From "The Citizen"
This article is from The Citizen, dated November 28, 1896.
ON THE WAY TO 'FRISCO.
R. Pitcher Woodward Starts on His Long Donkey Trip.
RECEPTION AT THE BARTHOLDI.
Many Friends Said Their Farewells and Bade Him Godspeed -- The Journey Down Broadway -- The Humorist Finally Reached Harlem and Gave a Reception Last Evening at Hotel Minot -- Professor Pratt's Warning -- Starts for Yonkers This Morning.
R. Pitcher Woodward, of this city, started for San Francisco on a donkey yesterday afternoon, according to schedule. This trip is to be made in payment of an election bet, as Mr. Woodward had backed Bryan. By terms of the wager Mr. Woodward must accomplish his journey within a year, starting without funds and visiting along his way both McKinley and Bryan. Prior to his departure Mr. Woodward held a reception in the parlors of the Hotel Bartholdi, New York, where he sold pictures of himself and his donkey and copies of his recently published book, "Frozen Humor." By these sales the loser of this peculiar bet earned enough money to pay for his donkey and a week's hotel accommodations on the road. Many well-known Brooklynites attended the farewell reception in the Bartholdi parlors. Among them were a score of pretty girls and there was a suspicious moisture in more than one pair of tender eyes and a tremor in more than one gentle voice. Finally the last farewells were spoken and Mr. Woodward mounted his steed in front of the hotel entrance.
It was a novel sight, even for New York, which is accustomed to many strange things. Mr. Woodward is a humorist, and he looks it. Tall, long-limbed and loose-jointed, his striking figure is surmounted by a Bill Nye face, smooth, except for an almost imperceptible fringe of blonde hair on a shortened upper lip. He was dressed in a black frock coat, light trousers, black silk hat and white gloves. From behind a pair of large-brimmed spectacles, beamed a pair of clear, blue eyes. The donkey was fitted out with a fine Moseman saddle and harness and also wore a pair of huge spectacles. He was further encumbered by a Winchester rifle, which hung at his side in a leather case. The long legs of the rider nearly touched the ground. A hearty cheer went up when Mr. Woodward gathered the reins and the donkey started down Broadway. The adventurous humorist was escorted to Union Square by a company of 200 persons. His route from there was through Fourteenth street to Fifth avenue, through Central Park and thence to Harlem.
Mr. Woodward stopped for the night at the Hotel Minot, Eighth avenue and 126th street. After he and the donkey had dined (though not together) the humorist held a reception in the hotel parlors. One of his visitors was Professor Pratt, the well-known riding master, who a few years ago, in company with John Allen, rode from New York to San Francisco horseback. He says he and Mr. Allen are the only persons who ever accomplished the feat and declared that it was only by a miracle that he did. He insisted that Mr. Woodward had attempted the impossible, and said that he could never survive wild beasts, hostile Indians and brigands, the dangers of the Alkali plains or the perilous Rockies. The professor waxed eloquent, but could not shake the faith of the unterrified humorist, who thanked his advisor and sold him a photograph for 25 cents. It was no news to Mr. Woodward that the feat he has undertaken is absolutely novel. He proposes to establish the record.
This morning the humorist held another reception at Hotel Minot, after which he started up the river. He intends to reach Yonkers this afternoon and remain there over Sunday. The story of Mr. Woodward's experiences will be written in his own inimitable style, and will be published in "The Citizen" each week. These articles will be illustrated by Harry Parkhurst, the famous sketch artist and cartoonist. The first article will appear tomorrow.