Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-03-19
0xFORD'S VICTORY.
Graphic Description Of tie Great
Varsity Boat Race.
cambrisss ga6ly Ou'ciassel- Oxisrd Moa
by Three ard 1 HAT lsadhs

/" 5tH bHxut HitLr 6dtufuHy moSulak
wien the boating enthusiasts commenced
at gray dawn to gather on the tow paths
bridges, river banks and other points Of
vantage. in order To be certain Of obtain
ing good position for witnessing ths
varsity race.
AS the morning wore on. the usual
crowd Of people commenced to arrive BY
train. BY coach, omnibus and every other
kind OF vehicle. including tbs historic
donkey cart with its crowd of coster
mmgcrs and others, for no university
Ecst race would be complete without the
donkey crowl.
On I'll sides were TO be seen the colors
OK the rival uniyersiries, the dark blue
OF Oxford aud the light blue Of Cam
,jsiIge. bnt this year thfss coIors were
piepfifuily intermittent with the green Of
old Erin, fer SstnrdaS = for the second
time only IN the bistor'f these great
sqratic contests. was the race pulled on
ST. patrick's day. The Oxford and Cam
bridge boat race Of 1862 when Oxford
won By three lengths. was also rowef on
st. Patrick's day; the time OF the winner
then was 2on,. -.
Oxford was ont for spin IN the early
morning, and they were early favorites
In the betting, odds Of two, three and
even hge to one being laid ON the dark
blues Cambridge did not go on the
water for treather this morning, but
the crew selected to defend the light bge
induIged in walk before breakfast.
Atg:i0 s. m the mist was clearing away
and Mt the beginning of the race the haze
lifted almost completely and showed the
old river covered with vessels of oil sorts
and sizesnnd many thousands of people
lining the banks. crowding the windows
and making the house tops black with
sight-seers.
The London Daily Graphic had a large
balloon inflated and in the mir, with the
intention OF following the race from the
clouds, ms it were, bnt the wind was un-
favorable and The Graphic's balloon was
bauled down amid howls Of derision from
the crowds vino witnessed this collapse of
journalistic enterprise.
Loud cheers greeted the crews rs they
made their appearance above Putney
bridge, preparatory to taking up the
Positions For the Start.
Oxford won tbs toss and took the Sur
rey sile OF the river, that course being
considered the most advantageous of the
two.
The weather was very cold when the
crews embarked, and those who had
neglected 10 bring overcoats and wraps
shivcred in the morning mir and heartily
wished they were elsewhere. or that the
excitement of the race would warm them
up. Cambridge was the first to show up
on the water, and the light blue boat was
also the first to take up its position pre-
paratory to the start.
When everything was ready the start
ing pistol was fired Mt Die. somewhat
earlier than had been expected, with the
result that thousands of people who were
under the impression that the race would
not be started until 10 O'clock. or 1880,
missed seeng the race. But the veteran
boat race enthusiasts were not to be de-
ceived by. apparently, an effort to pull of
the race before the river banks became
too crowded and there was an immense
Assem- uiage present to cheer on the rival
oarsmen Almost Il. the last moment Il
change was made in the Camb bridge crew,
Finch Being substituted for Hope as bow
oarsman Of the light blue eight" This
was the only change made in the crews.
The start was made at 9;l2, Cambridge
getting away with pretty 4, to the
minute stroke, and Oxford starting with
long and steady - stroke. At the soap
works
Oxford Had tho Lead,
though grand race was being pulled.
Cambridge being less than half n length
behind. The haze still somewhat OBJ
scared the river and prevented the wildly
cheering sight-seers from obtaining as
good view Of the race as they desired
Opposite the lead mills, and nearing
llammersmith bridge. Oxford put on II
beautiful squirt, in order to have the
honor OF being first 10 pass under the
bridge. and this homer the dark blues won
handily driving their long shell under
the bridge full length ahead of the pur-
suing craft propelled by the oarsmcn of
Cambridge. A rear of enthusiasm went
up from the admirers OF Oxford as the
gallant dark blues. pulling strongly and
finely, started to finish the second half OF
the race with Cambridge apparently 4
beaten crew.
Al Thornycro.t's works. Oxford seemed
20 have the race 40 well In hand That the
dark blue erew eased mp aud yet increased
AuttI teaN W stBottt ituF ttHtSttt>.
however the Cambridge men made a
splendid squirt, and cheered on by their
supporters. succeeded in cutting down
Oxford's lead 90 about three lengths at
the Devonshire Meadows The next point
Ia the race was Barnes railway bridge,
aud there Oxford was Leading by clear
four lengths. in spite Of the efforts of the
Cambridge crew. who were, apparently,
ii, a somewhat demoralized condition.
Finally Oxford passed the winning line
at Mortlake at 9;3S.
winncr by Three and a Half Lengths.
In spite of the apparently long gap lie
tween the oxford and Cambridge boats
II the winninglllne, game race was
pulled Oxford showed rare pulling
power and after passing Hammersmith
bridge seemed 10 leave the Cambridge
crew ms though the boat OF the latter was
at anchor. Considerable enthusiasm was
aroused when the Cambridge crew made
their squirt as the boats were making for
the pevoash,re Meaows. II was u heauti
full exhibition al rowing under tsiscourag
ing circumstances. but There was not
that degree or machine work in the Cam
bridge boat "a was exhibited by their op
poncnts The Cambridge shell rolled
oaiiy at the end OF the squirt.
At the nevomshire Meadows. it was
evident that all the life was ont OF tbs