The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-08-27
"reminiscences OF
Rowing Association

The following is from the pen Of
member of the recently defunct Row
ing association:
One evening last week the mortal
remains of the OLD Scranton Rowing
association were gently laid at rest.
What was once a power, both socially
and politically. is now no more For
the past twenty-five years the Scran-
ton Rowing association fourished like
the green bay tree. Suddenly without
warning it is felleG to the ground by
the cruel aXeman's competition and to-
day it's personal effects are being des-
secrated by u standing advertisement
in the daily papers of public sale n
few days hence.
1t We're ever thus-todav we are on
the top round of the ladder of power
and fame. tomorrow we lay crushed
and mangled at the bottom.
As the writer looks back over the
past quarter of century and beholds
again the many stirring events through
which the dear old association passed,
always at the front in social and ben
evolent enterprises, successful in all
its undertakings, it is with a heavy
breast and a tear stained eye that he
beholds its sudden demise. He pictures
the different boats, manned by gallant
crews, with eye and nerve strained to
"a
glided over the culm stained waters
of the old Providence mill dam. Later.
as the dam so filed with refuse from
| the mines that the fleets bottoms be-
came fouled and could no more ply the
| waters of the Lackawanna. the assOci-
alton was dry doCked, as ii We're, but
was soon launched again as a social
| squadron to blockade all harbors and
| entrances to the social world on the
| Scranton coast of this once noble
| stream.
| The writer once more beholds the as
| sociation in black faces and full dress
| suits on the Academy of Music stage,
presided over by the dignified and bril-
| liant interlOcutOr, Il. Frank Penman.
| To his right on the extreme end sat
! George Mitchell and Tom Moore who
with unusual skill manipulated the
| bone, and on his extreme left sat DOlph
| Atherton and viii Rockwell, each Of
| whom ratified and spun the tambOrines
in good old Dockstaier fashion. walt
| Dickson, Bob Scranton, Charlie San
derson, Harry KinGsbury, Geo. Dewitt,
| Everett Warren and Il number of other
equally notorious characters, which the
writer does not, at the moment, call
to mind, all under the able and ef-
| ficient management of Marion Stuart
| Cam, occupied a conspicuous place
among the noted artists on the stage.
And last but by no means least in the
| background of this grand and inspiring
| scene, was the inimitable Bob" Bau-
er and his superb orchestra, with new
and sparkling uniforms, purchased for
the occasion, all of which went to
make up a scene of beauty and gran.
deur never to be forgotten by the vast
multitude of spectators who were for
tunate enough to procure standing
room or pay seventy-five cents for
seat in the peanut"
The writer can yet hear the echo of
the tumultuous applause as the fresh
and original jokes of the end men
We're cracked in quick succession.
| Wnen the typlcal Teu ipIle was Hulle'i
on the stage from the gallery, by Boss
Burns" at some Joke made at his eX-
pense, the audience went wild with de-
light and enthusiasm. Nor does he
forget the dignified and sedate Everett
Warren in his "Chinese" speciality.
There was "a hot time in the old town
that night" and no mistake. And eight
hundred dollars were thus added to the
all ready overloaded 60 treasury OF
the association.
Crowned with success at this its first
attempt in the theatrical business, the
association was again, at later date,
greeted by a packed house to witness
another minstrel performance, but in
the words of the poet, there are some
things tbs better not to dwell upon"
Financially this undertaking was a
! big success, otherwise not. 1t was a
, case of big head" from the manage
ment down to the super and served to
adorn the various professions with able