The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-05-05
TONENDSH HIKE
AgedPedeStridn Ends Coast
TO Coast Journey.
5000 MILES IN II DAYS
Escorted by Band. Police and Auto
mobiles to City Hall in New
York, Where Mayor Gay
nor Greeted HIM.

New York. May S.-Edward Payson
Weston. the seventy-twoyear-old pc
destrian. ended his record breaking
walk from ocean to ocean at $40
O'Clock Monday afternoon. az which
hour he reached the city hall. com
pleting his 5000 mile tramp In seventy
seven DAYS
lie did not look In the least like oae
who had just strolled In from Yonk-
ers. 20 say nothing OF having walked
an average of something like forty-six
miles a day for more than two and a
half months (for three months. bar
ring Sundays).
Weston left his room in the Getty
house. lonkers. before the earliest
commuters were astir and ate break.
fast. Then he st~sted toward LII old
York. At Kingsbridge Weston passed
public school No. 81 just as all the
children were lined up to march into
the claSsrOOms One angel-faced boy
saw first what was coming and re.
ieved himself OF q world OF emotion
with one yell. Weston"
Sehoolboys Cheer Him.
Principal Fitzpatrick tried To reform
the line. but there was nothing To re-
form 1t out Of Some OF the boys
marched all the way to city hall
When the pedestrian reached the
Ansonia. at Seventy-third street w
F. Stokes invited him TO bide a wee
and have some refreshments.
From there down to Forty-second
street he walked between lanes OF au-
tomobiles. These were drawn up at the
curhs and generally filed with women.
who waved their hands and overwork.
cd the horns. The police escort was in.
creased az Seventy-second street and
was needed for enthusiasts who want
- to tell their grandchildren that they
had walked part way from Santa Mo.
Mica with Weston
The crowd broke through the solid
police lines at Park Row Just he the
MAYOR opened the letter which Weston
delivered.
Mayor Gaynor Proud Of Him.
While the turmoil was at its hottest
Mayor Gaynor. still smiling. said 10
Weston. Il thank you for bringing TO
me In such an extraordinary manner
this letter from the mayor Of Los An.
geles. People ought 70 DO like YOU and
live as much as possible in the open
air. II they did they'd live to be 100
years old right here. The feats OF the
athletes OF old were not any more re
marNahle than that just completed by
the seventy ;wo-year-old athlete
I am mighty proud Of you. Weston
The whole world ought to be proud OF
you. You started on Feb. l at ! O'Clock
and 90, here on May at $40 O'Clock
This is marvellous. There never was
anything Ike that in the history Of the
world You are one OF the benefactors
.ot the human race. You have made
people 20 out in the open and taught
them how to live. II they would follow
your teachings they woud live 100
wears instead Of fifty"
Wanted to Show What He Could 10.
The crowd. seeing that the mayor
had stopped talking cheered for him
and Weston. The pedestrian smiled
and bowed. and then said. This is the
second time. Mr.. Mayor. that YOU have
greeted me on one OF nv walks
wanted 10 show them what a young
old man OF seventy-two could do"
From the city hall Weston went 10
Postmaster Morgan's ONCE in the fed.
eral building to present the letter
sent by Postmaster H. NJ Flint OF
Los Angeles. Mr.. Morgan said he was
glad 70 get the letter thirteen DAYS
ahead OF the schedule
Weston left Santa Monica. a seaside
resort near Los Angeles. on Feb. !.
He did not walk on sundays. and they
are deduced by him in speaking OF
his time. seventy seven days. The dis
lance Of his route by railroad meas
urement is 34s3 miles. but he made
a detour to The Grand Conyon OF Colo
RADIO OF rs miles. which makes the
distance as he figures II 36ll miles.
His longest days walk was seventy
miles