The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-07-20
THE GREAT CONTEST!
The st. John Club Rowing Regatta
On Lake POntchartrain.
Full Particulars of the Races.
Names Of the Winners and the
Time They Made.

has pervaded all circles of society in our cit,
on the subject of the rowing regatta which
was announced to come off yesterday on Lake
Pontchartrain.
A majority of our citizens were personally
interested in the contest, either directly o.
indirectly, and all felt some degree of excite
ment relative to the probable result. The
crews have all been in active training fol
some time past, and for the last week the lit
tie village OF MiIneburg has been made quite
lively by the presence of the different crews
and their friends and admirers AS each crew
launched upon the water and started out TO,
their evenings practice they were followed by
the curious and anxious eyes of crowds oil
spectators.
Betting on the various contestants had
been quite vigorous, and though the pools
sold did not reach very high figures, yet in
private coteries many large sums were wager.
ed. Yesterday the city was in constant
state of excitement, and as the hour for the
Regatta approached the feeling had reached
almost fever heat. Most of the merchants OF
the city agreed to close their stores at an
early hour, in order to give their employees an
opportunity of Witnessing the races.
Long before the time for the start arrived,
every avenue to the lake was crowded with
people going out; the cars Of the Pontchar-
train Railroad Company were all filed as
quickly as the different trains drew up to the
depot. When the time at length arrived, the
pier head, all the platforms and every availa-
BILE bath-house was filled with anxious specta-
tors.
There was rush, a regular jam, and swell
tering passengers of the male gender swore
some in mild way, and in loud and bois-
ferrous manner declared that the Pontchar-
train Railroad would declare dividend next
week, and astonish its stockholders.
The ladies-there was crowd of them
took the matter very cooly, used their fans
vigorously and did not get at all excited.
At as early an hour as l o'clock New Or
leans began to empty itself, and drivers Of
cars on the lines leading to the Pontchartrain
depot commenced to get heated and Hurried,
and among them may be mentioned particu-
larly the drivers of the red cars of st. Charles
Street Line. The directors had enterprise
enough to have the mules driven fast, but not
enough enterprise to put on extra cars Hack
men and carriage drivers, who with their
vehicles lined the Old Basin, declared they
never had seen such day.
Luggers, yatchs, sail boats and even
schooners were in demand, and indeed every
available mode OF conveyance was at pre-
MUM, and at o'clock there was at the Lake
End fully fifteen thousand people.
Contrary to the predictions of the weather
wise and everybody in general. the Lake was
Z" as smooth almost-as glass
There were a number Of auctioneers, profess
sional and ameteur, on hand who took up po-
sitions along the wharf and drummed up the
crowd.
The following is the result of pools sold:
FoUR-OARED Standardization $l3 River
sides SIS, Orleans So so, Hope 81 50, field SIS.
Four DARED GIG-Howard SIS, St John
81 so, Riversides 50, Hope 81 field ST so.
SINGLE ScULL-Charleston SIS, St. John
So so, Orleans So, field 50.
At about 4:30 o'clock it was reported that
the crews entered in the skiff race had started
from the Old Basin.
at this time was one that a man seldom views
twice in lifetime.
The long wharf, from the pier round to
Denechaud's, and from Denechauds along the
people, while yachts, luggers and sail-boats
crowded the water in the vicinity Of the start
ing point, the track, and the turn.
The Skif Race.
There was considerable waiting on the part
of the crowd in attendance for the start tor the
skiff event. and much annoyance was caused
on account of its delay. Considerably after
the hour they got of, and, with considerable
stir in the water, they broke In upon the
quietude of the scene, much to the surprise OF
the spectators, who had almost given up their
arrival With steady stroke the skiff "BobD
came in under the string the winner by good
steering, closely followed by the webb, sec
ond, est. John" third, ana the Sam" fourth,
the rest completely out Of the race, and most
of them going outside the line. The time
was 5:34.
The Second Race.
The second race was one over which there
was considerable betting, as both the Charles
ton and st John crews had entered each one
of their strongest crews. At the start all got
off rather fairly together, the Charleston boy
taking water little the first, the rest close at
hand Perkins at the opening led by quar-
ter of length, but soon dropped off, the
many boats in his way retarding him. The
Orleans entries worked well up, and for two |
hundred yards all kept well together.
grove, of the st. John, led, but in turning |
los. fully three lengths, and the Charlestonan
made handsome turn and made for home, |
leading by two lengths. This lead he kept |
up, closely followed by Musgrove, Reilly, OF
the Orleans, hanging on his stern well. In
der the string Cheves, our visitor from South
dashed a winner by good length,
taking the race in 11:34
The Third Race.
The pair-oared scull race followed, and as
there had been considerable betting On the
result, the excitement ran high. The entries
we're from the Howard, st. John and Pelican
.Iubs. At the firing of the gun the Towards,
in their red jackets, drew to the front, the St.
Johns second, with the Pelicans at their No. 3
par; all kept up fully thirty-six stroke for
he half mile, the Towards taking little
'uller sweep.
Some little bad steering was INDUCED H.
put none amounting to anything, AMI the
2 ali a. boal was turned the S. Johns slightly