The Greeley tribune., 1909-06-02
VETERAN PEDESTRIAN ARRl\ ED
IN CITY FRIDAY
one HUNDRED DAY TRIP
Edward Payson Weston, Aged fedes-
trian, Behind His schedule, Hin
dered by Violent storms IN
East-Left for Chey-
enne saturday

eran pedestrian from New York VINO
is endeavoring to walk across the
continent in 100 days, arrived in
Greeley Friday night few minutes
before IL o'clock.
About fifty men and boys went out
some two miles and escorted him IN.
His legs might have been weary, but
his tongue was not, and he talked
continuously from the time the crowd
met him until he arrived in town.
lie was great admirer OF Horace
Greeley and related many anecdotes
of the great editor. n. C. Meeker
was his friend and he asked many
caestions in regard TO the latter
family.
At 1880 o'clock his manager, who
had kept track of the old mans To-
cation by wire, took. a lantern and
went down the track TO meet him. |
4 room had been prepared for him
at the Albion hotel and the old man
never lost moment until he tum-
oled into bed except to stop at the
door and wave goodnight with mis-
hat 10 the crowd that had followed
him.
Weston had the worst time OF the
whole trip from New York, 2,461
miles away, in eastern Colorado.
Binding transforms retarded his
progress and made the roads so mud
dy that il was almost impossible for
him TO travel. He kept on plucEily,
however. and only lost few hours.
He is several days behind his sched-
u,e, but is confident that, with any
hind OF luck, he will make up the
lost time.
Weston started from New York ;
City on March Is to walk 10 San
Francisco. a distance OF 1900 miles
by the post roads, in 100 days, not
including Sundays. The veteran ;
makes it a point never to continue
on his journey on the Sabbath, spend
ing the day quietly. He has been :
62 days on the road. not including
Sundays.
Weston really made walking popu-
lar in this country. his first feat be-
ing to go from Portland. Me-. to
Chicago. Ill, 1875 miles. in "a days,
in 1867. In 1870 he walked 100
miles in 81 hours and 80 minutes in
New York City.
He left few minutes before
o'clock this morning and expects to
make Cheyenne, some IS miles, be-
fore he rests for the Sabbath.
Limping upon one leg and drag
ging the other through the cinder
nln hA |
60 weary that he stumbled from one
SIDE of the track to The other, the
old man literally fell into Greeley
al midnight. His knees refused to
behd and his limbs were mere auto
nations. shuffled along at the hips
by tbe swaying motion of the body.
The writer, who walked behind
him for some two miles, looked upon
the old mans effort as cruelty per-
sOnified. Admiration for his nerve
and ambition were lost in compassion
for his enfeebled condition. That |
emaciated form may ultimately |
reach the coast but the sacrifice
means an addition of ten years to his
- winters and that will be close to
sundown for Edward Payson Weston.
From his waist up he appeared sup
PIE as boy but his limbs are full
four score years and are not an apt
Illustration, that an ocean to ocean
hike is just the proper thing for
breakfast constitutional.
Ten years for glory might be all
right in the heyday of life when
there remains plenty OF time to en-
Joy the plaudits, but at "a one Won
ders if the adulation is worth the
sacrifice.