The 3600 Mile Journey, Essay Example

The 3600 mile journey started in Boise Idaho where Helga and Clara assembled all the materials they needed. Meeting woman right’s advocate (Susan) gave Helga confidence for the trip. Anthony and Elizabeth, during severe winter, battled against pest, prairie dogs, and snakes, and kept children in one home room. However, the attack of Black Diphtheria, the cyclones, and tornadoes destroyed her family causing their relocation to Spokane Falls in 1887. Soon after recovering from accident, Clara fought and won a law suit worth $2500.

The growth in Spain was associated with numerous vices which forced family to relocate to Mica Creek, and live with Norwegians and Swedish immigrants. The financial crash that caused numerous problems was too much for Helga, and she decided to make the trip. She considered beginning the journey in earnest as a step to explore all places as well as enduring bad and good hospitality. To reach their destination on time, they agreed to travel 20 miles per day. They were hot and hungry, yet hopeful, when they donned bicycle skirts as the contract stipulated, when they made their way towards Wyoming by way of the 1500ft silver mines ( life threatening), and Evanston. The condition was worsen by mining activities and road expansion projects, as workers from Mexico and China caused racial tension in the area.

The next stage of the journey was the 3500 miles Red Desert that leads to Cheyenne. The night visit from a grey mountain loin that followed them for twelve miles, made the trip difficult, but they moved to Sweet Water by way of Rock Springs, and Rawlins, where their story was publicized by Sun Leader.  Wyoming showed hospitality, in that, railroad workers left drinking water for them, and also William Bryan’s political fervor, was captivating to Helga, but less to Clara. Low temperatures favored them but the rail lines destroyed their shoes, an unkind reporter insulting them, and an ankle injury causing a 10 day delay, made their trip hard.

Helga was encouraged by news concerning efforts made by other women, who had good performance, but she and Clara now had to travel along South Platte in East Colorado, towards Sterling, by way of Fort Morgan, Marino, and the abandon city of Fleming. Meeting Mrs. Bryan became inspirational to Helga, after covering 300 mile to reach Lincoln, but their next challenge was to head north east to Omaha. Journey was delayed by food poisoning of Clara but made their way to Atlanta, Iowa, where the Des Moines Leader told its readers that they had covered 2800 miles, and will sell pictures to earn money for the remaining journey.

October was cold but they labored for food and cloth for the remaining journey. Clara became sick in Davenport and expected to get help from cities on that side of journey. Heading into Chicago, they encountered snow storm, and tramp to be pepper sprayed into submission, so that they can hear how McKinley with the help of corporations like J.P. Morgan, and Standard Oil, were able to defeat the challenge of William Jennings Bryan.

Their arrival was reported by Chicago Evening Post, informing people of their worse conditions. They moved to Indiana and were able to get $195.00 by selling photographs. The public and they were made aware of the remaining distance by Fort Wayne Sentinel.

Destination was near after travelling through Ohio, making Ohio State Journal to lament that they traveled non-stop to finish the journey. However, they stopped and visited the very wealth Jacob Coxley, who later raised up 400 men to march on the nation’s capital to get the government to release the funds necessary to fix the deteriorating roads. Nothing stopped them on the way to get the Governors signature, enjoy the exceptional hospitality from even the socialite at Reading, before entering Morristown.

It was on December, they left Jersey City and reached New York, to find that the sponsor wasn’t going to honor the contract, and they had to spends a long time trying to earn their way back home to a bereaved unforgiving, angry family that has lost three children to sickness, while they were away.