Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-05-19
GREAT BOAT RACE.
HANLAN AND COURTNEY.
SKETCHES OF TIE CONTESTANTS.
THE POTOMAC COURSE.
THE CROWD IN THE CITY.

THE POTOMAC COU RISE.
THE CROWD IN THE CITY.
The city was alive last night with betting
men, who came here to see the Hanlan-C Courtney
race and the horse races, and with people who
came for the same purpose, but who were not
on betting intent The boat race overtopped
everything else. But very few pools were sold
On the horse races of to-day. The sellers had
all they could do to offer
BETS ON HANLAN AND COURTNEY
and accept the bets. The pools sold were largely
in favor Of Hanlan. Two to one in his favor
was common sale; one hundred to fifty was
prevalent, and several pools sold at 200 to 76 10
Hanlan's favor. Willard Hall was where the
liveliest pool selling prevailed. The hall was
crowded. Most OF those present were profeS-
s1onal sports. There was sprinkling OF the
amateur man who bets more 1or tne excltement a EN-
ranch. To the student OF human nature 1t
would have presented an interesting study. But
very few students of human nature were abroad
last night 1t was businesS-"put up or shut
up One could by glance tell the character
OF the crowd. The outside element was distin-
guished by certain air Of bearing not possess
ed by the Washington sport The nOnchalant
manner in which pools were bought and paid
for by men who 1t would be supposed by ap-
pearances could not raise more than a dollar
HANLAN CONFIDENT OF WINNING.
Neither Hanlan nor Courtney appeared at
pool-selling places. The STAR reporter met the
former as he came out OF Wilard's Hotel about
half past nine. For the first time since he has
been here he expressed his confidence in WIN
ming the race. Heretofore he has cOntented
himself with saying that he would pull to win.
| He refused upon earnest solicitation OF a party
from the pOOlrOOm to go into Willard Hail. He
| said people who wanted to bet could do so with
q
| despite the large odds against him. Courtney's
| friends evinced no alacrity in putting up their
| money.
THE POOL SELLING THIS MORNING.
There was not as much life in pool-selling
| this morning on the race as there was last
| night. A pretty brisk business was done, how
ever. The pools sold were on the average of 100
| to 35 in HanlanS favor. new feature in bet
ting cropped in about II O'Clock. Folks then
| began to bet on the possibility of Courtney s
| starting. A good many bets were made on this
| point. No odds were given, but there was a
| good deal OF even betting for and against Court
| neyS appearance and start.
| The City Full of Visitors.
The trains last night were loaded with visi-
| tors to Washington to see the race. All the
hotels are filled. Wizards and the National
| particularly are crowded. Every train that
comes in to-day brings hundreds. Mr.. Harris,
the clerk at Wilard'S,i is good judge of crowd.
10 HE Ts STAB tas morning thee
been here for a long time. The hotel lobbeS were
| filled this morning with all classes OF humanity.
The betting men are here in force. Mr.. Harris
says that he never saw as many peoplein Wash
| ington on any occasion other than a presiden-
tial Inauguration. Hanlans friends to-day
seemed to have more ready money than Court
Hanlan's immediate hacker, made one bet OF
| $1,000 to $1,000 this morning at Wizards.
He He was wi %ing he sad to put al he
| got in this morning from Toronto-all Hanlan
mep. Three hundred and fifty people also ar
| rived from Norfolk. One could tell at glance
merely lookers-on. One chief characteristic OF
| the lOOker-On was that he carried an opera or
field glass. The sport did not care particularly
whether he saw all the race or not. He only
| wanted to put up his money on his favorite.
| VISITORS FROM RICHMOND.
special train OF seven cars arrived this af-
ternoon from Richmond, and the local trains,
both north and south, arrived with large crowds.
| Among the arrivals this morning was Barney
| Aaron and twenty -one others, who made close
| connection from Buffalo, where the Goss and
| Ryan prize fight did not come OFF,
| CALLING ON THE PRESIDENT.
There is abroad In the land a national desire
| to see the President of the United States. The
visitors here to the race took advantage OF their
proximity to the Chief Magistrate to surround
| the White House this morning. The President
received all cordially aud shook hands with
each and every one who desired it.
| The Two Men.
| The two men who row the race for the HOP
Bitters prize OF Sc, 600 to-day are Edward Haalan
OF Toronto, Canada, and Charles E. Courtney Of
Union Springs, New York. The former keeps a
public house opposite Toronto and does big
business, to which his name as an oarsman
| largely adds. The latter is carpenter and
runs planning mill at Union Springs. He does
| a thriving business. Hanlan was born July 18th
1855, and may be said to have been almost born
ma ID boat: o At the age Of 81 years he rowed
or a. In some stXty-five races, both on amateur
and professional water, he literally swept the
course. He las also defeated Hawdon OF EGG
land and Elliott, the champion sculler OF Queen
| Victoria's realm.
Courtney has been prominent character In
American boating since he was boy. He was
| born in 1919. He has always been Obliging and
has done much for Cornell University In her
inter collegiate interests. At tWenty-One he was
the acknowledged champion of America. With
| Hanlan over the border, Canadian phenOme-
non, and Courtney this side, an American Won
der, 1t was natural that race should be talked
OF between the two. Out OF this feeling fol
lowed
| THE RACE OVER THE LACHINE COURSE
at Montreal, Canada. This contest was nip and
tuck into the very finish, when Hanlan came In
leader by less than a boats length. 1t was
charged-and from the charge Courtney gained
much OF his reputation for unreliability- he
was in the hands OF men who made him lose the
race for his and their pecuniary benefit. Some
affldavits were, however, produced from the
men with whom he was supposed to be In col
| league, denying the charge Hanlans success
In England followed the Lachine affair. Court
| ney, shortly after Hanlan'S return from Eng.
| land, rOwed race for $500 on Silver Lake. New
| York, with Riley, who came here to make up
contest In case either Hanlan or Courtney
| should be found in the delinquent column.
Courtney beat Riley easily.
THE CHATAUQUA FIAsCo.
Then arose a demand for race between
| Hanlan and COurtney-a demand for a square
| and fair contest. The Hop Bitters company
offered prize of Sc, 900 for the winner in such q
| race. The race was to be on ChatauQua lake
New York. On the morning OF the event Court
ney's boats were cut, so as TO preclude a race
Hanlan, with the sagacity OF the professional
| puller, refused TO consent to a pOStpOnement.
Under the agreement he was right and, at the
| order OF the referee, Mr.. Bla1kie. he rowed over
| the course alone, making the five miles in 80
| minutes and 561l seconds, beating the then
fastest time on record by minute and l3h sec
| ondS. The Hop BitterS company refused TO pay
| the money unless both men pulled. Finally
after much delay and much visiting OF different
| courses, Washington and to-day were fixed
| upon as the course and time, and the Hon Bit
ters' prize the object to be rOwed for with Riley
| In In case OF the failure Of either Hanlan or
Courtney.
| DESCRIPTION OF THE MEN,
Courtney is large wider and broader man
than Hanlan. He is nearly six feet one inch In