Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-07-07

Of the week, the annual varsity crew
race was over the historic four-mile
course Oh the Thames. 1t was the
hedest as well Us the closest race pulled
by the great iyals for years, and until
the last half mile was reached the con-
test hung i'll the balance.
With Il '.bric-k-kieka" for Yale and
nine rahs for Harvard, New London
aWoke to the red letter day Of the
year. These cheers broke forth with
the dawn, and punctuated with the
cries Of the other colleges, they CON
inued necessarily until after the race.
That tells the story Of the day as fan
as the spectators were concerned. 1t
was pre-emiDently i day Of noise, col
lege yellS, cheers, shouts and bedlam,
the result Of the annual Harvard Yale
boat race.
The town was entirely alive to the
proceedings Of the day. The 1000 stu
dents who have been staying here for
the past week were tumbled out OF
bed long before daybreak, and dressing
themselves i'll their funniest attire
went down the streets to meet the
$1,000 men and girls who had arrived
this morning to see the great race.
Nothing under the sun seemed to be
undeyised in the designs exhibited i'll
the original costumes and decorations.
On the harbor every craft bore either
a myriad of streamers indicating its
college preference, or fold upon fold
Of billoWy bunting, swinging to the
breeze from the yards or fastened to
the vessels side, perhaps completely
enveloping the hull Of the ship from
from deck to water. The dwelling
houses and business blocks Of the city
caught the spirit of the day and were
hung with their crimson or blue flags
Of all sizes and designs, in some in
stances both colorS being crossed us
an evidence Of DISTINGUISHED enthuSi-
assn.
The crowd which surSed to and fro
over the streets of the city wore count
less individual decorations The bOu-
tonniere was conspicuous, the magenta
rose and blue heliotrope being the
most common adornmentS. Flags were
carried i'll lavish profuSion and equal
impartiality by partisans Of both col
leges, while the lady escorts of the
masculine enthusiasts were conspicuous
by numerous blue or red paraSols, some
of them dotted with "Y's" or MS"
Red and blue waists were seen at every
step.
About 10 o'clock TIE railroad depot
became the center of attraction. The
II
and New York had all arrived and the
tracks cleared for the observation train
1t was composed Of forty cars and
to those who have never seen Il similar
train before it must have been 4 curl
Gus looking affair. The cars were SIM
ply rooted over with canvas and filled
with six rows of seats, which rising one
above the other ran the entire length of
every car.
The seats were just plain boards, and
from the actions of many when they
sat down it WAS evident that some of
them had not been carefully planned.
those who occupied the rear
rows of seats had no place for
their feet to rest on. They simply had
to let them dangle. AS soon as the
train appeared the rush for it began.
Men and women scrambled up the rail
road track with a rapidity which is
never seen except at big college athletic
events.
Fourteen cars were reserved for Yale
and fourteen for Harvard, and these
We're filled in an instant. Their Occu-
pants flung out their banners and flags
and each car looked just like miniature
picture of Il grand stand at the Thanks
giving day foot ball game. The Yale
and Harvard ears We're not distinctly at
either end of the train. They were in
termingled Unfortunately, and the
sharp contrast between the crimson and
blue made the whole effect all the finer.
The remaining ears We're taken by the
public, but no one would have ever have
recognized the occupants of them as
plain American citizens.
Everybody had transformed himself
or herself into Il Yale or Harvard man
or woman for the occasion, and the
cheers which proceeded from those cars
and the colors which they displayed,
were as deafening and as plentiful as
in any of the cars set apart for either
Of the colleges. The signal was given
at 1915 and the train. drawn by two
big engines. started off for the starting
point, four miles above the town, and
was soon lost to the eye, though not
to the ear.
Up at Gales Ferry and at Red Top,
the respective quarters of the Yale and
Harvard crews. the scene was very diff
ferent. Everything was quiet. The big
brawny oarsmen were sent to bed at
o'clock last night, and when they arose
at 7:30 this morning they looked like
healthiest set of young men this country
has to show The eyes of every mar
were clear, their skin was brown with
the exposure they have had, and their
muscles stood out like pieces of iron.
Every man was light hearted excep
the two captains. They We're too much
absorbed in the events of the day Il
chat and laugh as did the others. The.
all breakfasted at 7:45. Their meal con
sisted of fruit, oatmeal, steak, potatoe.
and two big glasses of milk. WheI
they had disposed of that they wen
out on the lawns for time, and thel
were taken into the cottages wher
the coachers gave them final lecture.
The lecture to the Harvard men wa!
short, but Bob Cook kept the Yal
Youngsters in locked room for nearl,
three quarters of an hour. Then tn
oarSnen were free to do as they pleaset