The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-09-28
Great Scullers' Race on Owasco
Lake Yesterday.
F I'VE S Il A r II f r. S +.
Courtney First, Riley Second, Johnson Third,
Ten Eyck Fourth, Laberger Fifth.
AunuRx, N. Y, Sept. q, 1871.

hustle about tho depots tell that something
ia Men, women and boys by the hundred are I'LL
ing the standing about the station, being trans
ferred from incoming trains from a distance. Long
trains Of platform cars with improvscd seats come
and CO. Eight hours yet ell the race, and the start
only eleven miles away, but that Is no matter. 10
day is day-Cour,rey's day-and old Cayuga Is
up and awake. Ofthe long, slender, beautiful lakes
strung along Central New York State till tho map
they look like many we'll grown lima beans, none,
perhaps, is more beautiful than this same owasco,
to-day introduced to the nation as the great
battlefield Of her best oarsmen. Twelve miles
long, about wide, hills from four or five hundred
feet high lining its shores, covered with broad acres
Of rich aud well cultivated land; in many parts 1t
recalls iorcbly the eastern and northeasery portions
Of the shores of Saratoga Lake, Riley, himself
Saratoga man. mentioning tho fact But, excellent as
is the Saratoga course, nearly every requisite OF
national this easily outstrips 1t. There II 10
Jour miles to the railroad and all must be conveyed
In any Kind OF vehicle and often a. extoronatc rates
this long distance. Here the Southern Central
Railroad, tapping tho Lehgh Valley and other roads
SOUTH the New York Central and others north, runs
only clcar up the laEc itso but actually skirts
entire that the pitcher OF any boys
baseball club In the country could today
stand ON its track and handily land an apple In
Courtnoy's boat speeds on up or down. At Sara
toga grand stand Is at the waters edge and half
way up tho course all Is indistnct But here you're
hundred feet IN air, blaG directly Off the start,
and commanding tho whole course completely that
the little white flag two feet by which Riley made
yesterday ana dashed to his turning buoy though mile
and a half away looms up almost as bravely as
Creedmoor butt scarcely hundred yards off. Over
head, towering far upwards, the forest prmeval-
tall brches, naples and MISUNDERSTANDING you
completely from the afternoon sun, and making the
whole grove look grand, jolly picnic, and such 1t
really Tor under the seat of manya farmers wagon,
tucked away, mayhap, among three or four small
urchins, Is moro than good hamper Of things TO
line the belt and keep one stout and happy,
for 'ClarK, you know, OF the Ensinore Glen House,
will have such crowd he may not have enough to so
round" Charley Courtney Ia in every mouth. You'd
think he was the hrst-born son OF every mouse in
Cayuga county. DAVID of old Staying his ten thou.
Sands SAUL head and shoulders above all the people,
better man than Is this same brawny, long
tunkea, big headed carpenter from Union Springs
owAscO LAKE,
As the fog lifts the lake water calm and ripple
10 be seem Could tho race have been rowed at ten,
before the grew strong and tho slight rippes
began to come the best time ever known In
this country would almost surely have been scored.
No wonder that tho oarsmen pleased with this
water II better exists for their purpose they have
yet TO find it, No wonder that Courtney urged the
mitteo defer the till md.Oct0ber, that all
lace Ross the fast Canadian sculer could be brought
to meet him. For he reasons, and with excellent
sense, that stand ready to send both him and
Ross to England to the best man there It would
be better the first have It here, and for
the man evidently tho inferior to stay at home and
his money. But Ross has fixture meanwhile
with Hanon. and SO cannot be here to-day, and the
committee thought best not to wait. Shortly alter
nine nearly all tho scuers out for short spin
aud to that boat and gear all right Then the
boats hid away in some obscure nook where the
crowd, rapidly increasing, might not disturb
,hcm Now Courtney gets despatch from New York
that he is to be pocketed - in other words, that two
oarsmen, getting one on either side of him. are to cut
him of from what SO majority think will surely
be his victory. But as his position is next the west
sh,Sc Rlleys 1l2 feet east and tho others all OF
him. and the whole five equidistant, It is manifest
that any one of his antagonists will have
far to 60 to cross over from his lane
to that Of Courtney that the attempt can DO
detected at and Tho proper action taken by tho
referee. Just before great race there arc often one
two such rumors about; but fortunately they are
generally groundIess Courtney Is the iavore by such
long odds, and the betting, hundred to forty or
TO- that OF his doeat would bring barrel of
money to whoever knew 1t coming. But Court
ney's excellent name AT his nOmo mere neaVHy
at such times and public opinion widespread here
that he Is honorable, Straightforward man, above
anything mean or unfair Only yesterday one re-
spectacle looking working man here broke out, Gle
offered $40 900 down at Philadelphia to sell OUT
but he will not SELL" which, whilo en-
tirey improbable for Gelston and Labat, OF
the London Rowing Club Curtis, in TACT al
the best scullers there declined face him. Still II
will help to indicate whore he stands in pubic opinion
hereafter. Riley, OF course, Is his great rival STILL
not few, especially among New England men, in.
cline to Johnson aud confident that more than
one Of the word is to DO tho dark horse hero
TO-DAY.
Courtney goes to the score ho says, at about 176
ITS lbs which is now his weight when at The top Of
his condition. Riley weighs but 151 pounds; still no
does not look overdono or STALE while johnson Is about
twelve pounds heavier.
APPEARANCE OF THE MEN.
"Frenchy" johnson, OF Boston, Is black, about five
seet nine inches high and the best built man on this
mag nj hcent arms, the being especially large
His chest Is deep full and round, his back and IONS
is low and broad; his bright eyes and his quick,
easy movements, combined with his body aud
i nasSy man. onS SO ali EeS
pronounce him. Recently II Will be remembered,
at Newburg, after rowing long, hard race he was
net by Gil Ward on the home halt mile, who thought
10 steal from him the cheers as he won But Johnson
spurted up magnincenty, and Notwithstanding that
Ward fresh actually rowcd him down and came IN
clear n winner He says he Is soft and out o shape,
out he is easy alkcr. and this habit OF selidis.
arrangement on the eve oil 4 hard race is no new thing
among oarsmen. His boat one Of tho most beauti
iu pieces OF light novel architecture ever seen In this
country. Ten Eyck says u is the handsomest
boat he ever saw, and naturally johnson
sorry ut being 30 we'll boatcd. james Ten Eyck,
OF Peekskill is the poorest Misunderstanding,
country; with tho bcak.lkc nose, the open mouth.
the rolrcating forehead and the lean. hungry, put
good naured and pucky face OF Plastcd, he looks as
II he must certainly be his younger brother He Ii
twenty hve old, five feet ten inches In height
His legs excessively thin, his thighs are eighteen
inches, his upper arms ten. His chest Is thirty-hvc
inches, and he says he weighs but l3s pounds,
and certainly looks no heavier But, though
his chest IS narrow, 1t is deep and chicken
breasted while there is q game, manly, self
reliant look about the which suggests That that
arge but boysh head aDd slender body may after all,
como In ahead OF some OF his beoy rivals. john
beat him at Newburg but many claimed that the
rough water in which the latter SAID to get along
best all that saved HIM. Laberger OF Pittsburg,
is tall and able bodied, with far legs thick neck
and pale look and though not especially wiry In
appearance Riley says that in brushes
vii Ia IN IN a q mi "A ratt linz naco nd