Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-03
THE ANTE.BELLUM OARSMEN.
The Brawny Men Of the Undfne Clu1
Who ROwed Before the War.

Who ROwed Before the War.
TIoN-THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS ON THE WATER
THE MEMBERS OF THE CLUB, DC.
The Undine Boat club was established in
1857 with twenty-four members. The Falcon
club, an account of which was given in last Sat
urday's STAR, had been in existence nearly
thirteen years when the second club was orga-
nized for pleasure boating the Potomac.
The new organization was composed of younger
men than the other, WHO formed a club for ex-
ercise and pleasure. They were nearly all very
athletic, and as a general thing were heavy
weights. Mr.. A. r. Shepherd was one of the
most active promoters of the scheme, and when
he preached the idea of the new club to one of
his companions he said: 1--WE want to get up a
good crew, with plenty of beef in the boat" The
s sns
men what enjoyment could be furnished
by boating Systematically. and they were
the members at Of the s"a Hndine club Wers
E John Keao
mehle, Nathaniel Wilson, E. H. Cummins,
VIM; Gaines, VIM. Day ton, Gibson Hunt, L.
%m ae An
Jones, VIM. P. Young, r. Bland Washington,
Steven Duncan, Henry Warrenton and b. F..
for $3.50, and brought to Washington. 1t was q
six-oar lap-streak gig, not so large as the Fall
cons gig, and was christened "Undine."
BOAT HOUSE
was built on the old canal, close by the 10th
street bridge. The Falcons house was on one
side of the bridge, and the Undines house the
other, near the present entrance to the Smith
sOnian grounds. There was a regularly organ
lied crew to represent the club, although there
was no intention OF entering into contests.
The Falcons were not racing Men, and there
was SO much difference in bOatSas to make an
even s race out OF the question the crew that
averaging over 16O pounds. 1t consisted Of
Col: w. g. Moore, stroke John B. Keasby, 5; A.
mehle, 2, and Daniel Mcfarland /, with Gibson
Hunt cOXswan, although the first cOXswain
was p. II. Cummins. Nearly all the above
names are well known in Washington, and
show that boating in the old days was just
as popular. with the best classes as it is
they were the most enthusiastic oarsmen, and
the majority of them were to be found In the
boat whenever she made her way through the
canal and over the flats. which nearly
every evening during the summer. When
ever there was holiday, the "Undipe"
y was in demand. n and , she would be
day would be spent. She was filled with a
party of athletes, and whenever they went on
an excursion would take their quoits and box
1ng.gioves and other such athletic parapher-
malta. Their destination was often Little Falls.
They liked to row, too to Alexandria or up the
Eastern branch to BladenSburg. There was
never race between the Undines and Falcons,
and their competition never went any further
than to see which crew had the most endur-
ance. who could row futher during gale of
wind or during freshet. The boats were very
strong, and they were out in water that would
have Immediately crushed the light boats OF the
present time.
THE PERILS OF BOATING.
On one occasion the Undine crew was out
when the water very swift. They had
rowed well, but in coming across the flats the
boat struck a snag. and a hole was punched i'm
her side and she began to fill. 1t was early in
March, but the boat had to be emptied not
withstanding the cold water, and the order was
given To clear the boat, and every man was
overheard instantly. Fortunately the water
was only waist deep, but they had to push the
through the Ice cold water. They ut last struck
solid ground near the foot of 18th street, with
every man chilled through and through. The
boat was left in a safe place, and the drenched
Oarsmen went on the dOuble-quick to the boat
house. The UndineS, too. began to be very
much 1ncOnvenienced by the rapid filling up of
the flats. and they often had great difficulty in
getting across to deep water.
OARS EXCHANGED FOR MUSKETS.
When the war came, the boat club was for
gotten, many of the members went to the war;
some joining the northern and some the
southern army. When the war was over an
effort was made to revive the Undines. A new
the present Analostan boat house. The club
had hardly become revived before a heavy
freshet came, and carried boat and boat house
away. This loss disheartened even the most
enthusiastic members, and the Undines
dropped out of existence