Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-09-10


The Coming Beat Race at Springfield, for
s the than pionship Of the World and
1900 a Side.
The lovers Of aquatic sports have been for
some time past on the qti ripe, the cause of thetr
exeitemen, being the approaching four Dared
race for the Championship of the world, be-
tween tne weli-known Ward brothers, of New
IorH, and crew OF the ST. John New Bruns-
wick) Beat Club. This event, which taxes
place on the Ilih instant fto-morrow,) has
been the theme Of conversation among sport
ing men for some time past. The general rspu-
tatton OF the St. John Club and the former ex-
pIoits OF the Ward brothers have occasioned
DO little spec ulalon as 10 the ult OF the con-
test So far, bat little no betting has been
done, although the partisans of the Wards
freely offer odds in their favor, aud declsre
themselves confident that their men will win
the race with comparative ease.
The coming race owed Its origin 20 a chal.
lepge given TO the ST. John champion craw by
the Ward brothers To row q four. cared race At
Sprin field for the championship Of the world.
The challenge was accepted, and On the ist Of
August last the representatives of both crews
held meeting at the office of the Water
Power Company, of Boston, for the purpose of
making preliminary arrangements for the
race. John Morris appeared as the reprnsen-
tative OF the ST. John crew, and Joshua Ward,
James Lee and Henry b. Mum appeared tor
the Ward brothers. According to the articles
OF agreement there drawn mp the conditions Of
the race are as follows: The stake is 70 be for
S1,NO a side, and is 10 take place on Wednss-
day, September IL, 1867, at four o'clock in the
afternoon. The distance is for six miles, on
the Connecticut river, at Springfield, Mass, it
being specially agreed upon that the water
shall be smooth and the weather good. The
meeting throughout was amicabie, both par
ties coming easily to an understanding. MIR.
John Z. Gardner was chosen referee, and Mr.
William Blaikie stakeholder. The first install
ment OF the stake-S250 on eacn side-was de-
posi'ed in the hands OF the last named GENTLE
man at the time, and The remaining $3.50 was
placed in bis hands on the I'd instant. IL will
thus be seen that all OF the necessary preliui-
naries have been arranged 10 the satisfaction
of all parties concerned. and unless n nforesaen
circumstances shonld interfere with the pro-
posed contest, nothing will prevent the race
from taking place at the time and place indi-
Gated.
The four Ward brothers, Joshua, Gilbert
Harry, and Charles will ba the crew on their
own side. They went INTO training soon after
the arrangements for the race were completed,
and are now reported 10 be IN splendid condi-
ton and quite confident of success. They
have been under The immediate super vision Of
their hackers, Messrs. Mum and Lee, and
while rowing up the Hudson have frequently
made the six mile in forty two minutes This
excellent time they propose to beat next Wed.
nesday, and should they do so. their oppo-
neRts Will have TO row with unusual rapIdity
10 keep up with them. On the Sd ins tant the
Ward brothers started from their home a.
Cornwall for Springfield, taking their boat
with them. 1t was stated that they would
stop at Hartford and row from thence TO
Springfield, but we have not heard whether
this part of their programme was carried out.
The names OF the crew OF the st. Johns
Club are Dennis McCaffrey, John NcCiTrey,
John Morris, and Thomas McCauley. These
gentlemen have been for several weeks past
training at Rothsay, on the Kennebec, nine
miles from St. John. They have kept quite
secluded, but rumor ascrIbes TO them quite as
rapid rowing as their opponents have done. so
that II all accounts be true the race is certain
to be very close and exciting.
The Ward brothers are known to every psr-
son in the United States who take an Interest
in aquatic sports. Joshua Ward. particularly,
has quite an extended reputation and is re-
garded as a very dangerous opponent by all
oarsmen. His numerous matches with H HimiII
and others has brought him prominently pa-
fore the public, with whom he is general IA
vorite. His brothers, though not quite so well
known, are splendid professionals. and win
doubtless do full credit 10 their hackers. OF
the crew OF the st. Jonn Club bus one member
has ever rOwed in a race, and that one is
John Morris. He was one of the Neptune
crew that repeatedly beat tae New York, Bos-
ton and Halifax Clubs, from 1855 to 1883. Me-
Cauley and the brothers McCaffrey have never
rowed race, but are we'll known as splendid
amateur boa tmen.
The beat TO be used by The Ward brothers is
an elegant and model craft, built OF Spanish
cedar by Stephen Roberts, one Of the best boat
builders in the country. She is forty-two feet
two inches in length, twenty inches in width,
and nine inches deep. All who have seen her
pronounce her most beautiful specimen of
hanuwork In addition TO this boat which is
perfectly new, the Ward brothers have taken
with them 10 Spring field their old one in which
of accident or should their new boat not be-
approved. they may be provided with another.
Nothing is known of the boat to be- used by the
st. Johns crew, although it may be depended
upon that they Will procure as good a craft as
can be found in New Brunswick.
An impression prevails among many per-
sons that the St Johns crew composed of
the same men who won the two International
prizes at The great Paris regatta in July last.
This is mistake, as the boat of the interna-
tional champions is still in Paris, and the
match was made before their return to ST.
Jonn. They have. however, challenged the
winners of the coming race, believing tnen-
selves capable of defeating any crew that can
be brought against them, after their victories
over the best Oxford and London clubs.
Another challenge 10 the winners has been sent
by the Poughkeepsie Boat Club, and the Ward
brothers have declared themselves ready to
accept it, whether they win or not. IL Will
thus be seen that the race on Wednesday is
likely 10 be the cause of two or more four oar
I'd boat races-a result which cannot fail ID be
accepta BILE TO all " no axe pleasure in aquarics.
1t Is to be hoped that good weafh and smooth
water will greet the contestants on Wednesday
next, so that II may be decided who are the
champion oarsmen OF the world.