New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-05
ROWING ON THE DECLINE
BICYCLING IS CHIEFLY TO BLAME.

h,cvcIe having CONQUERED or at least seriously
affected all means OF travel on land. Is no" ac-
cused OF seeking newer and damper heids III
which to exercise It's prowess. In other woros'
the water is now expected TO do homage 70 tne
silent steed" and from present Indications IL
appears that It will do 80.
The attack Of the bicycle on the water IS being
made Indirectly, but none the less enecuVey' ior
the seductive influence OF the wheel IS drawing
scores OF oarsmen from the Harlem ana QUIET
rivers in the vicinity Of New-York to the smooth
roads Of Westchester Long Island ana New
Jersey Where once a dozen or more crews couio
have been seen practising In the evenings thefe
are now lees than half that number, and OLD
rowing men have no hestancy In declaring that
the wheel Is at the bottom OF the trouble.
The decline Of rowing. both az a psstime ana
as sport especially within the last few years.
has been so marked as to attract the attention
of these interested In outdoor athletic exercises
For some time there has been decrease IN inter-
est In aauatics, although the oarsmen struggled
hard TO overcome the tendency. With the CROWN
OF bicycling the decay OF rowing took new
impetus, until now It has lost largely IN popu-
larity. even II a few of it's followers are as en-
thusia site as ever.
OATKEEPER'S COMPLAINT.
This changed condition OF affairs has affected
no class OF people much as the keepers or boats
for hire One Of the best known Of these on the
Harlem IN speaking Of the waning interest In
rowing. said: when first oprntd up my boat
house some twenty years ago there was a per-
feet craze for aquatic sport II was no unusual
thing for me to have crowds OF people standing
around waiting for the boats to be turned In by
others who were out In the river, and the de-
that I would have
to rent boats in other towns for an entire season
M9ny people not only the wel-to-do. but even
the working classes, had private boats on the
river and apparently the boating craze was on
the STAY Then the bicycle came along and began
it's inroads II didn't make much progress at
first for the supply OF wheels was small prices
were high and people didn't take so kindly 70 1t.
But Just the same remember how some Of my
old patrons fell away and l learned that they
had taken to wheeling. With the reduction OF
prices Of bicycles. consequent upon the Increased
production. more and more oarsmen left the
water and although they occasionally drop
around for a pull up the river they are being
effec,ually weaned away from the Harlem Oi
course only refer to those who rOwed for pleas
THE only hope in my mind, for resumption
Of rowing IS based on the belief that the sales
OF bicycles will eventually become 80 great that
there will be no room the roads or streets for
the dcvotees Of the wheel. and people who desire
70 take healthy exercise will be drawn TO the
water That may not happen until the millen-
mum. but 1t will come some day. so as long as
We can make expenses, and little more, we
can live in hope
That bicycling has had depressing effect on
rowing as a sport is evidenced by the large num-
~oFb OH he vvhi Ia of exist
ence in the last few years. Formerly. when a |
regatta was announced the entries 80 |
numerous as to make it difficult matter for |
the officials 10 decide which crews to admit,
whereas now II is just hard for them 70 Ill
I'D the lists as It easy then. ms year
Harlem regatta was noteworthy from the Iact
that It had a larger number or entries IMAM III
the last few years This. however, Is accounteu
for by the abandonment of regattas IN o'her
localities.
AS VIEWED BY AN OARSMAN.
oarsuer as n r,,le. are unwilling to admit that
the bicycle is responsible for the decay Of their
,oror,te amusement As Is We'll known, racing
on the water is expensive. Shells are costly, the
care OF them adds materially to the expenses
and the time required for training is drawback
u,h,ch few men are able to overcome. Then the
overcrou-ding Of the rivers by traffic. and the
ranacity with which the shores have been GOD
hled I'D for business purposes, nave tenueu u
reduce the enthusiasm Of the oarsmen below the
point where man Will place his life IN danger
for the pleasure Of aiding to win banner OF
q cup that nobody can drink out OF. Ne'eE'"e-
less bicycling has had more than little 10 90
in driving the oarsmen ashore. as former c'i''-
pion put IT, in recent conversations
TITS well enough" he said. FOR some OF the
:rore enthusiastic amateur roweis 70 assei. ', S
the bicycle has not cut much OF hsuie "a w
decadence of the sport but I'll tell you Iila' IL
has Why don't you know. many BOAT Clups are
kent I'D merely for societys sake In fact' theie
q re more dances In the clubhouses imam titre arr
crews I'm training and receptions are doupi! as
humorous as regattas The club regattas. "hlcn |
we're formerly contested with almost as nuch
vgor as the interclub rcgattas are iarsei! I'LL, I'll.
ing matches between oatloads OF peer! Hie' wiz
c,re little about making records. but VINO TOW
because they are known to be members or boat
clubs - ~ -, .,o h,,, |
"As IL 70 add insult to injury. many or the pOat
c,uhs have bicycle divisions, and In at least one
instance that I can recall there are more d.
cyclists than oarsmen. This is the pecuhar con. !
dtion Of affairs in one OF the most profninei.
,,,hs In Uohoken where formerly there was
large number Of active. energetic rowirg CLUBS
The same thing Is true OF the clubs on the mar mar
lem and the man who does not cIeu'' p.os VIM, ,
with the trouble does tha' si'oi' e' "
justice 80 h,,,o ,a,. IN.
The professional oarsmen. too, have feit me
effect OF the cycling craze OK the lons hSt ol
rd-makers embracing Teemer. Gaudaur'
Courtney Ross and number OF others OF less
ro,oirance hardly one can be said 10 be pros
herring Instead Of reapinG rich harvests OF gold
Nv racinC they are all now engaged IN coaching
co,,epe Carsmen-the only ones who do not APP
near to be affected by cycling.
Az INDIAN LEGEND or THE FLAnINGOES.
From The Tacoma Ledger
Sunday morning, as that dreamy maze known only
to the waters OF Puget Sound was being disspated
hy the sums rays few early sightseers from
abroad while stroins about the ocean docks We
II was no less than fight Of hamlngoes. those
ttt,,id nd delicate birds from the bayous and mo-
"a saes OF the sunny c.mes far TO the south OF us
agands ~ the Siwash tell that upon rare oc,