Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-06-27

The Old Falcon Boat Club aud I,
Pleasures On the Potomac.

WIVES THE coRRoD1No foorH OF f1xEA-PnrsI.
DENT 1ILLMoRE AND DANIEL vrBsrHR Al
GUESTS OF THE CLUB.
Every pleasant evening the beautiful Poto.
mac, between GEORGETOWN and the Little Falls
is alive with pleasure boats of all kinds, and
the picturesque uniforms of the different boat
clubs look very attractive with the green Wiz.
gtnis hills as background. OF late years pleas.
ure rowing on this unexcelled waterway has
greatly increased. Those who are accustomed
to spend an evening In cleaving the water
with the delicately -constructed oar-blade
whether fitting by In . toothpicklike racing
shell or In leisurely rowing q more capacious
craft a laden With far passengers. are mos,
ings are Beautiful, it is Convenient ol
and sss
e rulers Of
me enthusiastic have banded themselves 10
getner TO enjoy rowing systematically, aud the
majority Of the habitues Of up-river come from
their ranks. The Anaiostan aud Potomac clubs
one once ofganised seventeen and the other sixteen
boating ON the Potomac, but they were by nc
means the discoveries of the pleasures. Before
lions were born number Of atb se Gic vnnns
Washtngtonians learned how enjoyable was an
evening boat ride, especially If their passengers
1T
lied boat club, named it the Falcon club. and
went into the rowing business just as system.
atica!ly as the present enthusiasts. They pro
the club, and enjoyed it thoroughly. That VERT.
able boat is now suspended from the rsfters OF
the Anaiostan club house, and is the only rem.
prize this aquatic inheritance very dearly and
would part with it under no circumstances
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE FALCON CLUB
AS stated, the Falcon club was organized Sep
tember I'd, 1874, with the following member.
ship: Joseph B. Tate, president; NJ. Henry
stevens, treasurer, and John F.Coyle, secretary.
G. Med Burke, NJ. H. Stevens, c. Graham. Geo
Patten, Charles King JOS. g. Tate, John Waters
coe, A. s. Newton, James TIA +. Hssliiday. Josiah
Il. Bailey, T. A. Provost, c. w. Bestor and Wal
ter LenOx. Their boat was purchased from a
CLUB IN Philadelphia. 1t was an eightoared
lap,streak barge, and was considered model
craft. 1t would bear very favorable comparison
with the boats of to-day, although it was unne.
liged to handle it very delicateiy. and got in
and out with the utmost care, always wearing
slippers or pumps.
THE FIRST BOAT HOUSE.
Upon Its arrival in Washington It was
just about where the B. and p. station
stands, on the old canal, which ran through the
city. A rough shed was built for the boat near
there, and that was the Falcon boat house
Later the boat house was located at the present
entrance to the Smithsonian grounds, adjoining
the 10th street bridge, over the canal In the
evenings the Falconers would lower their boat
Into the canal and run out upon the river In
the earlier years of the clubs existence no
trouble was experienced in reaching the river
channel, but the flats began to ill very rapidly
and later the Oarsmen were compelled to take
advantage of high tide to get out successfully
Many a boat load was stuck on the mud flats
on which occasions the cOxswain would give
the order to clear the boat, and all hands would
is:mbark into the mud and push her to wet
W IL
ladies aboard, but they, of course, were not dis
turbed. There was a little channel, which ran
through the flats to the Long bridge, which the
Falcon boys knew, and they sometimes fol.
lowed 1t to get to deep water. AS it took them
three or four miles out of their way, however
they generally CHANGED the flats. They We're
never engaged in races, for there was nothing to
row against, they delighted in taking long,
stun pulls and in going out when there was i,
they could pull. Trips to Alexandria AMI to
Little Falls were Of every day occurrence but
the favorite row was directly across the river to
THE FAMOUS CUsTIS SPRING,
On the Arlington estate. The Falcon held eight
coxswain and eight passengers. The
passengers were generally ladies. and each one
occupied seat alongside an oarsman. Such a
boat load would, evening after evening" find
Its way to Gusts spring. The barge parties of
to-day are regarded as u modern institution but
the Falcon y parties resembIed them very much
and rivalled them rs regards the hours for re-
turning home. George Washington Parke Gus
lis, the proprietor Of Arlington was an honorary
member OF the Falcon club, and took great inter
est in the members. He always called them his
boys, and gave them the run of Arlington. He
built o wharf for them, and erected a pavilion.
that they might hold dance. their iavorite
whenever they wanted to- AS a
result, nearly every barge party that arrived
INDUCED in a dance, which was often kept up
she ps s%s s M c" %aaa y Sna h h
fiddle and play for them as long as
they would dance. He knew, comparatively,
over as long as any one would keep time to
before they knew it the Falcon
waters, and the dance would be kept up until
These ante-bellum oarsmen think
they had just as much fun, ii not more, than
have such fine boats, didn't row any races. and
did rot 60 SO much on style. The Falcon was
their only boat, although another was pur-
factory: The Falcon. which now hangs In the
AnalOstan boat house, was built in 1885, The
boys knew it had been built some time before
It came into their possession, but when 1t was
land, o silver five cent piece, dated 1885, was
(Ound In the keel, near the rudder post. That
who was the last cOxswain of the Falcon. He
also kept the silver whistle which he used. He
now resides In Poughkeepsie, NY.
A DISTINGUISHED BARGE PARTY
On one occasion the Falcon crew took to Ar.
ington as passengers President Fillmore and
mis- entire cabinet. They drove down to the
foot Of 18th street in carriages and embarked
here. The boys had sent word to Mr. Custis of
whom their party was to consist, in order that
ne shouldn't be taken by surprise He took
hem by surprise however, for when they landed
awaiting them In the pavilion. The table was
adorned with all the silver plate of George
Washington and all the Custis plate, and made
1 y0r sfr1sY To-,
u the table was mammoth bowl Of punch. A
merry evening was spent, and the party did
aot disband until o'clock in the morning.
PRESIDENT Fillmore and Mr.. GUSTS were the
)nly ones OF the party who did not indulge in
liquid refreshnient OH this occasion although
he latter appeared to drink. He always kept
up drinking appearances, but seldom drank
more than glass OF wine.
DANIEL WEBSTER AS A GUEST.
At another time the FalcOners took Daniel.
Webster as guest to Custis' spring. In speak
ng about that evening to a STAR reporter the
other day, one OF the surviving members of the
club said, "The old man drove down to the
Fendall. When we got to Arlington
We found most magnificent supper spread out
n the pavilion, with Mr.. Custis as master of
esc, There W. was big bowl full Of
made all the liquid refreshments that any one
you'd wish. We had q jolly time that night.
old. About one O'clock, when the punch bowl
aspretty well emptied, we returned. The mem
oership OF the Falcon club changed somewhat,
and among the younger members were such
Weil-knOwn men as Malcolm Seaton OrsOn
BestOr and Hudson Taylor.
AQUATIC PLEASURES INTERRUPTED BY THE
WAR.
In the early days of the war the Falcon bovs
met with many difficulties in the enjoyment OF
their favorite sport The flats had filled up so
much that their outlet was nearly cut off and
The military oversight of all their movements