New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-20
70 CGHKEEPSIE'S VICTORY.
TEE OLDEST INHARiTANT TELLS OF
HER MEMORABLE FIRST BOAT RACE

Poughkeepsie June l9-When the intercolleci-
axe boat race course was established here a couple
OF years ago Poughkeepse was not a rowing
town Now ii knows all there is to know about
the matter of propelliig a boat through the water
rapidly by the use Of oars. But the newly awak-
eped enthusiasm has fallen under the scorn of The
Oldest lnhahitant The Inhabitant has come in
from the suburb of Bulls Head and been duly in
tefNiewed by the local papers. He says these col
eee races are not the first to take place POUCH
keepsie-far from it There was a former race
many years ago The close reader OF the several
interviews is panied to observe a considerable dis
crepancy in them as to the exact year in which
II occurred. but this. after all. is not important
IL happened a very long time ago. when the In
haoitant was young and that's enough.
what gives particular Importance to this earlier
race In the eyes Of the Inhabtant is the fact that
1t Inundated Newburg. unspeakable place
across the river somew here. loathed by all true
Poughkeepsians. 1t appears. then. that a patri-
Otto and prominent resident of Poughkeepsie
one day coming up the river a steamboat Qt
may have been the Clermont with Robert Fulton
explaining to the reporters what made the wheels
go round. for aught any body knows). when 1t
landed at Newburg. The citizen was sitting
peaceabiy on the upper deck enjoying his cheroot,
mace from the best tobacco grown in the Virginia
Plantations. when a number Of Newburgers came
down to the landing and began boot at him.
1heS gloeo and girded for some time, made disre-
spectful remarks about his beloved Poughkeep-
ale and otherwise rendered themselves obnoxious.
The Poughkeepsan. of course, made no reply
knowing the kind of people that infested New
burg and not wishing to lower himself enough to
notice them. He simply drew a little harder at
MS virginia cheroot and gazed over their heads
All at once they began to boast OF their eight
Dared boat crew. They announced in a sonorous
voice that the crew the fastest on the river
as. indeed. 1t was. and houted the Poughkeepsie
because had M .ybi.
was the melancholy fact Previous to this time
whenever 1t was) the jewellers in Poughkeepsie
had been strictly terrestrial in their habits No
wet sheet and flowing for them. They might
on occasion venture upon Kaal Rock and ''plunk"
pebbles down into the depths below. but no
going out the fluid and treacherous element
Tor them. There wasn't boat in town.
But the cheap ribaldry of the insulting Burg
ers became unbearable to the man at last
why don't you race us?' they shouted: we
oasnt! This was too much. Rising up. the man
OF Poughkeepsie tossed the stub Of his cheroot
into the darksoI..e depths Of the river. Then he
turned to the vermin or the beach and. like a lion
AZ bay Grained lion that could talk. OF course)
Kissed through his clenched teeth
come to Poughkeepse a week from to-day
and we will race you till you wear the triggers
on your boatr' Being nautical he didn't
know that boats don't have triggers.
Then he went down into the cabin He was
frightened at his own temerity. sank into a chair
ana called for glass Of sangaree. The boat drew
out from the shore and went tearing up the river
At the rate Of three miles an hour
When the Poughkeepse man walked down the
ganspiank under the shadow Of Kaal Rock 1t WA
with nrm tread: but his heart beat 6ercelv A
woman from Salt Point noticed that he was
chewing Glove That night at the Half-Moon
Tavern he told his story the assembled towns
men They stood aghast. When they got their
1reath they told him that he had done a vastly
foolharoy thing Why" they cried chose New
burgers are web-footed and can Quack while W..
scarcely know water when we see it" They
h"oeed At the poor man almost as much as the
scoundreis At the other town had done Never
tneless the man remained Arm. His plans ware
not yet clear, but he felt that in some wav n.
snouAo overcome the enemy.
EAriy the next morning he appeared with an
doubt gone from his face II shall make m .
crew from the coopers." he explained "rbex
Know nothing about rowing yet of course but
tney have been making barrels all their lives and
barrels hold liquids and that q step In the rrht
direction Besides. they stout fellows and c.n
pun the rudders like wild horsea" He was atm
somewhat mixed on aquatic subjects and thought
mat rudders grew abb ut on q boat anvwher. ..
happens. like the fins on a catfish
Inc nrst thing to be done was to get a. ho..