Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-29
ALL RECORDS BROKEN.
How the Associated Press Reported
the Great Race.

| How the Associated Press Reported
re- the Great Race.
It remained for the Associated Press to
establish yesterday a precedent in the his
| tory OF quick newspaper service, by report
ing the Harvard-Yale varsity race instan-
| taneously with its occurrence, from start
| to finish. over its own wires. set up along
the Thames river for this purpose. From
the moment the crews started trained men
along the entire coarse were clicking over
| the Associated Press wire the relative pro-
| gress Of the crews; and. when the finish
| line was crossed, the result was flashed in
stantly over the 10000 miles of the Asso-
ciated Press wire circuits. No tidings were
ever before distributed SO widely in an in
slant. and never before was the entire
world enabled to view a great varsity race
instantaneously with the exact movements
Of the boats.
When the crews yesterday struggled down
the river they rowed just four measured
miles. but should one walk or drive from
Gales Ferry, the start. to the New London
bridge. the finish. the distance would be
not little longer The country roadway,
on the east side Of the river. lies at times
| along the river banks or bluffs and at 9TH
ers through dense woods and rocky glens.
| The shore line Is irregular. The river.
though broad enough for straightaway
| boating course. here and there indents the
shore. while again the shore reaches out
into the river with abrupt headlands and
gravely beaches.
| To establish means of communication
| through such a territory and along such
lines Is not the matter OF a day, but re-
| Quires time and labor. Hitherto the only
channel Of intelligence along the eastern
and most slightly shore has been a teie-
| phone do
mands of the American newspapers for the
| recognized great boating event Of the year.
| and hence 1t was, days ago. that a band Of
| men, in behalf Of the Associated Press
commenced the setting Of a new Telegraph
line along the bluffs and beachy stretches
! OF the eastern shore. Steadily they pushed
their work through the oaks and pines and
| cedars along the river front. Difficulties
| that were unique and obstacles that were
| trying opposed their way, but the word of
command was positive; the Associated
Press was determined henceforth to con-
| troll its own facilities for reporting the
great varsity event, and these men were
establishing the facilities thus demanded.
The work at length was finished. and
| from the starting line down the river
through the glens and forests along the
bluffs and beaches, there stood a thorough
ly equipped telegraph line belonging to and
Tor tne sole use of the Associated Press.
All along the line at the tagged points OF
! the course telegraphic instruments for
field use had been connected. and at each
instrument a trained news man and an
expert operator were stationed to describe
and transmit a description Of the race as
seen from each station.
Wherever the main line because Of phys
zeal conditions, lay out Of sight of the
| river the main wire was tapped with COW
| cred flexible wire that was run through
Forest or thicket to the riverside, where a
neid instrument was attached and manned
| as described.
Thus it was that when Harvard and Yale
| lined up on the river for their start yester-
day afternoon the papers of nearly every
state in the Union were represented by the
/ eager eyes and the expert hands of the
Associated Press men, who were waiting
the pistol shot to begin describing with
electric clicks the contest that should de-
/ eide for another year the collegiate rowing
supremacy of the United States There
might have been. could all have been seen,
something OF a thrill at the dumb yet
ready wire that was connected direct with
thousands Of miles Of other Assoclat ted
Press circuits, and on the alert earnest
Fellows who, ~ their training and skill,
should soon establish, as they have. a
/ precedent in the service of descriptive news
! to the world.
! There were at some parts along the
course e interesting features in this SER
vice: Thus, out on the bluff at the start
ing line Just above Harvard's quarters the
Associated Press watcher and operate
We're working on the head Of a barrel that
mao oeen partially sunk in the ground
Here was sent away southwark the first
news or the start to reach the world Down
at tHe tWo-mlle point the men assigned To
oescrioe the race there were seated on
| cross-trees nigh on monster telegraph
pole. thus obtaining a clear view Of the
course over the navy yard dock that broke
| tne view OF any one on the shore
| , directly opposite the finish and on the
| me the finish station of the Associa ted
Press circuit was established on TOP OF a
| building that OVERLOOKED the ruck Of era II
anoat about the end OF the course At no
| point OF the race were the crews beyond
tne easy observation Of the train Of As
| sociated Press representatives, who were
/ nasning away constant description OF
| the contest they were watching Every
! inch of the course had been aprcr.ioned tn
| the watchers, in sections assigns ed to each
| Tor description, and each one by the whts-
| pering wire knew by the clicking or his next
| relative positions Of the crews as they
| came struggling on to the lines Of each
respective respon sibility.
| And no chances Of safety to the wires
were taken. A troupe Of mounted linemen
| each assigned to a mile of wire, patroled
constantly to guard against tampering by
| interested but less conditioned interests
| Every pole. every fnsulator. every loop
| vas watched with careful allegiance to the
| Associated Press endeavor in behalf of its
members.
Thus 1t was that kinetograph picture
or the contending crews was made for the
first time in the history of Journalism or
| OF boat racing. The finish the elapsed
| time. the time by eighth miles. and the an
| nouncement of the winner were given to
the world each stage and feature of the
| race occurred. The report was instantan-
| eous with the race in all its details. There
| can be no argument against success and
| yesterday the Associa ted Press succeeded
| beyond all points Of degree.