The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-21
The Pair Dared Race Between the Big
Lin, ,5rothefs and Coulter and Cavitt.
The Crews, Pedigrees and Oondition-The
River, Lovely Scenery and Historic
Recollections Immense Crowds
and Great Enthusiasm.
VICTORY FOR NEW YORK.
Time Of the Race, Thirty-two
Minutes One Second.

PHILADELPHIA, May 20, 1872
For two or three weeks this city has had q sensa-
eon-a sensation Of prospective pleasure which has
trumphed over the anticipation connected with the
June Convention, and buried in oblivion the
centennial exhibition idea, whose commits
soners meet here In day or two. That
alLabsorbng subject that has swayed the minds
alike OF the men OF business on Lower Market, Wal
nut and Chestnut streets ana the ladies OF fashion
and beauty on Upper Walnut and Spruce streets,
and on Chestnut Hills and along the banks OF the
romantic Wissahickon. is boats and their INSOFAR
able adjuncts, oars Of all shapes, kinds and char
acter-working boats, barges, shells, outriggers,
iapstreaks, single scun shells, double scun
Shells smooth gunwale barges, four-oared Shells
Ave oars spruce oars, oak and ash oars, eleven feet
seven inches six feet and twelve feet five and a.
half inch oars, whole and oars broken, and 80 on
al ir.fnttuna until the mind IL crazed, and none
but first class boatman or q professional
angler for the white catfish hereabouts,
could put matters In an ineligible form, and
along down Arch, and on Front and up North Sec
ond-in fact, In hotels and barrooms generally, the
same theme took precedence. Now this enthu-
sasm OF boats, crews and oars has been due to two
stirring aquatic events-the coming magni-
hcent regatta OF the nobby schuykill
Navy and the great pair-oared race for
$4,000 between the Blgn brothers, Of New
decided to-day. The latter being the first OF the
Kind In this country there was q good deal
OF excitement, and no one wondered at
all yesterday and to-day to hear boot
blacks, white and colored, ask their customers
II they had seen the "Bigs,n and did they "know
the big boat race was going to come of this
afternoon ~ Yes, they knew, and the frenzy was
An-pervading.
THE INCEPTION OF THIS CONTEST,
NO I hol &c 1ua ~ tbo vnrb M
more than the usual interest was attached to 1t by
the fact that Harry Coulter Of their opponents
pulled the stroke oar with them In the memorable
crew Of the America at Halifax and Saratoga last
year. Why the house thus became divided against
tsen Is not relevant, but each Of the
Oarsmen went Into the contest like old water
dogs as they are and trained with eye to severe
work and speed for the glory sure to arise from
victory. The story Of boating the north River Is
the story OF the "Bigin Boys.n Many times have
Ahcse men turned the tide Of success upon well
Rested waters, and brought down showers Of com.
mendation upon their heads for frat class pluck
Ind ability to pun through any difficulty.
THE BIGLIN BROTHERS NEW WORKERS.
found them yesterday at the Vesper boathouse,
and right glad they to see one who has
shaken hands with them many victories and
bympathized with them In their defeats.
They looked better than when saw
HHeIu ~ odTbtORa, JUST UclOIc tHc LIZ
ternational regatta Of last year, and vim, per-
Nstency and courage were in their faces All
hay long they were surrounded by friends In the
boathouse, under the trees, along the walks and in
Ahe city, but that not disconcerting, as the
fBig's" are used to It, Who has not heard OF them
For years they have pulled an oar as well as the
best and New York has testified its appreciation OF
chem on more than one occasion.
In to-day's contest sat forward steering the boat
He is thlrtyone years old, and the senior Of Johnny
Being i' mascu u large Of bone and spare Of
a he ssnab MsrcSes rea IL
draining on Newton Creek, Long Island, did the
business for him. and this morning Barney was at
punce over. One look into his eye was enough to
batisy me Of his magnificent condition, and win or
lose, my mind yesterday was that Barney was never
aougher or more sinewy.
JOHNNY BIGLN
pulled the stroke oar. Two years younger than his
brother, he ia known to every man and boy in the
Atlantic States that loves an oar. He has quiet
when action is required it is hard TO meet Five
feet nine and three-quarter inches In height and
weighing lel pounds, he was In conditian to pull
SUMMARY.
Bernard Bglin-Age, 81 height, feet on inches:
upper arm Iss1 inches; weight to-day, Isl pounds
John B sSdu, 20; height feet ~ inchesl
supper arm, 10 inches; weight to-day, 1el pounds.
COULTER AND cAvITT-PITTsBURGERs.
l. SOulleT anu Odfltl TOm bu lulbQu city they
sousker city" Club House has been their head.
S ,as fSsr 'n than no ssss place Sse sn
ss 1t does. on the river side be.
meath the and elder that their
Allegheny and the Ohio rivers. After a months
practice, they arrived quietly and went to work
with the vim and earnestness so necessary for the
unishing touches.
uorrv ,ooSoo I HARRY COULTER: -
ne sat In the America at Halifax and Saratoga the
blarsted" chills and fever Of the former place hav
miles pulling day and their skipping rope exer-
Else Tor the legs he has taken to his grub
half inches high he LOOKS the prince Of athletes
knd the rib and beam he carries Is astonishing.
kmooth as q girls, but the wind and sun have
bron1ed It to q horse-chestnut hue, and the flesh
Eas as hard as griste. With large expressive eye,
rowing began nat at an early age but in
well known and unsatisfactory race between him
and Hammill took place over the same course as
Familiar to oarsmen and the aquatic loving public
. the inside Of boat: This evening Harry pulled
che beam at 1856 pounds, eleven pounds less than he
was at Saratoga He rowed stroke.
SAMUEL CAvITT.
you study that face OF his Tie you are are
puzzled. He looks like rail splitter backwOods
man-anything but an oarsman-and is as modest
wrd and Ace Of tSe same model Lons
An Inc reach, and tough as pine knot he had the
Sppearance Of being able to do first class work In
s and II report speak truly, he is regular re-
SrM .noa an oiiicer Of steamboat,
Sno ans the FIRST time he would
Sst.. CSnsent 10 row In public first saw him
nna OF Inc Quaker City boat house, and ne
Soat To- d e1P,1sning the build and rig OF their
S,vaa, ~ iaay Iriend Well, he does not look 4
n;as power, and wondered how Coulter, that
A. tS oi sne oar came to enlist him as his partner
'' oa'''' sar forward in the boat.
uasnr nY c cSess 12 2s height feet s nchcs
nPper, arm TX inches; weight to-day, is5' 'n0he''
Saturni c chest 80 ri height feet Ok inches
,,ryoer arm X, inch nches; lore arm "a. inches
,d THE CONTESTANTS BoArs~BiSsiiIss;.
A,msn,Sons as VtT oows.,s were in name and