The New York herald., 1879-08-22
A Splendid Swim from Pier No.
to Coney Island.
TUELFF LANDS FIRST
Werham Leaves the Water in Fine Con-
dition and Claims "Foul."

has swan from High Bridge to Governors
Island on former occasion. Werham never
ut one timo further than across the North
River and back. The start made at precisely
f-past two O'Clock Both men had been prepar
ing for their long swim FULLY half an hour before
that, and when they made their appearance on the
pier they greeted with prolonged burst of ap
plause. Pier l. which is one OF the most spacious
Of the citys docks was literally thronged with men,
women and children. the former largely predomi
mating. So great was the crowd that the
steamboat runners. who had fondly hoped to
inveigle some Of them on to the Coney Island
boats, were paralyzed with surprise. From the end
of the pier the river front the people jamed
together, and the gangways that are usually kept
open for passengers by steamboats, were entirely
closed. The boats and vessels lying in the neghbor
ing piers were also black with boys and men. and
the wall OF the Battery was lined from end to
end. Fully hundred small boats carrying from
two to fifteen persons bobbed up and down around
the end the pier waiting Tor the start The barge
William II. Vanderbilt waited alongside loaded with
friends Of the swimmers. and number Of yachts
and steam launches hovered about the river also
waiting.
THE START.
Both men walked to the end of the pier. the police
making q passageway for them with difficulty.
cap and blue tassel. Tuelff white tights and
white cap. The two men creased with vasseline
and were as shiny fishes. They stood together at
the end Of the pier and ut signal took header to-
gether into the water. There o from the
spectators whistles from the steamboats,: then
whirled by the strong ebb tide. the swimmers
off.
The rivals swan rapidly toward Bedloe's Island at
FIRST catch the very strong eDb tide and from
the fact that they went too far over they con-
sidered to have lost some time. The fleet of small
boats got under way and hedged the swimmers about
SO that few could see them Although at the start
the men forced themselves through the water at
good speed could hardly be called fair sample of
their swimming for they turned and twisted like a
couple OF schoolboys out for q lark. They went
fully an eighth OF mile before they settled down
to anything like work. Then both struck into the
extraordinarily quick stroke of 40 per minute
Webb on his great Channel swim never went above
% strokes and the swim from Sandy Hook to Man.
haitian Beach ~ was his average. The stroke OF 30
well be imagined then to represent man 8
very best pace in the water. This tremendous
strain of course neither man could keep up. and
many wise heads board OF the barge, that finally
got out OF the dock and followed tho swimmers.
iesscned down to "a minute, which the
average stroke for the first miles. In fact.
the average stroke OF the swim was higher
for both men than any long distance swim
yet recorded, although the speed was not nearly as
swift as the stroke was. Each man was accom-
panied by judge in small boat. TuelT rolled in
the water like q stern-whecer i'll the trough OF the
sea. swimming frst on one side and then on the
other Werham kept steady breast stroke at first,
occasionally ducking his head under the water.
GovERSoR's ISLAND.
Governors Island was reached exactly at three
O'Clock, and the men plunged into mass OF drift
wood and garbage that for short time serfo usiy
impeded their progress. The Coney Island steam
and saluted the with their whistles. some
OF them gracefully dipping their colors
when tho bark Lily. anchored in mid.
stream. was passed. the positions mad changed and
Werham was fifty feet ahead. Both men felt in first
rate condition aud expressed confidence OF COM
peting their long swim. The people IN the boats
who were guiding them now made the mistake of
taking them too far toward the western shore
and they did not get the full benefit Of the
tide. Werham was swimming much more steadily
than Tuef and the betting was strongly in his
favor although he untried amateur. At
3h. Ism. p. NJ when about two miles from the Bat
terry. Werham increased his stroke to 36. and
vious fifteen minutes got ahead Of him. At 3h. 2um.
he took hts first drop OF brandy. tread
ing water while he drank. and afterward turning
and swimming on his back While he was doing
this Tuelff gained rapidly ON him. and ten minutes
later when the Plymouth Rock. gay with music and
flags. went by. the two were nearly abreast and
swimming Az strokes III n squirt for the lead.
HANDKERcKIETs AND SMILES.
Then large Bremen steamship came steaming up,
and, very much OF the order OF such things, her
shrl steam whistle sounded salute while the pas
sengcrs waved to the who smiled their thanks.
| when questioned to what it said.
| "Oh! whIskey or anything you like to
asked the same question responded that he did
| not keep a saloon In the boat. Subsequent facts
demonstrated that he might better have Kept moth
ing there ut all Tuelff ut this point took of his
cap, and in few moments later his tights followed
it into the boat. He seemed to swim easier TOR the
change. About 3h. 40n.. Wcrhain, still ahead and
swimming Justify. sang out that he guessed lac
| would ''wear that fellow ont"
The men were now of Quarantine. and the steam
Inoa IIf.xyt Sx.ix, dali f6a and
Old Dominion line passed. and saluted At this time
| Tuelf took another drink OF whskey. and his
Judge or trainer took several. Ten minutes later
Werham resumed his 80 stroke. aud both
men sided for the Staten Island shore.
At half-past four they of Quarantine landing
and about three miles out ot their course Notwith-
standing the rcnonstiances OF experienced pilots.
they continued to bear to the westward; but finally.
after much unnecessary exertion. managed to reach
the Narrows. wcrham made the mistake
, of huggng the east shore too much while
his utagonist took the west catching the ebb tide
for oil il was then worth rhc eddy which sets
around Nortons Point and sweeps up through
Grayesend Buy made sort OF flood tide for
| werham and he laborcd In vain to keep abreast oi
his more fortunate antagonist.
FINISH
The latter forged rapidly ahead until within q
quarter OF mile of the beach and the finish when a
| he seemed to give out almost completely. he made
several desperate spuris. making AZ many as Al
stokes to the minute. and hnally swimming
| SO. he rrn up into shoal water and stood up
| This fact was known to but few. be-
cause the barge Mt the time too TAI
away for her passengers His Judge" al
lowed HIN to stand up squarey in the sand and give
| his opponent chance to claim the money
foul. Finally. sby coaxing and cajoling. he wa
| brought to half wade and half swim 20 the pier
, which he touched at exactly half-past sia
| o'clock werham came along in fne style
after him and touched at ten minutes TO seven
| Tuelff. when he taken from tho water. was
| specchless and utterly exhausted and sank to the
| grouhd. HIS Judge" took no care of him and the
task fell to the bystanders. He certainly could no
have swum quarter OF mile further. Werham, or
the contrary, fresh and in excellent spirits
He up to the dock with thirty stroke, singing
q song and climbed out himself without assistance
His Judge and friends put in o claim for foul
which has yet to be- settled.
The distan;e swan by both men was fully thirteef
miles. aud was made in four hours aud twenty min
utes.