The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-16
sARAToGA's BID TO COLLEGE MEN.
Wants the Big University Bont Races Rowed
on the Lake There.

"" tuC hnht AutEts
The proposition to make Saratoga Lake the
place for holding the intercollegiate boat races
for some years to come is interesting the
alumni and undergraduates OF the boating col
lcges as they haven't been interested in a
similar matter for years. The supporters and
opponents OF the scheme are about evenly
divided. Before the proposition has been ac-
cepted or rejected at the annual meeting OF the
intercollegiate Rowing Association. a few
months hence. there is every prospect OF q | lively
scrap between those who favor and those who
oppose the Saratoga Lake course. The origin.
ators OF the idea are men OF prominence in
Saratoga.
Saratoga Lake has never been popular at
Yale and Harvard. A reason for this has been
furnished by the boating men OF other colleges.
They say that Yale and Harvard have always
been unfavorablc to Saratoga because neither
college ever won an Intercollegiate race
there. Ii is said that no course is In favor
Mt any college over which The collegiate
has never rowed In winning form. This is re-
sponsible for the effort that is now being put
forth to have Saratoga Lake selected by
tho Intercollegiate Rowing Association as
the place for holding the Intercollegiate regatta
for the next three years at least. Complaints
from several OF the defeated crews at Pough.
kcepsic this year wero heard in reference to The
course on the Hudson. Pennsylvania found
fault; so did the men from Harvard and Yale.
News of these complaints reached Saratoga,
and Sarntogians reasoned that, il the Pough.
kecpsie course had become unpopular. it was
time to gain urge the claims OF Saratoga Lake.
Early in August II few Saratogians went quietly
TO work to find out what chance there might be
for holding the intercollegiate regatta on their
course.
The Intercollegiate Rowing Association. as at
prescpt conatituteb Ia nadcupnf Harvard yalo
Cornell. Columbia. and the University OF Penn
sylvania. and it did not take the Saratogians
long to find out that Cornell and the University
of Pennsylvania favor the Saratoga Lake course
and then they set sail after the others.
On Friday and Saturday there were confer
ences .n between I'VE G. a c %art tee r rffp pr Sarn,
and Columbia. The proposition submitted by
the Saratogians, was substantially as follows:
Select Saratoga Lake as the course OF the Inter.
collegiate Rowing Associations regatta for the
next three years, 1898 to, 1900. Inclusive, and
vide quarters for the crews. transport boats
both ways free OF charge to the colleges. and
porting the crews to and from Saratoga and
their maintenance while there to be borne by
This was understood on both sides to be an in.
formal proposition. subject TO modification
when the time came to officially ratify it.. The
Saratogians wanted II clearly understood that
Saratoga was not competing against any other
course. They reminded the college men that
for years they had been In the habit of using the
inducements held out by Saratoga simply to get
more favorable terms from the representatives of
other towns desirous OF securing the race. They
said that they, had grown tired Of having
those who had the power to select a course ask
ing Saratoga to submit a proposition when they
position now is this: II the Poughkeepsie course
y unsatisfeotory Saratoga would be glad to have
the race. She iB ready to offer reasonable in
ducements, nothing more. and these not in COM
petition with the offers made by any other
Saratoga would think worth while entertaining.
The Harvard. Yale, and Columbia men. 10
enthusiastic over ii at first. but they thought a
little moro kindly OF it before the conference
toga course was that II affords no way for spec
tators to follow the race. The Saratogians met
this 9S 1nS n|sa, By A., 4 st aHIPsSe ma that both f. sur:
were reminded that the, Fitchburg Railroad
skirts the shore Of the lake at some distance
from y; At the northern, end OF tho lake
the railroad runs almost down to the shore.
To run a branch OF the road from tho
would, 1t was said. be IA comparatively easy
thing. and one which tho FitchburR road would
those conditions was that the regatta should be-
held on Saratoga Lake for ut least three years.
Any less time would not warrant tho road or
such a road, 1t was stated, every part OF tho
four-mile race could be seen from the observa-
ton trains quite as well as at Poughkeepsie or
This method OF overcoming the chief difficulty
men, but they found another objection to the
course. namely. its location. 1t was said that
| EhTdlORh Ndb 100 IaT away from cambridge,
New Haven, and New York. To this the Sara
tOgians replied that 1t would DO no more trouble
for the hnal examinations of members OF the
crews to be held at Saratoga than at Pough-
keepsie. As far as the expense of travel
goes, so long as the colleges are put TO no
expense In the transfer of boats. the additional
car fare from Poughkeepsio to Saratoga would
be trifing. 20 the statement on the part of the
college men that the condition OF the water on
Saratoga Lake Is not to bo depended upon, tho
Saratogians urged that the absence OF tides and
the impOssibility OF any crew being interfered
| with by excursion craft moro than mn1a nm for
the likelihood OF rough water.
When the conference broke UP tho Harvard,
Yale. and Columbia mon were not so strongly
opposed TO the Saratoga Lake course as they had
been when the talk began. They said that they
would consider the proposition and. later, would
ask a committed from Saratoga, fully empow-
representing the Ave colleges. This committee,
II Is said: Will probably be composed OF George
Adee or Bob Cook of Yale, Henry s. Van Dusen
OF Harvard. Guy Richards or Justin A, b.
CoWles Of Columbia. Charles s. Francis OF Cor
nell. and Thomas b. Reath OF the University of
Pennsylvania. 1t was stated that this commit
tee may 20 to Saratoga within the next week 10
meet tho towns committee there and go over
the course.
Tho n. a. a. O.'s Now Omcers.
TA