The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-04-08
AN ATHLETE At
SEVENTH
EDWARD P. WESTON


Walking From California to New
York City-Ten Days Ahead of
His Schedule.
In this day of marvellous athletic
achievement, when wonderful feats
are recurring constantly, we are
scarcely through applauding some
new happening before our gaze is
attracted to another phenomenon.
The strenuous life, to quote a we'll
known hunter. who is constantly in
the public eye, absorbs much of our
attention and fills columns of our
daily papers. For the most part,
however, names of prominent ath-
letes are evanescent, and our idols
are continually being replaced by
new names and faces. We soon for
get the old loves to take on the
new ones. Thus we have shown that
athletic glory is ephemeral. Where
are the heroes of yesteryear? How
many can recall the names of men
we were accustomed but several
years ago to discuss and applaud in
wonder and admiration? The an
swer is simple, perhaps one or two
more popular than their fellows, or
perhaps, again one whom was per-
sonally dear to you. However, there
is one athlete who was cheered by
our parents in their youth and who
to-day is engaged in a remarkable
test of endurance. We refer to Ed
ward Payson Weston, the veteran
pedestrian, who is walking from
Ocean to Ocean" in ninety days
The famous walker, who is now in
his seventy-second year, left Los
Angeles, Cal, on Feb. 1st, in an en-
deavor to walk from that place to
New York in ninety days, excluding
Sundays, when he does not walk in
competition. At the time he start
ed he was the recipient of many
letters admonishing him, that to
make the attempt meant suicide
Learned physicians discussed on the
impossibility of any man his age
completing such task Undis-
mayed, the "old young athlete" as
he likes to be called, made the start
being sent off by a hearty slap on
the back from the Mayor of Los
Angeles. His course was to Follow
the Sante Fe Railroad to Chicago,
then the old post road to New York
In making walk of this sort one
doesn't realize the vicissitudes and
hardships that must be undergone.
There are no roads to follow and the
only pathway is beside the railroad
n.1ys hfnh
easiest walking in the world as
many miles would have to be COW
cred walking on ties.
At the start, discouraging head
winds retarded the veteran hiker.
but undaunted he kept his eyes to
the East with New York as his goal.
Leaving San Bernardino, Cal, he
entered the Majawe desert, which
even to the traveller on a limited
train, is cause of much complaint
because of the desolate scenery he
must endure for a tedious day. How
pleasant, then, must it have been
for man on foot! But to show the
remarkable persistence of the walk
er, he was nearly two days ahead
of his schedule on reaching Dedles,
Cal, the eastern edge of the desert.
During that time he skirted the edge
of Death Valley, the only place in
America where no animal life exists.
| Then he started on a hard, steady,
uphill grind from sea level to an
altitude of nine thousand feet when
he crossed the Continental Divide.
Walking day and night he was in
deed picturesque sight to behold
in his khaki walking suit ana high
English leggings, carrying a short
walking stick which he claims to
| have carried already $4,000 miles
during walking matches. Crossing
Arizona and New Mexico entire
towns turned out to cheer and en-
courage him on his way but in Kan
sas a state he walked over last
year, il was canstant reception by
the enthusiastic Kansans. Numer-
Gus inquiries are made as to how he
gets his supplies. These are carried
by two employees of the Santa Fe
who accompany him on a railway
motor car. They consist of eggs,
! milk, rice, pudding, chocolate, or
anges, and bottles of ginger ale and
sarsaparilla. He eats at no regular
time, but whenever he gets hungry
which is about every hour. Diete-
ticians have, in many of their best
arguments, refuted by this marvellous
athlete who eats anything and
everything during IA contest from
wheat cakes to pie. Neither does he
follow any regular walking hours,
sometimes going to bed late in the
night and perhaps the next day re-
turning for a rest at noon time. His
swinging, careless walk, with lantern
flashing in the darkness like a fire.
fly, is a well recognized feature of
his trips. When asked why he un-
dertakes these walks, he always re-