The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-10-16
The DaYis.Teu Exck Race

A Peekskill tdespatch to the New York
Herald gives the following account of the
Davis-Ten Eyck race of Saturday:
The long talked of boat race betwee Michael
Davis of Portland, and James Ten Eyck, of
Peekskill, came off here this afternoon. The
distance rowed was three miles, and the purse
was $500. The Ten Eyck party at the start
were betting 800 to $40, and found ready
takers among the Portland men. The day for
the race was fixed for Wednesday last, but was
postponed every day till now because of rough
water. In the meantime strangers who came
here to witness the race became tired of delays
and left for home, therefore the attendance
to-day was not as large as was expected. How
ever, Peekskill turned out heavy, and the
betting settled down to even money, and at
noon fully $4,000 was depending upon the
result.
The boat rowed by Davis was made in Troy
paper boat 27a feet in length, and weighing
80 lbs. Ten Eyck's boat is 90 feet in length
and weighs about % lbs. Both boats were
rowed with sliding seats. The boat rowed by
Davis was the boat rowed by Plaisted when
Courtney beat him at Saratoga.
leu Eyck is about twenty-four years of age,
and weighs 1873 lbs. He has rowed many good
races and has been victorious as often as he has
been defeated. He is bright eyed and healthy
looking, and is married man. The course
was one mile and a half north from Montrose,
Lent & Pollock dock, to a stake-boat near
the Little Island, near Iona Islard, and return,
west, and in case of foG1 the race to bs rowed
over again.
There was great deal of figuring to obtain
referee, neither side being able to harmonic
on the subject, and when they did, the man
selected would not stand. Finally the Port
land party hit upon Mr. Isaac Montrose, of
Peekskill, to which the other side agreed, and
then the oarsmen were instructed to get ready
for the word. The tide was running ebb and
light north wind just rippled the surface of
the water. Ten Eyck was the first to appear,
at forty-fve minutes past four p m.
Davis followed in five minutes after, but his
immediate friends were not SO numerous as
Ten Eyck's, and there was no cheering. He
had the choice and took the inside. When all
was ready the referee, Mr.. Montrose, shouted,
care you ready?" and then came the word
'Go! The slashing blades of the oarsmen
struck the water together, but Ten Eyck got
the best of the send-off and his friends cheered
Justify, but while they were cheering Davis
brother was yelling on the dock, $500 to $75
that Davis winsr' Davis was pulling forty
strokes per minute, and Ten Eyck forty-four,
but the formers stroke was telling terribly,
and 1000 feet from the start he had Tapped
Ten Eyck and then shot ahead of him, and
Peekskill looked glum. At the stake-boat
Ten Eyck made squirt, but Davis would not
be caught. He turned it at oh. I'm. and
Ten Eyck at 5h I'm. los, or three lengths
behind. Davis came near being caught nap
ping, but he rallied lively and came in win
ner by length in 21m. 22as., amid great
cheering
Ten Eyck put in claim for foul on ac-
count of Davis's changing his course, but
Davis alleged that Ten Eyck changed first and
he only followed him. The judges did not
entertain Ten Eyck's claim Portland boys
made from $4,000 to 1000 on the result