The New York herald., 1879-08-09

FIRST DAY OF THE AQUATIC FEsTIvAL-THE
TRIAL HEATS OF THE AMATEUR AND PROFES-
,sIoNAL sCuLLERs- FINALS TO BE RowED
TO-DAY.
,BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.
PITTsBURG. August 8, 1879.
The regatta to-day the Hutton course was a
great success. Some very pretty rowing was done.
and Riley made his fastest time for three
miles on record The were all at work this
morning at practice. The wind blew strong down
the river and made the water rough. which
usual thing here. About o'clock dea calm set
in and the course became smooth glass. The
crowd began to gather early in the day. and by half
past three o'clock between three and tour thousand
people were on the banks near the art.
SUDDEN CHANGE THE PROGRAMME.
About noon it learned tha. tn. managers Of
the regatta had determined to change the pro-
gramme. and. instead of having three starters each
III the professional aud amateur final heats to-mor
they had decided to Let those who came in first
and second III each OF to-day's heats row to morrow
influence Of the pool sellers, who wanted to have
money put up on the result. Kennedy was also
with Riley and knew he would lose. 1t was q bad
cnange. but still it was agreed to. The referee.
Mr.. Thomas Reese. got stuck on sand bar
hour. When he arrived "Frenchy'' johnson entered
protest against the change and said it gotten
up to beat him and to get him in a pocket. The
referee put it to vote among the professionals and
the majority said they willing to that way.
Owing to the fact that the Pttsburgers have been
badly burned on pools on bout races there but
little money invested in that way compared to what
expected.
THE FAvoRIIEs.
Last night and this morning few pools were sold
on the heats, Plaisted, Johnson and Riley selling
for the against the field carly in the day.
Mr.. Clark, of Owasco Lake, and he said that Court
ney told him last Friday that he very anxious
for tnree-mile race with Hanlsn. but ne hardly
cared for q tve-mile race.
'FRENcHY" JoHNsoN's FEARS.
While the amateurs were getting ready for their
race '.Frenchy johnson said to your correspondent
that he felt that there would tie attempt to
jockey him out OF his race tomorrow. There
some bad feeling, he sad, on the part OF some OF
the against him. 1t may be old habit Of
Johnson to grumble. but i'll this it has some
foundation.
AMArEuRs-TRIAI HEATS
At ten minutes past four the called the first
OF Wheelin&s and Wenner. OF Pittsburg. were the
starters. Wenner gave up rowing before reaching
the turn. The pulling was sharp aud close between
the other two up to the line, but Babbitt
by length i'll 16 minutes. 1t had been
arranged to three heats, but Owen.
of Wheeling. withdrew the remaining five men
were sent off together. The starters were Brannon
Moore. Houck and Hildebreck. OF Pittsburg. aud
Alexander Handy. of New York. Brannon the
heat in 15m. 5is. Handy closed mp gap of four
lengJhs between him and Hildebreck, and by superb
rowing got n neat second. He belongs to the
Atalanta Club. OF New York.
PRoFEssIoSALs-rRIAL HEATS.
"Frenchy Johnson. of Boston; ShaefYer, Brown
and Powell, OF f1ttsburg, and Lee, OF Greenpoint,
l.. L. started in the first professional trial heat OF
three miles. At the end of the first mile
Shaeffer stopped aud called out to Powell
not to let Lee get ahead OF him. but to
foul him. Lee Immediately drew ahead and
he and johnson made the gait hot that the other
men dropped out OF the race. johnson and Lee
rowed a very pretty race to the buoys. the former
turning first They came in about three lengths
apart. johnson ahead Time, 20in. 3Os.
PiaIsted, ot New York, aud Coulter and Layberger.
of Pittsburg, started in the second heat Plais ted
led nearly to the turn, but Laybergcr got in a fine
squirt and turned first. They rowed neck and neck
home, Pssted crossing the line first in 81 minutes.
Seibert and Morrow, OF Pittsburg; Riley. of New
York. and Kennedy. OF Rhode Island, got fine
in the third heat. Riley put up the pace from the
beginning aud Morrow soon broke down. Riley
turned first and by lead of four lengths. but Sci
bert. by very clever and rspi turn. gained the
lengths distance between himself and Kennedy. and
started home even with him. When the crowd
at the finish reached Sebert received u
storm OF encouraging cheers, he
Pittsburg's last hope. He spurted and passed ahead
of Kennedy, who also spurted and gained a slight
lead. Near tho line Seibert struck the bank OF
small island and lost little time. He only
beaten by half alength by Kennedy for second place
Iiey's time was given by the referee 19m 25s., but
II was probably not below 20 min utes.
The races tomorrow will be hot and interesting
rs the men anxious to win There will be six
professional starters ami four amateurs in the finals