On November 13, 1899, the Vancouver World published the following article they titled: A Talk with Creelman:
Karl M. Creelman the young man who is traveling around the world on a bicycle, gave the world a call yesterday afternoon. A decidedly interesting youth is this Nova Scotian and judging from what he has already gone through is grit to the backbone, and as game as a race horse.
He is but 20 years of age, and the trip is evidently agreeing with him, for when he left Truro he tipped the scales at 130 pounds and now weighs 142 - a gain of 12 pounds. “Yes, I have had a pretty warm time of it,” he said when asked something about his trip so far. “I left Truro with but three cents, but some way or other I was never dead broke,” continued the globetrotter, “always had a little cash”. At Spokane earned $10 but loaned $2 of it to a Nova Scotian fellow who was broke.
“I have averaged 65 miles a day with the exception of my journey through the Crow’s Nest Pass and there I only made 18 miles in one day, and the greater part of it I walked. I got lost in that part of the country and one day forded no less than 10 streams. Near Maple Creek I was chased by a drove of cattle and I can tell you they made it pretty warm for me, but I fortunately had the most speed and got away from them. Yes, I consider I have covered the worst part of my journey, and the rest should be daily plain sailing, but at any rate, it can’t be any worse than I have already gone through.”
Creelman rides a 70-gear with electric tires, and when his baggage is on the wheel it weighs in all 49 pounds. He was troubled with a good deal coming through the Rockies by punctures, having no less than three or four in one day. He carries with him a letter to the British consul at Johannesburg and hopes to reach that country before the war is over. Yesterday when walking down Cordova street Creelman ran up against an old friend in the person of E.D. Putnam of Cordova street, a former resident of Truro. Mr. Putnam is showing his friend the sights of Vancouver and introducing him to his many friends. Mr. Creelman hopes to secure work of some sort about the wharves until Christmas when he will set sail for Yokohama.
Karl must have been feeling quite popular in Vancouver, as he had mentioned in an earlier newspaper article he was boarding with 9 others all from Truro, Nova Scotia, a bit of a home coming for Karl. The local Truro news subsequently reported they had received 3 photographs in the mail from Karl. Two are of Karl with his “Red Bird”, wearing his Oxford Tweed suit. The third is a picture of the “Colchester boys”, eight in number all living at the same boarding house in Vancouver city, including the GlobeTrotter.
The group is as follows: Isaac McKenzie, Henry McDonald, Barney Christie, Al Fisher, Arthur Christie, Evan Thomas, all of Truro, and Linwood Boomer of Brookfield. The group is formed behind Creelman’s “Around the World” bicycle, and is indeed a good picture every person coming out nicely.
Each photograph identifies that it was taken at the Imperial Studio, located at 225 Carrall Street, Vancouver. Sadly, when I visited the address, the studio is no longer in business; instead, the store sells perfume.
And while the newspaper may have referenced the photographs they were not printed with the article. Instead, I can find only one photograph from the archives of Karl and his Red Bird.
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