PEDESTRIANISM.

Otago Witness, Issue 1495, 10 July 1880, Page 14

PEDESTRIANISM.

The grand competition between all-comers in a 24 hours' walk began on the night of the 2nd in the Garrison Hall, in the presence of several hundred people. Previous to the great event there was a Milb Handicap Steeplechase. For this six entries were received. The first money was £2. The competitors were :— O'Connor, (brother of the walkist), Scott, M'Auliff, Drummond, W. Allan, A. Allen. The event was run in heats, O'Connor winning the first, beating M'Auliff (2nd) and Scott (who gave up) ; and Drummond won the second, beating A. Allen (2nd) and W. Allan (3rd). The final heat was run for by the first and second in each heat, and resulted— Drummond .. .. ..1 A. Allen (2o yds) .. .. ..2 O'Connor.. .. .. ..0 M'Auliff .. .. .. .. 0 The timo was 6min. 51sec. THE WALK, Of the 23 who originally entered for this event, Claxton, M'Laren, Broadnian, Neary, and Wiltshire did not stirt. Eighteen were thus left in, who were numbered as follows ;— 1. H. Bedford 10. Malcolm 2. G. Bedford 11. Morehousa 8, Swan 12. Stenhouse 4, S. Brookes 13, Clavell

6. Drummond 14. Lee 0. Deuehross 15. M'Donald 7. J. Henderson 16. Williamgon 8. Wan field 17. O'Connor 9. M'Ewan 18. Delaney. O'Connor is from Timaru, Swan from Christchurch Clavell from Wellington ; the rest are local men. Each competitor haa a numbered ticket as above on his breast ; each has a dial ; and each dial has an attendant, who marks each lap and records each mile. Some time ago the competitors held a meeting and requested the President of the Caledonian Society to name judges. Tho President, in accordance with this request, named Messrs M'Gregor, Carmalt, Ogg, and Austin, the two last named to be in constant attendance throughout, and the two first to attend with as little intermission as possible. Previous to the start the competitors were called together by the President, who read over to them the conditions, and told them of his arrangements as to judges, &c. One competitor objected to Mr Austin as judge, and although the right to make the objection after ihe matter had been placed in the President's hands was not admitted, yet in order that no one should have cause of complaint, it was agreed to strike out Mr Austin's name. Then Messrs M'Gregor, Carmalt, and Ogg were left as judges. The first prize is £50 ; the second, £10 ; and the third, £5. The entrance wa9 £2, and there was an additional sweep of £I— two-thirds of which goes to the second, and one-third to the third, on condition that they walk 100 miles and 95 miles respectively. It was quarter past 10 when the men were sent away, and Mr M'Gregor, in starting them, said he hoped the local men would give the visiting competitors fair play, and stated also that the finish would take place at quarter past 10 to-night. Swan, Brookes, and M'Donald started at the fastest rate, and even in the first mile several " spurts " occurred between them. Swan and Brookes were just level at the end of the first mile, doing it in 10 minutes. G. Bedford and Malcolm were last, five laps behind the foremost. M'Ewan and H. Bedford of the others seemed to be walking most comfortably, and with greatest ease to themselves. Swan, who as we said, was putting on the pace, walks in a good upright style, but swings his arms after a fashion that must be distressing in a long walk. O'Connor went at a great pace, and Stenhouse also, up to 12 o'clock. In fact, a special rivalry seemed to exist between O'Connor, Brookes, and M'Donald, whilst occasional spurts came also from Swan and Stenhouse. At the end of the first hour, quarter past 11 nearly, the following were the first four records ;— Brookes .. ..5 miles 14 laps Swan .. .. 5 „ 13 „ O'Connor .. .. 5 „ 8 „ M'Donald .. „ 6 „ 7 „ During the second hour Stenhouse had improved his position, and Delaney also. The leading records were— Brooks „ „11 miles 7 laps Swan .. .. 11 „ 3 „ Stenhouse „ „11 „ 1 „ O'Connor .. ..10 „ 18 „ Delaney .. .. 10 „ 15 „ M'Donald .. .. 10 „ 10 „ Most of the others at this time had covered 10 miles. At 1.15 a.m. the leading records were :— Brookes . . . . 17 miles Stenhouse „ . . 16 miles 17 laps Swan .. .. 16 „ 14 „ O'Connor .. .. 16 „ 6 „ M'Donald had 15J- miles to his credit; whilst Delaney had fallen off greatly, his distance standing at 14 miles 15 laps ; indeed he, Morehouse, and Clavell, were lost. Of the local men, Henderson and M'Ewan were walking steadily, with a record of about 15J miles. At 2.15 a.m. the leading men had the following records :— Brookes .. .. 22 miles 7 laps Stenhouse .. .. 22 „ 2 „ Swan „ .. 21 „ 12 „ M'Ewan .. .. 21 „ O'Connor had stopped at 19 miles 10 laps ; Delaney at under 15 miles ; Williamson, at 16 miles ; and G. Bedford stopped at about 20J miles. Delaney at 2.15 began to walk again, but O'Connor was still off. Undiminished interest was shown in this event throughout Saturday, and the finish, at quar ter past 10 in the evening, must have been witnessed by not les3 than 1500 persons. Indeed we should not be at all surprised to learn that the money taken at the door from start to finish represented an attendance of 4000 persons, for many paid two and three times, no passes out being given. During Saturday morning and in the daytime 13 of the competitors retired, leaving at about 6 p.m. five out of the 18 who started, still walking on. These were Brookes, Swan, Malcolm, M'Ewan, and Drummond. Of the others, H. Bedford, a Melbourne pedestrian of some note, had continued up till 6, having then scored 98 miles ; Deuchrass, with 85 to his credit, stopped at 3.30 o'clock, having been attacked inwardly by cramp ; and Henderson slipped and hurt his knee at 5 o'clock, having walked 85 milos. The other starters etopped at the following distances :—: — Williamson, 16 miles ; O'Connor, 19 ; Delaney, 20 ; G. Bedford, 20 ; Clavell, 23 ; Lee, 29 ; Stenhouse, 33 ; Wanfield, 36 ; Moorhouse, 54 ; and M'Donald, 70. Of the five remaining after 6 o'clock, J. Drummond was first to go. He had set out with a determination to do at least 100 miles, and although, for some time before he ceased, his chance of even getting third honours was hopeless, he walked bravely on till he accomplished his task. This was at 7.40 p.m., and he then left the track. M'Ewan, who, like Drummond, is a lad of perhaps 18, was by this time also greatly distressed. At 8.15 o'clock he had 101 miles to his credit, and during the hour and 25 minutes he stayed he walked very pluckily. He had one or two short spells, but still managed to add five miles to his score. He stopped at 9.40 with 106 miles as his record. He was extremely weak. The greatest interest centred in Brookes, Swan, and Malcolm, who were all walking at a good pace. Frequently they spurted, especially the latter two, and those present continually applauded. During the last three hours each of the three walked about four miles an hour on an average, Brookes at 7.16 having 103 miles 4 laps to his credit ; Swan, 101 miles 11 laps ; and Malcolm, 100 miles. Just at the finish Swan put on a good spurt, and amidst cheering walked four laps or so at a swinging pace. Brookes, on the contrary, died away, and finished very slowly. At the close the records stood : — Brookes .. .. •• 116 miles Swan . . . . . . 114 miles 1 lap Malcolm . . . . . . 113 miles 7 laps. Thus the three beat Scott's distance of the week previous. There was great excitement when the judges gave the word to stop. All three competitors were lifted shoulder high, and each of them made a short address, but it was impossible to hear what they said— aH, however, bearing testimony to having received every fair play. Malcolm was least distressed of the three, but his feet had suffered badly. Swan, whose upright style of walking was favourably noticed throughout, looked pained and weary at the finish ; and Brookes had remarkably little energy left in him. They had all walked steadily, and probably neither had spelled more than half an hour altogether. The shortest distance done by Brookes in any one hour was between 6 and 7 a.m., when he went 4 miles 2 laps. Swan's poorest hour was between 12 and lon Saturday, when his record was only 3 miles 11 laps, but in no other case did he get below 4 mile 3 9 laps. Malcolm had his longest spell between 2 and 3 p.m. on Saturday, when he did only a little over three miles. Generally he maintained a regular average of four and a-half miles. Brookes' distance of 116 miles is the greatest done in the Colonies, we believe, and there can be no question that the distance may be relied upon. The markers may have accidentally made a mistake once or twice in registering a lap, but they were quite as likely to do this backwards as forwards. It may be interesting to give Brookes' record in full :-

Brookes took first prize, £50 ; Swan, second prizo and two-thirds of a£l sweep, £22 in all ; and Malcolm third prize and one third of sweep, £11 in all, A subscription was got up in the room for M'Bwan, who hod walked 106 miles, and about £8, we believe, was collected. We think, however, that the promoters of the affair, who must have done remarkably well out of the venture, could have afforded a small amount to M'Ewan and Drummond also, without calling upon the publio to subscribe, Both are mere lads, and the distance they did is almost as creditable to them as in the case of the three winners. The whole affair was well conducted, and nothing in

the shape of a dispute occurred. Those who had it hand would have done well to forbid smoking. From this cause the air in the Hall on Saturday night became vitiated to a degree irksome even to smokers and the competitors must have felt its effects considerably.

Hour. I 1.15 p.m. .. .2.15 a.m. .. 1.15 2.15 3.15 4.15 5.15 6.15 7.15 8.16 9.15 L 0.15 Miles. I 5 11 17 22 27 32 37 42 46 50 65 60 Laps. 15 9 0 10 15 5 3 10 12 16 4 11 Hour. A] 11.15 a.m. .. 12.15 p.m. .. 1.15 2.15 3.15 4.15 5.15 6.16 7.15 8.15 9.15 10.15 Vines. I 65 70 74 79 84 89 94 98 103 107 112 116 Lap II 1! II II II l: iii i