The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-06-27
THE VARSITY RACE.
VALE AND HARVARD MEASURE
STRENGTH ON THE WATER.
Harvard Takes the Lend from the Start,
While Yale Comes In Fifteen Lengths
neutrality-suspicious. Interest
in the Event

New LONDON, Conn, June q. Mot in the
history Of Yale Harvard aquatics has the
interest manifested previous to a race been
wrought to such a high state of excitement
as il was before Fridays contest. Early
Thursday night all the hotels were over
crowded, and lodgings were not TO be had
at any price The night trains from Boston
and New York and the New York boats
largely increased the number of
visitors, and the morning trains from all di-
rections came in crowded. New Haven sent
over an excursion train of fifteen cars.
The betting, which, after the, Columbia's
race, changed from odds on Yale to even
money, and then to odds on Harvard, at ID
o'clock was about even. An unusua lily
large amount of money had been put up on
the result of the race The final
betting was about even, although some en-
thusiastic Harvard men gave odds rather
than not place their money.
At 8 o'clock the water was in excellent
condition, there being but a slight ripple
and very light southwest wind.
As the time for the race approached the
excitement became intense, especially among
the Yale men, over report that Capt Elan.
ders was i'll and could not row. A Yale Off
cial who was seen on the subject confirmed
the report of the captains illness, but added
that although Flanders was sick it had been
decided that it would be better for him to
row than TO make a change in the stroke.
This story changed the betting to 500 to $50
in Harvard's favor and the Harvard men
were furnishing all the money that Yale
was calling for.
About 9:45 a. m. the breeze freshened con-
siderably and blew almost square across the
course. This was considered an advantage
for Yale The water had grown quite rough
at 1915 o'clock. The Harvard boat came
out at ll:02, Yale following one minute
later, and both crews padded leisurely Il
the starting point At Il ;25 the word was
given, and Yale took the water very
quickly, and obtained lead of about two
| feet. Harvard settled to her work, how
ever, aud at fifty yards from the start had
drawn up even and was beginning to forge
| ahead In less than so yards Harvard
| showed clear water between herself and
Yale, and Yale never got near her again
| At this time both crews were pulling 40
| strokes. Harvard, however, slowed her
| stroke and at the first half mile had a cleal
| lead Of over length, which kept increasing
| Yale still rowing 40 and Harvard s. At The
| first mile Harvard led by two lengths, hel
| time being minutes So seconds At the
| mile and a half Yale spurte1 and began t.
| decrease the lead trihe Harvard imme
diately increased her stroke and began t
draw ahead again. At the mile and hal
Haryard's time was s minutes 20 sec
onds, and the race was virtually over
| At two miles Harvard led by tire,
lengths, pulling fine, steady stroke Of
80. Yale put her stroke up again op
posite the navy yard, but Harvard easily
held her own. Harvard made the two
miles in 10 minutes, 2lH seconds. From
here TO the finish the water was quite rough
| and the time slower. At three miles Har
ward led by ten lengths, passing the flag il
Is minutes, ssh seconds. Yale'S time wa
10 minutes, 40x second. Both were pull
ing the same stroke, and Yale's style had
improved. The Harvard men along tn
course now became very jubilant ant
Yale had lost all interest in tn
race. Both crews spurted at the finish, bu
Harvard crossed the line fifteen length
ahead, an easy winner. The official tim
was; Harvard, 25 minutes, 49, seconds
Yale, 26 minutes, 80 seconds,
At the finish the Harvard crew ap
paared fresh and in fine condition, while Il
the Yale toat Peters and PARROT appeare
to he blown and Storrs pulled in rathe
| Ii ,tleSs styla