Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 January 1879 — Mrs. Anderson’s Great Walk. [ARTICLE]

Mrs. Anderson’s Great Walk.

A letter from New York gives the following account of the closing scenes of Mrs. Anderson’s unparalleled walking feat in that city: At 11 o’clock to-night Madame Anderson successfully completed her unparalleled feat of endurance of walking 2,700 quarter-miles in 2,700 consecutive quarter-hours. The task was begun Dec. 18. The number of visitors steadily increased after the i first week, and, as the admission price was increased from 25 cents to 50 cents last week and to $1 to-day, a handsome sum was realized by the pedestrienne. The total receipts of the month were over $32,000, of which Mme. Anderson will receive about $7,000. Thousands of Brooklyn ladies have become interested in the woman’s attempt, and its influence has been to make walking the fashion. Mozart Garden was crowded all day, and to-night was a scene of wild enthusiasm. Several thousand people gathered outside, unable to gain admission. As stories had been circulated that bouquets saturated with chloroform would be presented, and other attempts be made by financially-interested parties to cause Mme. Anderson to fail in her undertaking, she was closely guarded all day, persons walking in front, beside and behind her. She was sustained by intense excitement, walking rapidly, with white face, fixed eyes, and clenched teeth. At the finish of the last quarter but one she sprung from the track to the platform and sang a farewell song. When the bell rang her out for the last time she darted from her room and set off at a tremendous pace, determined to beat two minutes and forty seconds, her best time hitherto recorded. The man ahead of her was obliged to run, so fast was was her pace. The audience kept up deafening applause, the ladies joining in the screaming and shotting, Mme. Anderson came flying down the homestretch almost on a run, and fell exhausted into the arms of her attendants, who lifted her into a chair and carried her to the platform. She had evidently kept herself up by will-force during the last day. Several speeches were made, and, after sipping a glass of port wine, the pedestrienne made a farewell speech, saying it had always been her ambition to do something nobody else had ever done, narrating her various fortunes as singer, actress, circus-clown, and variety-hall proprietor, and heartily thanking the public for its appreciation. She adv'sed ladies to walk more and use horse-cars less. The last quarter-mile was made in 2 37 J, closing a remarkable performance. For four weeks she had not more than eight successive minutes of sleep. She will be allowed to sleep only a few hours at a time, and be sustained by stimulants, until fully restored.