St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-22
OxF ORD IN The Van.
The Young Oarsmen Of Cam
bridge a Quarter Of a
Length Behind.
Host Thrilling Race Ever
RoWed Over the Mortlake
Course.
The Power Of Squirting Finally
Lands the Oxford Men
Winners,
And an Almost Indeseribable
Scene Of Excitement at
the Finish.

VersitieS was decided this morning. 1t
was won by quarter of length by
Oxford. The time of the Oxford crew
was twenty-five minutes. The race
was over the usual course, which starts
at a point about 100 yards above Putney
bridge, near London, and finishes about
he same distance above the shipyard at
MOrtlake. The course, as is known, is
something like an So in shape. The
distance is about four and a quarter
miles. The course is bounded by Mid
dleseX and Surrey counties, hence the
stations are termed the MiddleseX and
Surrey stations. In the first mile the
course is in favor OF the right hand.
MiddIeseX station. The Surrey side is
the best for the next two miles, and
the MiddleseX water is the most advan
tageOus for the last mile and quarter.
This year tue tide was high at London
bridge at about l p. M, and at Putney
about an hour later. Only four steam
ers were allowed to follow the race.
These, of course, were in addition to
the umpire's launch. One OF these
steamboats, was occupied by representa-
tiyes of the press. \ second was de-
voted to old university Carsmen, and
the two remaining were set apart for
The officers of the different college boat
clubs of the two univers. ties. The
Thames cOnservancy board policed the
course and
Assigned Proper Positions
to the many hundreds of steamers and
nd
admirers, which were anchored or
moOred along the river. In addition
the hOusetOps, towpaths, stream and
other points of vantage near the
Thames, about Putney itself and at
HammerSmth, Barnes, Mortlake and
other places were crowded with Specta-
tors. As upon many previous occasions.
thousands of carriages of every eScrip-
ton, from the donkey cart, loaded with
astronomers, TO the four-in-hand,
loaded with ariStOcrats, were to be seen
lining the river banks and the
most convenient places. As usual,
OXfOrd's admirers displayed wealth
Of dark blue ribbons. rOSetteS and
Otner ornaments, while the friends
OF Cambridge made an equally lavish
display of light blue silk. Although the
river banks were lined with many
thousands of persons, though the
usual feet of barges and steamboats,
was mOOred along the course, and
though the numerous styles of vehicles
were represented here, there and every
where the attendance. as whole, did
not equal that of former years, owing to
the early hour at which the race was
rowed and to the prevalence of a sleet
storm in the forenoon and bitter cold
weather. However, the old Father
Thames" broad bosom was crowded
with various craft from the dingy to
the gaudy barge, the scene being hap
PLY now and then lit up by steady
streakS Of flashing, fitful sunshine.
Oxford won the toss and chose the Mid
dleseX, or the north shore side. CAM
bridge had to be content with the Sur
rey, or southern shore. The rival
Fights we're started prettiIg and sue
cesSfully at 100 a. m. sharp. As the
crews bent to their work hail and snow
was falling upon them in no pleasant
fashion and a strong, cross, northeast
wind was raising very lumpy sea.
Both crews had been
Expecting Bad Weather
and consequently they both utilized
pretty high WaShboards. Cambridge at
first got away with the lead, pulling
shorter. smarter. somewhat quicker,
the Claspers boat house the Cambridge
boat was ahead. Then Oxford bent to
her work, pulling the long, dragging,
powerful stroke peculiar to the OarSmen
OF That university. This stroke soon
told, and Oxford was leading slightly at
the Craven cottage, SIX furlOngS from
the start. At the Crabtree, one mile
and three furlOngS from the start. Ok
ford had the lead by length.
But under the influence of a
period of bright sunshine which
succeeded the hail and snow the
Cambridge crew Spurted neatly and
CALAMITY, pulling their shorter, quicker
stroke with plenty of vim and with
good grip on the water, which Surged
thelr boat ahead in fine style. This
effort redOubled the cheers from the
river banks, and at the soap works,
mile and three ana half furlongs from
the start. the two boats were apparently
on level, NOSE and nose,' and both
pulling evenly and strongly. 1t was
then evident that stubborn contest
Was on, and those who had been laying
heavy odds on Oxford began to feel sad
While corresponding feeling Of jubila-
ton was experienced by the friends of
Cambridge Nearing Hammersmith
bridge, mile and six furlOngs from the
start, CAMBRIDGE again made a magnif-
cent squirt, pulling finely, strongly, to-
gether, and passed
Under tie Bridge
quarter of a length ahead. amid =
scene of tremendous excitement. Their
time TO this point was min SO sec. Cam
bridges gallant squirt, which resulted in
the fact that the light blues were first
under Hammersmith bridge. according
70 tradition should have landed their
boat first over the winning line Oxford.
however. did not lose heart. but down
all the more dOggedlv to their work.
tugglng Sullenly, grittily at their oars
and pulling splendid move on their
boat AT the Doves. two miles from the
start. Oxford led slightly, Cambridge
still sticking to her work iii magnificent
style in spite of the creeping up OF
their dark blue opponents. The cheer
ING and excitement was intense. and
a dead-heat was looked upon as a DOS
siblllty, not to say a probability.
\ The OH mill, two miles, one and ahalf
fUTlOngS from the start. the two boats
were again level with each other. and
the excitement grew intense. A de-
terInlned, plucky struggle took place as
the racing eIghtS passed ChisWelI about
two and all eighth miles from the start.
the tremendous cheering from fine river
most living boats. as 1t seemed as if
they were almost lifted out of the wa
ter by the bending oars in the grasp of
their wonderful crews. to strain every
nerve to win. Oxford. when nearing
Chiswick. was leading, but it was by a
few feet on ly. Going towards Corney
beach, the boats struck into smoother
wafer winch assisted the lighter men
IN the cambridge boat, and beyond
Thorney crofts they
Forged Ahead.
cf length. The stream. however. here
began to favor Oxford, aud at Barnes
bridge, over three and half miles from
Ihe start Oxford was leading by half q
length. Time, IS minutes. 10 seconds
FROM that point Oxford had much the
nest station, getting almost clear from
the light blues. though both crews were