fifth and
Scott streets, having walked the en-
tire distance from Pine Bluff since
$40 o'clock that mornings. says the
Little Rock Gazette. Smith was near
~ exhausted. and was taken down
into the basement. where he WAS Civ
en- hot shower bath and a rub
down.
The walk was made to establish
record and it Will probably be some
time before the one he made Of II
hours and 10 minutes Will be beaten
Smith walked the distance alone.
Physical Director Stevens OF the Y.
NJ c. a. was to have gone with him
on a wheel, but was prevented at the
last minute from going. The distance
covered. according TO Smiths claims,
was IS miles. The distance by wagon
road, which was the route taken, is
said 10 be 80 miles. Smith lost his
way once and walked four miles to-
ward Jeff Springs and was compelled
to rerace his steps to the point OF
divergence. which made eight miles
extra for him.
Smith had not trained for the walk
and as a clerk in the Gus Blass dry
goods store was not thought to be in
extra good condition for the walk, but
he is as hard as knot and stood
the "trip WE'LL except for losing few
pounds of flesh
He neglected to weigh before lie
started ON the trip but stated that
he usually weighed about 1875 pounds,
bur when put on the scales after ar
irving and getting his bath he tipped
the beam at 121 pounds. His eyes
| We're sunken and his face thin and
haSgard, but he stated that he felt
all right, aside from being very tired
and having a strained leader behind
his left knee and dozen big white
blisters on the soles Of his feet.
Tells OF His Trip.
After being revived by his bath he
was able to tell of his trip.
Il left Pine Bluff at $40 this
morning.. he said. Il felt fine and
hoped along lively enough, singing
, and whistling. In about an hour my
| face sobered up and ! got down to
business. Shortly after leaving Pine
| Bluff decided to try the railroad
track, as the roads were abominably
muddy | walked five miles on the
track and decided that it was too
rough, and went back to the dirt
again. ! was detained 40 minutes by
g heavy rain and that made the
roads still worse. About noon | be-
gan to feel pains. Oh, such pains.
Every muscle ached and my shoes
| hurt my feet so that | took them off
and carried them and walked five
miles in the soft sand. | reached the
| end of the Arch street pike, which is
| fifteen miles out, at l o'clock, and
| thought | was doing fine. Here |
| found a place to get something to
eat. had had nothing to eat up to
that time, and was ravenously hum
CRY L had asked everybody I met
for an apple or something, but could
get nothing | lay down at every
strea2 and drank all the water |
could, paying no heed to the injunc-
! ton not to drink very much.
After getting my dinner ! started
on the home stretch Every step was
misery. My watch, which ! carried
| in my shirt pocket, got so heavy it
made my shoulder ache, and I took it
out and carried it in my hand, shift
| ing it from one hand to the other as
though it We're a huge weight. For
the first time in my life my pocketbook
was too heavy, and I had to take it
from my pocket and carry it in my
hand.
when came within Eve miles of
town telephoned to Mrs Smith to let
her know | was coming She was
very much frightened and wanted to
come after me with a cab, but | scott
ed at the idea and said | would make
it on into town if l had to telephone
in for pair of crutches.'
| II Wore a pair of heavy army shoes,
which were too large for me, and
they blistered my feet. If I ever
walk again l will take light shoes that
are we'll broken in