Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1913-08-14
MEARS LOST BY -FOUR
F|FTHS OF A SECOND"
EASY JOB TO MAKE A TRIP
AROUND THE WORI4D-GLAD
HAND EVERYWHERE,

AROUND THE WORI4D-GLAD
HAND EVERYWHERE.
Mears, the globe trotter, who
passed through jamestown Monday
August 4th, arrived home in New
York on time, but IN his around the
world trip of thirty-five days, twen-
ty-one hours and thirty-five minutes
he was "four-fifths of second late"
He lost this fraction of second in
getting through crowd of his
friends at the Grand Central termi-
nal in New York city. He exceeded
the record heretofore held by two
days, twenty-five hours, seven min
utes and thirty-seven seconds, and
thus takes away the banner from a
Frenchman who made the previous
record trip under the auspices of q
Paris newspaper, about three years
| ago.
Mears' journey is another illustra-
tion of the changes and conveniences
afforded travellers in foreign coun-
tries. Transportation facilities have
been so greatly extended both by
rail and by steamship that it is now
an easy matter to make trip around
the world, either on a short time
schedule or in more leisurely way.
Telegraphic communication, publish
ed schedules of ships sailings, the
generally prompt arrival and depar-
| ture of foreign steamships on regu-
lar trips, and the landing and trans
fer facilities afforded travellers in
foreign countries, all make a trip
like the Mears journey possible and
agreeable.
In crossing Siberia to take the ship
from Vladivostok to Yokohama, ia
pan, Mears would have lost out on
the time of the trip, by the fact that
the only boat that sailed for three.
weeks would not wait for his arrival.
But he went through Manchuria and
Korea by rail, and made as good time
as he otherwise would.
Travellers in Europe, Japan and
other foreign countries find every
inducement made by railroads to en-
! courage passenger traffic. There
are many choices of routes afforded
tourists, and the greatest civility and
kindness, with desire to impart in
formation to strangers, is found ev-
| erywhere. Railroads in Europe Sc
cure great deal of local and for
eign traffic by liberal inducements
in the way of low fares,' stopovers,
and choice Of routes, by which the
famous places and sights of interest
can be seen at minimum of cost.
Government officials, city officials,
custodians of public and many pri-
vate buildings, all unite in extending
courtesy and welcoming the stranger
/ within their gates. The world is not
nearly so large as it seems to be on
the map, or to one who has remained
within his own state or country and
not ventured abroad to see the world,
it's oceans, its continents, its islands,
it's people, their customs, and the
strange notions and superstitions
on which the action and purposes of
a lifetime are based.
The greatest annoyance to Ameri-
can travellers is the soliciting of fees
for services not actually rendered.
The tip system and the practice of
taking money for pretended service
shows the servility and class distinc-
tion of foreign countries, which
strange to say some Americans soon
learn to like and to ape.
In Jaran thsre is more of an
American feeling Of independence
and comradeship shown travellers. a
desire to make their visit to that
country pleasant, and to create a
good impression with strangers. Mr..
Mears found this to be 30 in his case.
He states that he could not buy a
meal OF pay his fare at railroad sta
tions while in japanese territory;
and during the few hours that he had
in Toxic and Yokohama he was
made the object of official assistance
and rapid transit in special sightsee-
ing automobiles. Mears trip can be
safely and profitably duplicated by
any American citizen-although few
travellers would undertake to rush
around the globe for the sake Of .
speed record alone.
Having secured the services OF
Mr.. "A. B. Gregory Of Boston, Mass,
-l. q. onu.adaroa ouo ~ tho heat