Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-08-18
THE BROWN BOY BEATS.
SATURDAYS BIG BOAT RACE.
Weisgerber Leaves FeIsiOg, and Surprises
Most Of the Spectators - Full
Particulars of the Race,

Most of the Spectators - Full
Particulars Of the Race.
The victory OF Weisgerber over Eel
sing on last Saturday was a very general
surprise. Just year ago yesterday, the
same parties were pitted against each
other in a race over the Beach Bottom
course, and Felsing was the victor The
bets on Saturday ranged from . to 1 to
) 10 . on Felsing, showing that a large
majority believed Felsing to be the best
man.
They opened their ewes when the
result was announced, however.
During the morning the sky was dark
and threatening, and about O'Clock in
/ the afternoon rain commenced TO TALL,
| but the shower was OF short duration.
Alter a brief spell OF sunshine, directly
| after the rain the weather again grew
threatening, and there was another
| slight sprinkle about clock. he
wind was high until after ) o'clock, and
it was thought that the race would be
postponed, but before Is O'Clock II be-
came almost Il dead calm, though the
water was still rough from the effects OF
the previous high winds.
The banks on both sides of the river
were literally lined with spectators from
far and near the crowd being the larg-
est that ever attended a race in this To-
cality. Eight car loads OF eXcursiOnlSts
came down from PittSburg and other
points on the Pan Handle road, and
from other localities the people came as
| literally.
The choice OF water was won by
| Weisgerber, who took the ONO SIDE.
About half past four o'clock the -Nr,rs'
Letter steam Yacht az. Il. Dale with
the referee on board, went to the lower
| end Of the course, and the turning buoys
were placed in position. The boat then
returned to the starting point, and after
| setting the stake-bOctS and waiting some
time for the wind to fall the Dale
started for the stakc-boats and sounded
her whistle for the oarsmcn TO get ready.
Felsing was soon perceived coming
down the West Virginia side from The
Nail City boat house, wearing blue
shirt and trunks Of the same color
| Weisgerber came out Immediately after
wards, dressed in white shirt and ~lut
trunks. The start was made without
DELAY. Felsing took water first, and
GAINED about half 4 length on the start
| This lead was increased 10 about tNI
| lengths in the first three hundred yards
when Wcisgerbcr began TO pull up, ana
| the tlving shells passed BensOn's Ferry
| side by side. When nearing the buoyS
Felsing again showed in front, leading
abont length. At the turn Felsinl
"caught Il crab, and Nelsgerbel
cmc up with him, both shells
turning at exactly the same
moment. As Felsing had to take q
diagonal course toward Wcisgcrbcr 10
get out OF the current, the latter got 4
Slight advantage at this point and went
to the front, leading Fclsing about q
length, and at BenSon's Ferry had in
creased his lead to fully five lengths.
| The distance between the contestants
remained unchanged until Whisky Run
was reached, when Fclsing sputed and
closed MP little on FATTY But the
Cow Boy" pulled i'm vain, as Wci-gcr-
Der passed over the line a boat length
| and a Quartrr ahead. The time marked
i'm the referees boat was 1000, though
other parties made il 2l:Oj, and even
| higher. The time was not lar from 2l.
After the close the men went through
the usual formality OF shaking h"nds,
and during this operation Eelsing said.
| FATTY, YOU re Il better man than am.
The contestants then struck out Tor their
! respective boat houses, and the success
ful oarsman was heartily chccrcd by his
friends and hackers as he approached
the shore.
The pcrsonud OF the contestants is as
follows: Louis Felsing is but twenty
three years OF age, tips the beam at one
hundred and fifty pounds, and IS tenn
| perate and unaSsuming man. lie mas
| rowed but three matches for money, all
of which he won. The first 81 these
was with Manton, III the Nail City, ior
a purse of 800. The second with Lay
berger. when previous tOthc race, Cow
how" and other derisive epithcts were
appiied to him, and the third with
| Weisperbcr, one year ago, which
ne won by length and
4 half in PHO. After laying out
| Lavberger, and winning 4 purse OF
$500, he was denOminatcd trSt-ClasS
oarsman, and came back home covered
| with glory. On his return he joined
the Nail City boat club, Of which he Is
now a member. In the race yesterday
he rowed at l42 pounds.
George Weisgerber, familiarly known
a. Fatty is 81 years Old, and weighs,
when in racing trim, al pounds. Ills
reputation as Il crack oarsman is cXtcn-
sive, and the fact that he has won all
but one Of the only six races he contest
ed for money, is sufficient proof that ms
present position was honorably earned.
These races were: First, with Jimmy
Johnson, Of the Nail City, one mile
straight away, for a purse of 5000;
second, with Gus Hanke, OF the LeaSure,
| three miles with turn, for purse Ol
$500: third, with Dave Morgan, OF Pitts
| burgh, three miles, for purse of $500,
and fourth, with "Paddy" DenmarSh,
three miles, for purse Of 500. His last
race was with Fcising, which he lost by
one and one-halt boat lengths. He has
been member OF the G. 7. Brown club
for three years, ard is considered hard
man to walk over
The following challenge appeared in
yesterdays papers:
81 challenge George Weisgerber, OF
the &. Z. Brown boat club, to row me a
five mile race for a purse Of $500 on
Saturday, September 6, 1879. Will meet
him or his friends at Sheekey's saloon
on next Tuesday evening.
LoUIs FEISING."
The prospects are that the challenge
will be accepted, and a race made, ifnot
for five miles, at least Tor three. 1t will
likely be for 81 600, and will take place
in about four weeks. 1t is to he hoped
that such may be the case. The public
demands that the race be made. Each
man has won once, and it is only just
that the curiosity OF the public as to who
is really the best oarsman, should he
gratifed.
| Notice.