The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-04-06
THE AQUATIC PROSPECTS,.
What the wheeling Oarsmen Will Do
When tho season opens.

In former years Wheeling enjoyed fine
reputation as an aquatic center, and sup.
ported halt dozen boat G. ubs, all OF which
were In tourishing condition. To-day the
boat cl abs are almost all things oil the past,
and Wheeling owes the fact that she Is known
at all In the boating circles Of the present
time TO two or three men. Floods aud heavy
Ice have wrecked the boat houses, and there
has not been interest enough manifested 10
replace them. The Nail City club possesses
no soul ers OF any pretensions, and Is merely
social organization. This is not Us 1t should
be; the club has good house and ought 10
develop some good oarsnen.
The North End aud the Leasure clubs
dragged out an existence last season, but Il
Is doubtful II they will have any life left in
them this year. When the clubs were In full
blast they afforded pleasant resorts for the
mill men, who largely compo.ed the MEM
bership. and spin on the river on tine
summer evening after days work, was o
very pleasant recreation.
WEeeling's individual oarsmen who at
tanned prominence last season, aud who were
iavorably known TO the public before, are
George Wesgerber, more fAmiliarly known
as Fatty" Billy Bricelsnd, OF the Eighth
ward, and Ell. Cl9'or. They are named In
the order In which they stood ct the close OF
last season. Then there Is Reitz. OF North
Wheeling, an Amateur-a protege OF Weis-
gerber's-who was believed by some last sea-
son 10 be coming man. HAbe'fleld, also OF
North Wheeling, is another amateur, but II
was alleged by some last fall that there was n
good deal OF the hippodrome about one OF
his races, and Wheeling sports have learned
by experience to be cautious about putting
any faith In such "quitters." Gus knoke,
the plucky light weigbt OF the Eighth ward,
has withdrawn entirely, gone into the saloon
business, aud Is happy and contented.
What the prospects for the coming season
are, It is as yet hard to say. Weisgerber has
been keeping 10 good trim by working at his
trade In the Baltimore & Ohio shops, and by
u frequent use OF the clubs and bells. He
Is as close mouthed as ever, but his friends
occasionally talk. One Of them said, few
evenings since:
swell, don't exactly know whether
Fatty and his hackers have matured any
detnite plans yet or not understand one
they will row Bricelsnd to the tune OF 81, 1000
to bis 81, 500. and 1t has been rumored that they
will say either $500 10 $1,000, or 81 700 to
81 500 TO any oarsman in West Virginia or
Pennsylvania. Fatty Is row In his prime,
and will pull in splendid order the coming
season. You can soy that what Pm giving
you 10 pretty straight"
Billy Briceland has not been doing any
thing special, 80 far, except TO practice daily
with Indian clubs aud dumb be IL. In con-
yerSation with reporter few days ago, he
said that he had made no plans; he would like
to row. but thought II he did, It would be
with Eastern parties-possibly Riley, II he
could get the chance. He did not think Cla-
tor would row him, and be should not cross
spruces with Weisserber until be had had q
chance to see what be lBriceland) could do
with himself. II he believed he could beat
Fatty after the season was further advanced,
he would give him race.
A we'll known authority on boating affairs
was asked what he knew and answered that
about the only thing he had heard Of or mo-
ticed was the fact that Ed. Clator was build
ing boat house on the creek near the gas
works, and 1t looked US though he might be
propoEing 10 do A little AQUATIC work.