St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-06-28
Many a Watch Being Pulled
on the Comedians and
PennsylvanianS
The Latter Said to Have Made
a Mile and a Half In
1885.
Coach Courtney Admits That
1t Is Fast Enough for
Victory.
Suicide at a Park--General
News Of the Flour
City.

DUH LI0 SOIucIl dllu IeIlHSylNdlla
crews spent lot of time on the water
at Minnetonka yesterday. The Penn
sylvanians have at last got down to the
swing, and their boat is moving along
now at rate that promises to make any
eight-oared crew hustle TO keep out of
the way. Individual faults still exist in
the boat. These affect the neatness of
the stroke. but detract very little,if any,
from the speed. 1t is stated freely
about the quarters that the eight of the
Pennsylvania rowed over the mile-and-
a-half course yesterday in 1885, and
that they pulled three miles the
day before in 1880, which is
within three seconds of the worlds
record, 1927, held by Cornell.
There is considerable reason to doubt
the correctness OF this time. If it was
made, it is faster time than Cornell's
was, counting the current on the New
London course. 1t is pretty safe to say
that if the Pennsylvanians really made
the time claimed they are able to come
very close to winning the race.
Woodruff's men worked for over an
hour yesterday morning. 1t was nee
essary to hug the shores on account of
the heavy sea running. The boat was
nearly swamped in crossing the bay, but
found comparatively smooth water
under the lee of the other shore.
Both Woodruff ana Courtney empha-
size the necessity for adequate police
work on the day of the race. 1t has
always been the difficulty on Mime
tonka to prevent the encroachment on
the course by steam launches. 1t Is
agreed that there must be none of that
in this event, for the credit of the West
is at stake. The course will have to be
kept clear. Failure to maintain clear
way for the boats will be an effectual
dampener on the coming of any future
important races to the same water.
Captains of steam craft may anchor along
the shore opposite Lake Park, from
which point firSt-rate view of the last
two miles of the course may be OBJ
tanned. Those who desire to follow
must lie we'll astern of the boats at the
start. In this way the race may be fol-
lowed without danger of swapping the
crews. No steamer or other craft will
Os
If any refusal is met with to comply
with these necessary regulations, the
race will not occur. Courtney, the
Cornell coach, said this morning that he
would not allow his crew to start until
the course was absolutely clear
1T is essential" he said, Ito the de-
cision of the event on its merits, that no
steamer or other craft, even row boat.
be allowed to cross the course for fulty
twenty minutes before the race. We
are willing to row and get beaten on
our merits, but we will not take sin
gle chance on being drowned out of the
race, the regatta committees will
have to see to it that the course is kept
clear. Steamers will be able to anchor
at the finish, or follow the race from
the start. If this is done there will be
no ground for complaint afterwards"
The Cornell crew found very rough
water outside the bay. The crew went
afioat i'll the morning with two new men
in the boat. Shaw, the stroke of the
freshmen crew, and Collins, one Of the
Varsity subs, went out for
spin with the crew before the
regular mornings work was begun.
Shaw went in at No. 4. and was
a little awkward on the start.
but he soon caught the swing and
got along as smoothly as though
he had been pulling the position all
summer. After half an hour these men
were landed, and the regular crew went
out for work. Of course, there are minor
faults to be found with the form OF the
crew, such faults as a coach would pick
out and lecture the men on, but there is
nothing that retards the boat in the
slightest degree. They are pulling all
together in great style. and lifting the
boat along at rate that ought to puzzle
the QuakerS.
In the open lake the boat struck very
rough water. and bad swell from
passing steamers, which threw her off
her keel and made the stroke irregular,
but crossing toward Excelsior in yerv
nasty water thay showed perfect time,
and swung just as regularly as though
the sweeps were run by clockwork.
The water was too lumpy for effective
work at this point. however, and Sher-
man steered for Gideon's bay, where it
was comparatively calm. The crew
pulled down to the end of the bay, and
came back at a good jog, about thirty
six to the minute, in good style.
A discovery was made that the paper
boat was not rugged properly for several
of the men. ellison is rugged two inches
too low, aud the stroke oar finished
about on level with his chin. This
will be remedied, and the boat will be
in better killer today.
Courtney was asked whether he be-
lieyed the Pennsylvania crew had done
the mile and Il half in 7:30. He replied
that the evidence seemed to be pretty
good that they had. IF it is true" he
said. they are the fastest crew in
America today. We cannot make that
time on dead water, and l don't think
there is any crewin this country able to
do it. The Quakers may have done it,
and if they have we may anticipate
beating i'll the coming race. but mind
you, am very unwilling to admit that
we are going to be defeated"
Courtney has a different method of
coaching the. crew from that of Wood
ruff. The latter shouts his instructions,
but Courtney has code of dumb sig
Mas, perfectly understood by Coxswain
Sherman. The latter watches the coach
closely and catches every signal made, in.
turn giving the instr uctions to the
crew. This prevents having to stop the
boat as the signals are easily under