Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 142, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 June 1914 — Young Men Walking From Pittaburg to Seattle, Wash. [ARTICLE]

Young Men Walking From Pittaburg to Seattle, Wash.

Herbert G. Mountain, a machinist, and Harry Smith, an electrician, with dusty shoes and wearing the hiker’s khaki clothing, reached Rensselaer at about 3:30 o’clock Tuesday afternoon. They had a letter from Mayor Joseph G. Armstrong, bearing the official seal of the city of Pittsburg, Pa., and dated May 26th, stating that they were deserving young men and worthy of any encouragement they might seem to need. They were on their way from Pittsburg to Wash., on foot. They expected to make an average of twenty miles a day and upon arriving here had made a little better than the average They came from Lafayette here Monday and Tuesday and expected to hit several miles more yet Tuesday afternoon before stopping for the night. They carried oilcloth rolls, containing a blanket and some pictures. They sell the pictures as a way of making money. They have camped outside only a little, however, usually striking a town at night time and staying at a hotel or boarding house. They expected to hike Tight through from here to Minnesota or South .Dakota, get a few days ahead on their schedule and then work In the harvest fields a few days. They were nice appearing men and were quite modest in speaking of their big undertaking. They had enjoyed themselves a great deal and thought it possible that they might hike back from Seattle also.