Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-08-28
TIE ST. JOHN RACE.


''By daylight this morning, the streets
were filled with people, and all night car
riages, wagons and foot-passengers were
pouring into town. At four o'clock, the first
train of twenty-one ears left for Riverside,
with fair complement of passengers, and
the next, half an hour later, was crowded.
The carriages began TO start at five o'clock,
and before six nearly every available convey
ance, from a barouche to rafting, SPRING
less market-wagon, was on the marsh road.
The horse ears for Indianhaven, the starting
point of the steamers, began running at four
o'clock, and by six some twenty five steamers
from the fine riyer-boats to the little tugs,
were steaming up the river. BY six o'clock
the space between the track and the water was
crowded. Up in the fields ON the right hun
dreds were sitting in carriages, while the
thousands in the highway were constantly on
the move. Near Riverside station Temporal
ry telegraph Office had been erected, and fur
Their on a well-known Bostonian was selling
pools in small sums, all at odds, of two to
one. Several Montreal men, anticipating Il
second Lachine, had just arrived with some
thousands, all of which they were anxious to
invest on the Tynesiders. Everyone willing
to risk one to two on st. John was readily
taken up, and in many cases three to one was
freely offered. Bright, the spare man of the
l.
his friends heavily. On line outside the
course and near the judges boat were anchor
ed the steamers, all crowded with spectators,
and every available standing-place on the
wood boats were at premium. The grand
stand, however. presented 4 lonesome APP
pearance. Nearly twenty thousand peo-
pie had good view of the race.
By seven O'Clock all were in their chosen
places anxious for the race to begin. The
water was perfectly smooth over part of the
| course, but slightly rippled by the breeze in
exposed places. The boat of the st. John
crew was towed down early and the men walk
ed down along the shore and getting aboard the
judges boat waited for their opponents. The
latter appeared with their boats on their
shoulders at five minutes past seven, launch
| ed her, and going to their boat took their
places. In very few minutes the ST. John
men, too, were ready. The Tyne men were
bare to the waist, while the st. John men still
wore their pink shirts, all having their heads
bare. Fulton called out, "Now give the word !;
the quicker the better" His crew seemed
nervous and eager to start. Both boats were
ordered back little, then the st. John far
Their still. Gentlemen are you ready?" said
Mr.. Jones. "Ready," replied the two strokes,
as they dipped their oars in the water. ''Go!'
cried he, two or three seconds later; and they
went off splendidly, st. John getting the
water first. Those alongside noticed that the
Tyne stroke was a queer one, and it seemed
as if the men had never sat in the boat to-
gether. Nevertheless, the Tyne went ahead,
Renforth setting down to thirIy-nine to the
minute. two quicker than usual, and Fulton
gaining slowly at forty four, the same rate at
which he started.
The stroke of the Tyne was still uneven,
Renforth evidently intending to show his stern
/ II. ID ,.alro 81 l.
With this view he spurted up to forty-three
some time before reaching the grand stand, a
mile up the course, but without shaking of
his pursuers. This was only for few seconds
| however, when RenfOrth was seen TO drop ar
oar, look over his shoulder throw up his
arms and fall back into Kelly's lap. The ex-
element was awful. The Tyne boat los
Roadway. The st. John men shot ahead ant
the Tyne headed for the shore. Cries ant
shouts of "Sold out" ''Foul play" "Shame,
'1Fraud," Pull ahead" and go it, St. John,
were heard. When the crew reached tho
stand, with Renforth dead weight in tn,
boat, it seemed at first as if the dying MAJ
would be mobbed. There was hardly per
son who believed it possible that such mus
Z cular and powerful man could have ever
E tainted or sustained any accident
All along the shore there seemed but on
feeling-that of regret that the race coul
5 not have been fairly rowed to the end and dc
q cided on its merits. The crowd on tn
judges boat were in state of the widest eX
citement, not knowing what was the matter
G and Mr.. Oldham, the Tyne umpire, said hi
q men had turned in to avoid foul. Near
while the others had put the dying oarsma
: in carriage, and while Chambers accompa
1t MED him to his quarters, Keller and Percy
r with long, clean, beautiful stroke, very dii
-, ferent from any they had shown in the race
" rowed back TO the starting point and reporte
k that Renforth had tainted While he wa
# being put on shore the people were cheerin
as if their throats would burst. Every steam
. er was whistling, and Fulton was setting hi
c men steadily on to the stake boat at forty ION
n strokes to the minute Without a squirt o
hardly sign of change they turned i
eighteen minutes and two seconds, and starte
back at forty-two. The boats kept encroacll
} ing on the course and only with great dea
of trouble was it kept CLEAR enough for sin
gle boat. Within half a mile OF the end q
the six, Fulton increased the stroke to forty
: four, and came in amid shrieks, cheers, la
waving and chorus of steam whistles, IN
time for the full six miles being thirty min
l minutes twenty and three iiiths seconds. Th
steamers pulled up their anchors, the littl
tugs turned around and the race for Indian
town began IN good earnest. The throng il
z the road, on the hills, and aloi I ne shor
slowly surged toward the city, as on thel
. said, all unmindful of the great oarsman rhel
lying on his death bed, like a grand funer "a
d procession. The trains took back thou sand
= the long line of carriages started over tn,
dusty road, and by noon the Kennebeccas
Was as quiet as before the arrival of the many
> thousands that, ON that morning saw III,
n champion oarsman of the world set his las
., stroke.
When Renforth was raised from the boat h,
u had evidently been suffering greatly. liz
: looked around few moments, staring wildly
& lie was placed in barouche and driven rap
idly TO the Claremont House without GOVERNS