Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-08-08

How RACING WAS REVIVED BY THE ORGANI-
zATIoN OF TIE CoLUNBIAS FIVE YEARS
| AGo-TMUNPHs WON Ely THE PLUCKY CREWS
OF THE CLUBS, ETC.
The Columbia Boat Club was organized April
10th, 1850. in Room 81, OF the Riggs house.
although the meeting for the election of perma-
ne!lt officers was not held until a month later.
The immediate cause OF the formation OF the
new boating organization was a disafection in
the rank. of the Potomac club, which resulted
| IN thirteen active members of that club with
drawing or being dropped from its membership.
committee OF the seeding faction, consisting
| of w. III. Gibson, Arthur t. Brice and George v.
Balch, was appointed to see what encourage
| inent there was for the formation Of a new club.
Their efforts eliminated in the meeting ct the
Riggs house above referred to. w. II. Gibson
p;e.fded AT this meeting, which was largely at
tended, ana a lively Interest was manifested by
all present. Measures were taken TO build a
club house anu to- place the new organization
upon - sure footing.
THE FIRST OFFICERS.
At the second meeting of the club officers were
elected as follows: President, Capt. II. w. How
gate; vice president, j. III. Gordon; recording
secretary, a. T. Brice; treasurer E. +. Riggs;
financial secretary. +. Z. Johr 5; captain, W. H.
Gibson: first lieutenant Geo. V. Baich, and sec
ond lieutenant, W. I. Snyder. At this meeting
thirty-two former membeTS of the Potomac
Grub and thirty-nye Others were elected, making
the membership 134. The Columbia club had
HiOsL beginning, ana was on sure
ROAD to success. The formation of it's sister
cubs had been com paratively slow work. The
iSw boating enthusiasts who originated them
had to gradually infuse their enthusiasts m into
doubling companions before they would take
hold with viii. and even then their course
was beset by innumerable obstacles, which had
work to them.
The Columbia club. ON the other hand, sprang
mt INTO -, existence fully equipped. Experienced
men, who knew how to row, were at hand to
exert their muscles for the honor of the new
club. All that was needed was q supply Of
beats to row in and a suitable house in which to
store them. These necessaries were iorthcom-
Ing sh9rtiT, however, for the managers knew
now to:get things into shape rapidly. The new
clu1 adopted as its motto seiapey paTatis, and
right well has Ii lived up to its watchword. Its
existence e; seemed to revive the racing spirit Oh
manifested Itself very strongly. The Potomacs
mad been IL the annual habit of sitting on their
comfortable balcony and longing to get another
chance at the AnaOstans, VINO followed the Po-
toInac 5 example. and only balcony rowing was
the result. There was an inherent feeling of
hostility between the two clubs, which could
only be eradicated by friendly and open rivalry
upon The water. The coming of the Columbus
seemed to act like magic, and races between
the local clubs have taken place annually ever
since.
THE FIRST CITIZENS REGATTA.
In the autumn following the organization of
the Columbias. the citizens regatta was held,
and the Columbia club not quite semper porat.s
Hn.ness TO participate in IL. The club had
Shell suitable 10 row ill., but thrO l, the courtesy
OF the AnaiosianS were supplied with enc, which
was occupied by Brice, Brace lei. Ter and Moore.
The most enthusiastic Coiumolas did not ex-
pect their crew To come in IN Ore than good
third in the race which vas cowed October Is,
j $50, and they We're not disappointed. They
Were out of the race from the start being no
match for the AnaioStans-White. Douglass,
Naunder aud Page. and the Potomacs-Crop-
ley, Morgan. Bailey and Wheeler. This WAS
the contest in which the unfortunate foul oc-
CURED between the AEalOstans and tive Po-
tomacs The course was Il mile down the
river lram tie Aqueduct bridge and re-
turn. The struggle was q hot one between
the crews representing the Older clubs, even
after the foul which took place about the
middle of the last mile, and which was gener-
ally conceded TO have been the fault of the Ana
lostanS The AAalOstIas came in first. The
referee decided that the race should be rowed
over, but subsequently awarded it and tine
prizes To the toiunbias, ruling out the other two
crews The Coiumbias were the lawful owners
OF the medals, but recognizing that they were
not earned, they at once offered them to he
roweG FOR again. The second race, however, did
not take place. The Columbus then set to work
10 earn prizes, and the many medals which
they have wnn in hard fought contests attest
with what success they have net.
THE COMPLETION OF THE BOAT HOUSE.
The day following the citizens regatta the Co
lulnbias celebrated the onple.ion OF their com
modious boat house, at the foot of High street,
in Georgetown. by house warming. The inte-
ri0r or tine house was tasteiully decorated aud
Illuminated with gas Jets and Chinese lanterns.
The lo>pitalities Of the club wore enjoyed by a
large gathering ofinviied guests. There were
music, dancing and refresh ants.
In tie spring of the following year the Column
bias rowed their eight cared barge against the
ten cared barge Of the Ana!osta1ls in "a mile
race. winning in $50. The Columbia crew con-
sisted Of Davis, Brace, Mute, Kintner, Hender-
son, Waliacii, Briggs and Olds. with Gibson
coXsTain. Another race followed with ex-
changed boats, and the Columbias Were again
the winners. The CpluLlbias were represented
at the regatta at isichlliond, July 9th. 1881, by
of Str
Lake 3, W. y. Smith =, and Zeiglec bow. They
were in too fast company In this race however,
Undnes second and l. Hirondellas third.
IN THE NATIONAL REGATTA
The national amateur regatta was held here
September and ., 1881, and the Columbias
made bold TO enter two crews, one consisting OF
Marshall Walia:h stroke, C. j. Kintncr s. F. A.
X. Lake stroke. K. B. ODDS ), Jas Young and
W. \. Sudth bow. The latter crew did not
start. however. Tie other crew was In the heat
with the Elizabeths OF Portsmouth and tue
Crescent. OF Philadelphia. TIE ElizabetIs
won the beat in S:in3;; Cfesceuts second. in
S:45I, and Coul.!bias last IN o:5t;it. The
final neat. which was contested by the Hills
dales. Hinne.,:;IS and E!izabeths, was won by
the Hillsdales III So6L, with Eiizabeths last.
City Boat club. Of Lynciibarg, October IL. 1881.
the COlumbi;iS were Tepresen Ted by the strongest
four-oared crew they had yet put in the boat,
consisting OF +. r. Mute stroke, Z. J. kintner 3
W. Brace and r. Brace bow. They expected
to meet the Potomacs crack four but the latter
crew failed to put in an appearance aud tie
ColUnlbias were awarded the prize, the citiZsrs'
cup.
A NOTABLE RACE.
The failure Of these two crews to meet on this
occasion resulted in friendly contest Tor
medals and the championship on the Potomac
on the 31st October, the course being from the
Potomac boat house 10 the Three Sisters and
Iethrp, . distance Of two miles. Hie crews were:
Coiuu,ba.-W alIach, stroke; Kifner, Mute aud
Brace, bow. Potion acS-AfcKinney stroke:
Morgan. Bailey and Wheeler, bow This con-
test = still regarded by district boating men as
the most desperate ever rowea here. The men
In Goth boat; were very severely punished, and
some could, with difficulty, get out o. the boats
aifer the rare From start 10 finish the race was
succession of spurts. First one was ahead and
then 'he other, and the race was not won until
the line WAS crossed. The Coiumbiag put on an
almost sEperhuinaa squirt ut tie finish, and
/ crossed the line winners in 13 minutes and 20
seconds, the Poiolnacs being only three seconds
behind.
~ Fredericksburg, Va. July 4th, 1882, the
Coiumoias We're represented by Mute stroke
hlltncr ;. Davis 2 and Henderson bow in a
fuur-oaTed shell. They met the Analostan four
aud the Potomac junior four in q mile and
haifT..ce, winning Ia lU:32: Analostan second
lt;S3 lac Cuiumbtas kept their crew in train
/ IN. 100 the proposed regatta at Lynchburg on
the 18th of August. The regatta did not take
| Plae' however, owing To the incomplete condi-
ton Ci the river improvements.
THE FIRST POTOMAC REGATTA
TIE first Potomac river regatta was held Oc-
| to'er ith, 1882, over the national course, q