Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-07-06
A Card from the Rives Club.
ALEXANDRIA, VA July 3, ISS

ALEXANDRIA, VA July o. 1000
To the editor of the Alexandria Gazette:
AS it seems that Misunderstanding have arson
as to our reasons for not rowing in the four cared
! gig race of Wednesday, We deem IL due 60 our
selves and our club to make public our reasons
and our position in the matter.
! We reached Alexandria Tuesday night, expect
ing to be present at meeting of the representa-
tives the next morning and decide upon all the
preliminary arrangements for the race, as we wei c
under the impression that it had been the custom
in former years. and custom founded upon COM
mon sense and justice. On our arrival we we're
informed that there would be meeting OF the
representatives the next morning at 10 o'clock.
At the appointed time our representative was pre-
sent as were also representatives of the Old Do
minion, University School and RappRhannock
cluts. When the gu stion of the time OF the race
was raised three out of the four representatives
present were opposed to the hour suggested by the
Old Dominion club; namely, 3 o'clock p. M, and
claimed that this, the most important race OF the
day, and the in which the association was
most interested should be put at time more fav-
orable for racing had been the custom In all
previous regatsas-there never having been
time when this Was made the first race of the day
and consequently put at the most unfavorsble
hour-and motion was made to this effect, but
the president of the association, who Is also
president of the Old Dominion cub, ruled that
the Old Dominion club, and it alone, should de-
eide upon the time of the and the other three
| clubs represented there should have no voice in
the mattor and would have had to row at O'Clock
that morning if the Old Dominion had so wished ;
! thus ruling that the home club in addition to the
advantage of their own water should have the
entire and unconditional right to set the time OF
the race in spite of the fact that one OF the repre-
| sentatives present cited case (Lynchburg, 1883
in which tho time suggested by the home crew
was not satisfactory to the visiting crews and at
their request the time was decided By VOTE as We
with the other representatives were then claim.
ing the right de ide it, and another of the repre-
sentatves claimed and held that it hal been Gus
tomary for the crews to adopt their own pro-
gramme.
When such action was reported to the Rives
crew at p. m. jlst two hours before the time
chosen by the Old Dominion to row, We at
once protested against such open violation of the
rights and utter disregard of the wishes of q ma
jority of the clubs represented, and when no no.
tice was taken of our protest we withdrew from
the Contest and refused to have anything more to
do with regatta purporting to be held by the
crews of the State OF Virginia, yet in which the
right and wish of the msjority is made subser-
Went to the will Of one cluD and the other clubs
shut out. The statement that we refused to row
on account of the heat is entirely false, and had
any approach to an adequate reason for having
the race at 3 o'clock been advanced by the Old
Dominion club, we would have been willing to
row the race but in the absence of any reason
whatever for that unsuitable and Unprecedented
we deemed it due ourselves and our cub to with
draw from the contest. After the race, in which
the Old Dominion was succ ,sssul, their represen-
tative proposed 10 us to row for the medals which
accompany the French" chEllenge cup. Our re-
ply was prompt aud decided and in accord vita
cur former position that would row the OLD
Dominion crew for the championship of the
State at any time later in the evening that they
might suggest, which challenge :hey took under
copsideia ion aud gave an answer that they were
willing. but he representative Of the Rappahan-
mock cub objected, and therefore they could not
row US. The Old Dominion club DOUBTLESS thinks
that their action towards with REGARD to tho
race WAS fair and courteous, but they must agree
with US that the remarks made about our crew at
the presentation of the prz were both discount
eous snd inn roper, inasmuch IS we we're the in
vted guests OF the Old Dominion on that occa.
sion. With us the matter is ended.
LEWIS ~ G. BAKER,
c. II. C. PRESTON,
s. L ROSSER,
r. K MASSIE,
EWES CLUE OF UNivERs .TY OF VIRGINIA.