The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-05-21


WALTER browns CONDITION AND PROSPECTS.
Many OF our readers will wait rather anxious
ly for the dispatch which announces the re-
suit OF the boat race on the Monongahela to-
day for the championship of America. Ham
i'll is said to be in fine condition and processes
to be quite certain of winning. Browns
training and prospects are fully rehearsed in
the following letter which appeared in the
New York World Of Saturday:
PITTsBURc, May 13.
Walter Brown is stopping some six miles
from the city, having selected spot as pretty
and romantic can be found along the banks
of the Monongahela. Glenwood is situated
some three miles above the dam, and IS close
to what is styled the Upper Course a splendid
stretch of seven or eight miles OF clear, uu-
rutfled water. This would perhaps, have
been the best place to row the match, but the
other was decided ou with the consent of both
parties, and though Brown now considers it an
unfair one, this is no time to raise the obiec-
ton. The course is from the Monongahela
Bridge, down the river past the point where
the confluence between it and the Allegheny
takes place, and along the joint stream, the
Ohio, 30 yards below Corlz's run. The stake
boat IS located here, and the boats turning
from right to left come back over the same
eerse BOAT ad ssefs that the COURSE
exceeds the prescribed five miles, but we are
credibly informed that the distance has been
accurately measured and is not one ward fur
ther than that agreed upon. True, in Ham
ills former matches, the stake boat was at
Corks Run, but the distance was never meas
ured before, and this time Hamill is determin.
ed 10 keep 10 the letter of the articles.
Brown, as he appears to me, is a slight
though well made Fellow some two inches tall,
er than his opponent, but not so stout. His
appearance Is that of q gentleman and his
manner fully carries it out. Indeed, one can
not be long IN his company before discovering
that he prldes himself on his refinement. He
is afiable in the extreme, and volunteers any
Information that may be required. He has q
host of grievances, and seeks to impress us
with the fact that he is the most shamefulIy
treated man in America.
Il have, says he, met with nothing but dis
courtesy since my arrival in Pittsburg have
been misconceived by my friends and deceived
by those had hoped to be favorably dsposed
towards me. Three or four times have been
on the point of relinqulshing the race, but at
length the treatment have received nerved
ne ior great things, and am now determined
to win or die III my boat" 1t is easy to see he
Is in earnest, all that may have been reported
to the contrary notwithstanding He saws his
training has been broken up several times. and
that he actually goes into the race with but a
fortnlghts steady work. He was induced. il
appears, to engage q certain professor Shea.
OF Boston, as his trainer agreeing to pay hfs
expenses to and at Pittsburg, and give him
Sl60 II he won the race. This he did, he as
serts, believing Shea to be a competent man
for the work that was before him. Indeed. he
was represented to him as the best trainer to
be found. They together went to Pittsburg
some hve weeks since, and Brown expected to
learn hitherto unheard of means of getting nm
muscle and securing wind But he saws Sbaa
knew nothing he did not know himself. nra-
scribed him no regular exercise and womb let
nun do as he liked. The exercise he did rive
nun was OF most exhaustive nature. One
day he made him walk and run no less than 81
miles, ana when Brown complained of ex-
hauston, Shea told him he would work il of
This style did not agree with Browns te,nner.
ament, so on slight dispute arisin., hetwaan
item he took the opportunity of ti1scbarg;ng
nun and engaged In his stead Mr. Fred Derst'
himself an oarsman and German Turner Of
no small repute.
Shea, on his arrival in New York, spread a
report mat Brown was in treaty to sell the
race, and the very price was stated. Walter
scouts this idea and positively asseveratss that
SO base an idea never entered his mind 81
would be no man were to act So and WHY
should L? The race is of my own seeking. and
know can beat Hamil if fair play be shown
me. If l win this race l am made man. If
lose, what then? My reputation as an oars
man gone, my friends will forsake me; will
nave lost all my money and must begin life
over over again. Can any rational man. then, be-
,i That, Tor few hundred dollars [ would
mus lose reputation honor, friends. and all
tnat mold dear? Believe the report is false
III very parueniar From this, conversation
nat lraly returned on the statemen nj ba noada =,
reference to his impossibility of VIM thn
race ana recommendation to his friends not g.
bet on him, This" said he IT stiu 80, nv. 10 70
course is the most intricate to be found II iS
impossible for any one ucacquainted Mi, :, rs 10
currents of the Monongahela and AI,aoh ore
at their confluence to make good time. Ham},
has been here from infancy, and is unita ~
home on the river. He knows he has me at
an immense disadvantage. No, L cannot learn
the course OF the currents, and if beat him
will be minute and a half better man than
he is. believe l am; and by Cd, if / can
win, will" 1t was easy TO see he was in ear
nest here IN every word he uttered.
1t Shea did not work Brown, certainly the
same can't be said of Derst. From morning
tiIl night he has Brown at work. Now it is
cIuo swinging, now raising dumb bells now
waking, running or pulling. Dierst trained
danlll Tor his race with Ward, and is thor
ouShy posted upon what ought to be done
an an average, Walter rows twenty miles a
day, taking sixteen miles at one stretch and
not thinking much of it. When bn str;.rs "i III
soohs a iar different man from what no annaoro
before. he is in splendid con- lion tn
muscles on his chest and back are Ii 20 ;rn''
plates, 50 massive and solid are thev. He
measures no less than IL "a inches across III
chest and weighs 157 pounds To ,,;,Ta 20, .ile
ahipIe OF MS work We may state that tho d,,,1
E 4eit ne . uses rs twenty-five pounds weight
Wltn thls uumb Deil there are twenty exercisas
and in each exercise he goes tbrongb ti,as',
motions, thus making the total weight nnt NY
without resting 1850 pounds This. tnpetba.
with exercise with st yenteen pound ol,l
walking, running and rowing, is pretty bay,,,
work for a man who is said to be about to sell
the race. Brown is a temperance man in the
strctest sense OF the term, and neither smokes
nor chews. The stroke Brown pulls is a hong
and quick one, somewhat similar to that Of
taaley. the English champion; he averages
Ioaoy a minute: de says he is used to rough
hoa.e and insists that the stake boat has
than suited, ra making the course 400 yards more
Lind h poat IS the most perfect thing of the
~ o. n 1 ever seen. Its dimensions are.
len f OLD leet width ID IL inches Ia inch
IG fsf anwale down width outrig
10 inch oar English style, each weieb;n9 . iett
pounds. The boat was built by EIliof of Of
Greenpoint, and polished at Phelan's billiard I'd