The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-10-22
The HanIan- Courtney Sham.

Last Thursday morning eight or
ten Of our citizens started for Mayville
to see what was expected to be one of
the greatest boat races ever witnessed
in this or any other country. A
special train left Tidioute via Oil
City, but was not very extensively
patronized, most of the excursionists
from here and Tidioute going by way
Of Irvineton and Jamestown. The
topic of conversation all along the
route was, of course, the great race,
aud as the train neared Chautauqua
the interest became greater, until all
had worked themselves up to high
state in anticipation Of the wonderful
event. When the train pulled up to
the depot there was a general rush
among the passengers to get of, and
in the rush the pocket books of one or
two turned up missing. No sooner
had the crowd alighted than they
learned that the race would not take
place. Courtney's boats had been cut
the night before, and rendered en-
tirely unfit for use. At first the news
was rather sneered at, everybody
thinking it was put up job just to
keep the crowd there another day, as
had been rumored, but when it was
ascertaiued to a certainty that the
boats really had been destroyed the
sulphurous outbursts from the disap-
pointed crowd made things look blue
for a time.
1t appears that the two men who
had charge of and were watching
Courtney's boat house, some distance
down the lake, went up to Mayville on
the previous night, leaving the house
unoccupied for couple of hours, and
when they returned the mischief was
done. At the time Courtney was very
much censured, and, really it looked
very much as though he was at fault
his friends even believing he did it
himself. However, recent develope-
neuts go to show that the deviltry
was the work of Hanlan's crew of
hackers and gamblers, they having SO
much staked on him, and being fearful
that he would lose the race were
obliged TO resort to these measures to
stop it, after finding Courtney could
not be bought of.
At the appointed time, A o'clock,
Hanlan came out and rowed over the
course, making the fastest time on
record for five miles, which was thirty
three minutes and fifty-six and one
fourth seconds. Very little interest
was manifested in the matter, and
long before the sculler had got back
to the starting point the people began
to rush for the trains, thoroughly dis
gusted with the entire affair.
The crowd was anything but as
large as was anticipated, there being
scarcely six thousand people present,
two-thirds of which, it is safe to say,
were gamblers, pick. pockets and cut.
throats. The gambling den, the prize
ring, the thieves haunts, the low dive,
and the groggery were all fully repre-
sented, and in fact it was by odds the
toughest crowd-taken as a whole
that the eyes of decent person ever
beheld. 1t is hard matter to find a
man who will acknowledge having
been to see the race.
The most worried and seemingly
worked up man on the ground was
Passenger Agent Baldwin, who was
most instrumental in bringing about
the race at Chautauqua. After having
perfected all arrangements for the
grand display, and having everything
in the best of shape, thea to have the
whole affair wind up in such a com.
plete fzzle, must have been provoking
in the extreme. Whoever else may
be at fault, the public can rest assured
that Mr.. Baldwin did we'll his part.
Business at the Recorders Office.
Transfers of Real Estate as per deeds
recorded for the week ending October
81, 1879:
j. H. Osmer and wife to w. ].
Young, 1000 acres in Kingsley Town.
ship. Consideration 81 900.
The Woodland Oil Co, Limited, to