The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-06-24
ALKROUND WORLD
JOSEPH MIKULEC OF AUSTRIA is
ON A LONG JAUNT.
This Man Is Covering the Last Lap
of Twenty-F Five Thousand Mile
Jaunt; He Has Many Interesting
Experiences to Relate; Medals
Stolen By Bandits in the Orient;
How He Saved Life.

With the free swinging stride to be
expected of the champion long distance
walker of the world Joseph Mikulec OF
Austria arrived in Mankato this morn
ing on the last leg of $4,000 mile
walk which began April g. 1906, in
Austria.
Mikulec reached here this morning
from Tracy, and will remain until the
cool of the evening. He has to visit
the capital of each state He has now
the signatures of fortyOne governors,
also that of President Taft. He was
presented To the president by the Aus
tria minister and although an ardent
admirer of him, Roosevelt is his hero,
and he will meet Mr.. Roosevelt in
Washington by special appointment.
Mikuec has covered approximately 2l,-
600 miles and is now on his way to
Columbus, Ohio. where he is due in
September. He has until February 5,
1911, to reach his destination at CrOtia,
Austria, to win prize of $4,000 crowns,
or $4,000 in American money, for max
ing the tour and writing his experiences
for the National Publishing company
at Agram. Austria.
Nov Visiting the States.
Mikulec left Crotia on April &, 1906,
and has already walked through Eu-
rope, Africa and South America and
is now visiting all state capitals in
the United States, forty one of which
he has seen. His next stop will be st.
Paul. As proof to the publishing com
pany that he has visited each capitol
he has certificate signed by. the gov
ernor OF every state he has visited
and marked with the state seal. He
started without a cent and makes his
way by selling special post card. The
most money he ever had at one time
on the trip was SLID. which he OBJ
tanned by his kodak when he was at
Santa Fe and Albuquerque, n NJ, when
he was broke" ne has averaged
three pairs of shoes and go pairs of
socks. When he started on the trip he
wore a No. shoe and now wears Il
40. o. He weighed Us pounds and
now he weighs l3S
When asked by the newspaper men
for some of his adventures, Mikulec told
tales of the hair lifting variety His
hardest trials were experienced in the
argentine Republic and Brazil where
lie was lost four days at time with
nothing but fruit to eat He also told
of walking for three days without a
drink of water. On one occa sion he
saved himself by cnmbing telegraph
pole on railroad line and cutting
to pick him up.
Has Eight Languages at Command.
With eight languages at his tongues
end he finds little trouble in cOnvers-
ing with the people wherever he goes
speaking Creation, Italian Portuguese
and some French. NIkuec said that
of all the countries he has visited he
likes the United States the best and
that when he has received the reward
he expects to return to the United
States to live.
Mikulec will end his journey at Co
lumbus, Ohio, going thence to New
York, where he will said for his native
land working his passage back. He is
rineteen days ahead of his schedule
Miles on the water are not included
i'm the $4,000 which he has to go. tor
all of the distance must be made on
land After visiting the governor TO
day he spent the time in writing up
his experiences which will be mailed to
the publishing company.
He wears corduroy trousers, heavy
shoes and light Jersey sweater, this /
is lavishly adorned with medals from
many countries A five; piece from
the United States attracted the re-
porters' attention and they were told
that that was worn by him to signify /
that he was never entirely broke, al /
though on many occasions this was the
only coin on his person. While in the
orient a bandit robbed him of his gold |
and silver medals. One medal was
given him for winning the long distance
walking match of Europe, he walked
from Agram to Rome |, 200 miles, in
twenty seven days. Among the coIlec
tons are medals given him by Cover
lors i'll the United States
Mikulec is charming conversations
alist and has the art of fattery dowr
to a queens taste.