The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-29
OXFORD THE WINNER.
Terrible Weather for the Col
lege Boat Race.
RAIN. HAIL AND WIND STORM.
onrxmen Drcnched 20 tho Skin and
Boats Half swnmped Amer1-
can In Oxford's Crew.

a.. ssrnrise of almost everybody. won the
Afsy-,hirc boa. race between the uriver-
sas,ss Of oxford and Cambridge by about
third Of length. after q most exciting
enfsh. Thus oxford has Won thirty races
AZ the series 10 twenty-five won by Cam
hrsdge. the dead heat In is77 making up the
eo,al number This In the seventh year In
sucrsssion that oxford has defeated Cam
hr,dxe The course the usual one.
from Putnsy bridge to the winning post.
shove Ship Inn, in Morflake, distance OF
-four and quarter miles.
In the early hours heavy downpour Of
min drenched the gathering ssghtseers and
eaused thousa nds 20 remain at home As
= result the crowds along the banks Of the
Thames were much simmer than usual
cambridge was a hot fsvorfte al to T.
Nth free takers. Cambridge embarked
eyst and won the toss. choosing the Surrey
sfde Of the river. decided advantage. as
haIf a gale was blowing from shore.
about southwest raising iunpy water ev-
erywhere, and quite little sea at bad
places The crews embarked al i2:is p. m.
At the pistol shot at I:02 both boats got
away sharply. Cambridge pulling a pretty
~ 20 Oxforc's more powerful sweep OF
n There was little TO choose between
them until clasper's bosthouse was reach
3D. approaching the first half-mile. when
the Cambridge boats nose showed slightly
great determination. spiashing somewhat
on account Of rough water. At the half
mile oxford drew up. and showed ahead
Of TsIden's. Al this there was great cheer
ing for II was apparent a splendid ding
dong race was to be rowcd Gold. cxfords
stroke. had his men well In hand and ready
for something In squirting. work without
any danger Of the distress signal being DIS
played. But Fernie. cambrsdgss stroke,
quickly called his crew together, and. pull
ing long powerful clean, telling stroke.
with the high feather Characteristic Of
This years Cambridge crew-just the stroke
for such weather and wafer-rega.red the
lead at crabtree wharf. nearing the one
and half post Geld. meanwhile.
vas sticking 10 his work more greeiily.
and calling upon the dark blues. hit her
up again. The oxford boat Tapped up 10
and passed the Cambridge craft at the
soap works, amid terrific cheering from
both shores. After passing the soap works
oxford kept up the pace and led by nearly
alength at one time. Fernie called upon the
lsht blues for squirt. They responded
with such vim that the Cambridge boat
shot under the Hammersmlth bridge n
abort length ahead Of oxford. and accord
ing TO traditions should have won the
race. Gold. however. was 1T as fiddle and
game TO the backbone. Al the lead mills
on the upper side Of Hammersmth bridge
the crews were pulling a powerful 90. and
the prophets who declared that Oxford
would so 10 pieces after the first two miles
looked glum and uncomfortable. for there
were no signs Of collapse among Colds
Youngsters The Cambridge crew were
equal TO the emergency. and. responding
with a beautifully sustained effort, drew
away again. Cambridge at Thornycroft
had lead OF about three quarters of
length and both crews were bending down
a. IN, fts. Heef Nos afh
From there to the three-mile post. about
halfway between Chiswick church and
Barnes bridge. the race was furnishing. both
from tho pace set ard the iumpy water.
Cambridge succeeded In holding n slight
lad and shot under the bridge ahead OF
Oxford
Cambridge wins" rang from Barnes to
Putney. This. however, was without reck-
oning upon the reserve force Of Colds gai-
iant men Their slender racing boat fairly
tore through the water and there was
mighty shout Of admiration when II was
seeu that the increased power put into the
oxford stroke was steadily takirg the dark
blues up 20 their rivals. Fernie replied
with another supreme EFFORT. and the plucky
light blues backed him up 10 the utmost.
They could not. however. throw on their
rivals. who began to overhaul them steadi-
" Frantic excitement reigned or both
hanks. The shouting was almost ieafen-
irg For time on Mortlake church Cam
bridge seemed likely 10 I've able 20 hold
scross the finish iinc, bat this was not to
Ne "A the church w1s passed there was a
srurt by the dark blues which will he re-
corded in the history of rowing. II was
simply magnificent Tho men pulled as "
they had INST started in the race The dark
N'nes overlook the Cantshs. For a moment
was nose and nose. with the winning nest
m sight Then. putting stiil more steam
tNf Nrfr ok "A teag
Cambridge boat and finished winners by
short third OF a length. in Msni. splendid
time when the weather and rough water
are taken into consideration. Indeed. the
time has been beaten over this course upon
nnly three previous occasions. Cambridge
n 1873 dld the trick IN 1885. anf oxford IN
'sss IN lael and oxford in 1895 IN lS.tJ.
last year oxford won IN MA.
The event was pronounced 20 - the heat
ever seen on the Thames course. Oxford
Won Cimply because her representative re-
fes-d TO he beaten. Cambridge seemed TO
have the rscc well IN hand hut did not
prove 81 ~ 20 oxford's final squirt,
The Weather conditions were terrible
Immediately after tho crews started
coli. binding rain vas driven agalrs.
them After the irsf mile had been round
81 under these conditions. the Wind In
creased in strength and me rain changed
INTO binding hail storm. which cbscarrsi
The rival crews from the view OF the spec.
nors ashore. and against which ase
collt hardly stana- The nan storm lasted
crly a Few minutes. but on the anal stretch
heyona Rar-leS' bridge the Wind swept
ever the course with doubled fury stirring
TIE water urt;l n rsssnhled an angry sea.
N tact " seemed that ths spisniid racing
efaft must carsiRr owing 10 the bend IN
ihe stream tho oxford boat was AZ hat
nAgc Of tho race on its hest ~ts'ion h'it
Nse~u1ei Q sheer impoSsiAili'y for ihc dark
Naes 10 overcome Camtridgc's lead Moth
Ms however could withstand the terrible
sport made by oxford when Gold called
sor the inN effort II proved too much
NJ Cambridge and in the last AIRY ysuis
V1tcrd shot ahead
The scene AZ fhc Nufsh was remarkable
eae Both crews we've arcncsed 20 the
ska art the wv, boats were half s,s'l -
water Two or fhrse % the CsutaNs were
eerplefeiy exhausted 50 much 80 cha;
,ees Ne-c uns BIO - raise their heads The
sEk 6lecs aiso showed the er,~,;s - the
s'rrssie Rat - e much less degure ana
~ kn,~a0 tire American rscs,Srr .: 'he
'NfNft crew 8nt the Others IN the dark
s'ee Aes1 waved tNeir hands IN triumph
~ they sat on ss.ir seats rantirr huf
Taepy in thr cNtren>r Arr fsu RIO
.FH'S delay CNfoTi beaded Sally 20 the
Us Noat fr7srn where IN aassifsoH q, the
.HoH lack the star sna stripes were
soA''fsE. N ho-or ~ she j'ot.s-s states and
- siary'V representative. ne knacp. TIE
'amcFtser men soon follow--f ONfa~a's
exarptc auA raAdiesi ~ their Ma, h,,uss
saNin'ns pNforsfs quarters ard che S~s,
'n'HS m light hlueS as after la-,l.u- vas
repair 60 ne haafhons~ % tie lark
.'af~ A1i tTavtilN Congratulate the VIC
W Ao'0rg me spectators a. fre ~a-s 20
~ ~sre - larsf chicf Justice. Ps-or
nasseil ~ kHlcwsn and SIR EtNa-,i
NifTsr - o. che solicitor general -,