Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1896-08-10
WILL BE A BIG SWIM.
CONTEST BETWEEN SOCIETY LEAD
 FRS AT NEWPORT.

Ten Mile Race In the Open sea-How
 Dr. White Once Did the Same Feat.
 To swim from Newport to NarTagan- settl A ten mile swim out into the open seal How many professional swimmers would dare attempt it? On the only day this was accomplished two of the most famous professional swimmers, Captain Paul Boyten and George Fearn, were taken from the water exhausted in To- cal long distance swimming contest for S1, GOO in Newport harbor. Fearn was then the champion long distance swim mer of New England.
 It is just such ten mile swimming wager for $1, 900 side which has been laid between Charlie Oelrichs of New York and Robert Ralston, better known as Bob Ralston, that has stirred society tremendously.
 Mir. Ralston is native of Philadel phia and colonel of the Third regiment, the crack Philadelphia troop. Charlie Oelriehs, like his brother Hermann, is perfectly at home in the water and has often remarked to his friends that he was good for 20 miles i'll the open sea at any time.
 The Philadelphians all swear by Ral- ston Newport, backing Oelrichs, is ar- rayed against Narragansett Pier and Jamestown, backing Ralston. In addi- tion to the original wager of 1000 numerous side bets are being made by admirers of the contestants, and more than one Philadelphian stands to loose moro than the original wager if Oelriehs defeats Ralston. One enthusi- astic follower of William Penn is good for depletion of $2, 600 in his bank ac- count if Oe1riehs wins.
 Society at Newport is nothing if not unique, and this contest bids fair to set the pace of very gay season. The dan ger accompanying the contest does not detract anything from it. The contest IS scheduled for August, the latter part, upon any date to be agreed upon by both contestants, but upon the 27th if possi- ble Neither man is to be allowed to partake of any refreshments or stimu- lants during the swim, and at least one man must reach the Pier to win the wager
 The recent injury to MT. Oelrichs' partner, Mir Edwin Potter, who was al- most killed at polo, has made MT. Oel- richs' family little bit ehary of this contest. Mrs. Oelrichs and his family are trying to persuade him to give up the swim. MT. Oelrichs, however, is fully determined not to back out at this stage of the game. He is at present con fined rather closely to business in New York, but whenever he has an opportu- nity, which is at least once week, he runs up to Newport and spends his time in practicing for the contest. MT. Pot ter's condition may postpone the match, but cannot prevent it.
 Nothing has excited or will excite so much friendly rivalry this season as this contest The friends of both swimmers are preparing to turn out in full force to watch the race, and if all go who say they are going police boats will be needed to keep back the spectators from the contestants.
 There has always been a rivalry be- tween Newport on the one hand and Jamestown and Narragansett Pier on the other, and this contest has greatly increased the old time feeling.
 Some enthusiastic fair Jamestownites have composed yell, or, rather, have taken the Princeton yell and modified it as follows: ''Rah, rah, rah Tiger, tiger, tigerl Siss, siss, sissl Boom, boom, booml An, ah, ah! Ralston, Ral- ston, Ralston" The fair Newporters will not be far behind, and fair Harvard will doubtless be called upon to lend its three times three for Oelrichs.
 No one, not even the oldest inhabit- ant, can remember when any one swan from Newport to the Pier, except in one instance way back in the early eighties, when gentleman, as they put it, swan from the Commercial wharf to the Pier.
 Captain Shea, after several days meditation, finally remembered that the doctor name was White or Black, and that the swim was made in the fall of 1 1880. The search of the volumes of the local papers revealed furthermore the fact that the swim was made on Mon- day, Sept. 6, by Dr. J. William White of Philadelphia.
 Dr. White has since attained great fame in his chosen field, surgery; is one of the famous instructors ill the medical school of the University of Pennsyl- vania, and no athletic contests in which varsity crew, eleven or nine competes is complete without him. Dr. White is chairman of the committee in charge of the athletic interests of the university
 Dr. White, accompanied by few friends i'll an open boat, manned by sturdy seamen, left Commercial wharf, Newport, on Monday, Sept. 6, and swan ten miles to the Pier in hours and 40 minutes. During this swim he was given dash of sherry and raw egg on two different occasions. This was taken without the doctor touching the boat, it being simply handed to him in the open sea. At the end of the swim the doctor took walk upon the beach at the Pier, partook of hearty luncheon