The New York herald., 1874-09-20
BOATING ON GOWANUS BAY.
Van Reg atlas OF the COiumbfa. Alcyone
and Nerefd Clubs-A Brilliant Contest
A. Eour-Oared Gigs.

Yesterday was appointed as sort OF gala day
1or the amateur oarsmen who ply on the waters
of Gowanus Bay and all the clubs That nave
houses ON the odorous shores OF that sheet OF
water took part in the festival The weather was
almost favorable TO them, ana Tor this the oars
men were thankful, as well for themselves as for
she many ladies' who ventured to look at their
snorts overhead the sky was dun and sodden,
ana the dreary clouds looked Too lazy to move in
any other way than TO fall down rain torre nts;
while below the water buffeted by a chill,
moist wind and moved up and down in short waves.
1t was a happy circumstance for many OF the
youths who were garbed IN nautical blue that the
weather was threatening. How else they would
have passed the time before the races and in the
intervals between them il is impossible TO guess.
The sky and the water were their subjects Tor
comment and as they cooked their eyes toward
slate colored clouds or glanced knowingly upon
the waves they remarked to their fair companions,
with the earnestness OF ''Old Prob" and much
more certainty OF expression, that the ram would
''hold or for some timen and that the water was
"tOo lumpy" for fast rowing. Wei, let him laugh
who has never taken girl 10 hoat race on
dreary day. Perhaps he will learn better In the
future for though the weather is always an impor-
rant factor OF conversation, remarks upon u Ill up
gaps in talk then even better than at any other
time except the moment he has been introduced
u
There were three regaltas yesterday, as the Col
umbia the Alcyone and the Nereid clubs, each had
Its fall contests
THE COLUMBIAN CONTESTS.
The races of the Columbia Club began the fest.
walls The first OF these was pair-oared contest
IN which two crews were entered:-
Blue. Whtte.
J. d. Halsey, stroke. j. ID. Purss stroke.
II. T. Dunnam, bow. G. ). osborn, BOW.
These crews left the stakeboat at the foot OF
Twenty-ou street, Gowanus, the whites get
ting the better start at 3A. 55m. 5s. Both pulled
abOnt thirty strokes; the Whites. however, though
pulling the stronger stroke, splasced the water
considerably and essened their speed, so that the
Blues, who were evidently the weaker crew, kept
pace with them. After rowing lor about three
minutes, just they were getting into form and
working away from their contestants, the Whites
suddenly stopped and left the race. When they
came within hail OF the excursion steamer Wyo-
ming they said that they had broken the gearing
of their boat and could not go on. Their oppo-
nents went pulling lack-ile stroke, and fin
ished the course IN Ism. 3ls TIE course was from
the twenty fourth street dock TO Stewards dock,
near Bay Ridge, distance OF two miles. The
prizes were two silver medals.
The second race OF the Columbia Club was called
the Junior Single Scu,lsn and for this there
were three entries4 Mr.. r. Bleecker, however. did
>.
Butler, whose color was blue, and MIR. c. O. Lewis,
whose colors were blue and white. The course OF
this race was from the Twenty-fourth street dOck
TO Hunts dock, distance OF about mile. The
prize was handsome silver medal. The oarsmen
Started at All 39m. 1os., and Lewis took the water
nrst thus getting good half length before his
opponent He pulled short strokes and averaged
B5 10 the minute Butler however, pulled won
nerIuy long, strong strokes; and though they
did not average at nlst more than % a minute he
liant hnaf .lu prh III.
passed Lewis when they had got over about one
thlrd OF the course, and quickly made gap be-
tween the latter's boat and his own. He kept up
his swinging stroke and it continued to be effect
I'VE; but when he was nearing the stakeboat
Lewis made determined spurt and lessened MS
!ead very much When he passed the stakeboat
he was Two lengths In advance Time, sm. les.
1e tnlrd G,nda race o 9e boys wa WAS the
Dne rowed over by the previous contestants, and
The prize was handsome silver soup tureen.
There were three entries, and all started. Z. w.
Lippitt got on first, at Oh lem. 45s.; G. s. Osborn
followed him closely, and J. D.. Purss took the
water last For some reason unknown the last
named gentleman dropped out OF the race before
he had rowed over quarter OF the course. The
contest was now LETT to Messrs. Lippitt and Os
born, the former OF whom was ahead. He did not
keep there very long for Osborn, pulling with
quick movements t32 strokes per hlnute), soon
passed and leit him q long distance in the lurch.
He pulled with pluck, but OSBORN overmatched
him very much. and Won the race with eight
lengths advantage. Time, SIN. lss.
These races ended, the iaI regatta OF the Co.
lumbia Club was over, SO the guests OF the club
we're taken to see the barge regattas Of the Acy-
one and Nereid clubs.
There was put one race in each Of these re-
gattas The first race was between the slx-oared
gigs Blonde and Brunette, OF the
ALOYoNE BOAT CLUB.
The crews or these were as follows -
w.G Howard lstrose). G; :. MacSay (stroke,.
A. Allen II. A. n. Warehouse.
W. II. Humphrey. W. J. Oliver
T. Green, Jr. A. S. SANFORD Jr
G. F. Ulrlch. +. u. Green.
G. r. Read (coxswsin). E. G. Lockwood cox-
The course was two miles straight away from
the Twenty fourth street dock TO Stewart,s dock.
The crews were started at 5h lem. and got away
readily, though the Blonde was the quicker, and
gained about hall length BY being 80. The race
was quite spirited throughout but the boys in the
the stakeboat about II seconds IN advance Of their
competitors: The time OF the BLONDE was l2m.
b3s. that OF the Brunette 13m 53s.
The last race OF the day was the four-oared gig
contest OF the
NEREID CLUB
This was by far the best race Of the day and, per-
haps was the stubbornest and closest that was ever
fowed In this vicinity The following named gigs
were manned as foows:-
EUDoRA. PANOPE
W.P. Earle, DOW. J; E. Borne, bow.
W. Wise, Jr., No. 5. W. d. Johnson, No. g.
1P Earle, stroke. Geo: Il. Earle, stroke
w. Cowing, coxswain s. W. Brown, coXswain.
The course was the two mile track over which
the previous boats had raced. The ggs were
started at 6h 52m. aos, and the OF the Eudora
Immediately sent her bow about half length be-
Iore tndt VI tne fanope. Both crews rowed fast
ana TOOK the water well, their strokes averaging
W per minute. The Eudora for some
distance kept her small advantage. The Pan0pe
was propelled by strong arms, however and she
forged sow.y up on her competitor, until both
were almost even; then the crew of the Eudora
ppurted and regained TIE lost advantage for their
boa, yet sne DID not keep 1t long, for the bow o
the Panope gradually crept along rom her stern
toward her centre, and when both boats were od
Hunts dock, about half way down the course, II
suddenly shot clear OF the Eudora. Thus they
raced down the bay, now the Eudora with nali her
length past the PaDope, and again the latter with
her bow just peering into open space. When the
boats we're nearing the stakeboat they were even
and 1t looked very much as II there would bt
trouble 10 determine the victor. Bus about twent,
yards from the finish the crew OF the Eudora mad,
glOrlOue squirt and their boat went over the I'm,
with acvantage OF one half length. The time O
The Winning crew l2m. 3as.