St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-08-03
The Ross-Teen.er Ro,cing Race.

NEW YORK, Aug. 2.-Wallace Ross, Of st.
John, N. B., and John Teemer, of McKees-
port, Pa, rowed at Oak Point to-day what
was, perhaps, the most interesting sculihg
match that ever took place on this continent.
Ross was the leader for the first half of the
course, and Teemer was not headed during
the second two miles. The victory was won
by Teemer in his wonderfully scientific turn
ing of the stake boat.
Teemer was the first out, approaching in
red shirt and navy blue breeches, Ross
colors being white and dark blue There
were probably 1000 people present when
the race began. The course was from Oak
Point shore two miles out to Bowery bay,
where the stake boats were anchored. Ross
won the toss for position and took the north
ern line, but really there was no choice.
When Barney Biglin asked, ''are you
ready!n and then shouted 'go!" Teemer
caught the water first, with something of a
splash, and went six feet ahead of his
opponent. He lost that small lead almost
Immediately, however, for Ross settled down
to his well known, steady powerful stroke,
and forged ahead inside of six lengths. It
Ndo pidlu cdCu ludu udQ III 10 VIII.
Teemer soon got in to swinging stiff stroke,
easy and clear. Ross sat straight up as is his
wont, and dug his oars into the water with
telling effect. Ross lead for
the first mile and quarter
ct distances varying from tenth to two
lengths.e Just abreast Of the north end of
north Brothers Island, a mile and quarter
out, Teemer became little ragged in his
stroke, but in another minute he braced up,
| and put In some good ones, which sent the
prov of his boat about five feet ahead of his
adversary's. Ross did not like this, and
sent his stroke up to thirty-two, and again
went ahead. Both men moved well within
themselves up to the turn, which
Ross reached half length
ahead. Here the literal turning point was
reached Ross seemed to have forgotten to
go around the stake boat He went way
beyond it, and made his circle
by a long curve that made it appear he
had not reached the stake boat when the
Pittsburg man was half way around.
Teemer made beautiful line for
the stake boat. He hardly had gotten
three feet beyond it, when he buried his
left oar in the depths as straight as corn
| stalk and pulled his head around with his
| right as though his craft were hung on a
| pivot. Such clever manoeuvre has rarely
been seen on the water. His boat appeared
| to come to standstill at the will of the
| rover, and to turn about as though she were
| toy in the owners hands. This piece of
| extraordinary skill gave Teemer the lead of
| full three lengths of clear water, and virtu-
ally the race. The return was very excit-
ing, however, for Ross did his best to
recover the great loss he had
| suffered, and put in some of the hardest row.
| ing that one could want to see. He still
seemed to think he had the race and could
| pick up his loss on the last mile. When
| the north point of Rilker's island was reached,
which was about mile from home, Wallace
| began to see he had a man instead of boy
! to row against Teemer had been, on the
| first mile of the return, rowing rather quickly
and not too evenly. Once he put his right
| hand out into the river for water to battle
his head. But at this point Ross increased
| his stroke from twenty-eight to thirty-one to
the minute, and Teemer stayed at his thirty.
Ross was encouraged by shouts from his
| friends in the judges steamer, and rowed for
all he was worth. At three miles and three
| quarters he got as high as tbiFty-four strokes
| to the minute. Teemer braced up at this
stage also. and went up to thitty-four. but did
not stay there more than dozen lengths.
Ross kept up his grand stroke but he was too
| late. He continued TO diminish the lead
| gradually, but be had not the distance in
which TO go to the front even If he had been
able. On the first of the last quarter mile
Teemer was plainly not doing his best, but
when within 200 yards of home
he put on squirt. Ross still con-
tinued to creep up, however, and
| when the line was crossed his prov Tapped
| Teemer's stern. Teemer thus won By short
length. Both men we're pretty tired when
| they returned TO the boat house. Ross was
cross and Teemer was jubilant, and be had q
right to De, in both beating Ross and max
| ing by far the best time on record.
i Barney Biglin made time 20 minutes 20
seconds, best previous time for four mile