Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-06-30

to gain it. But Wisconsin was rowing
better than Pennsylvania. Passing the
81 mile point Pennsylvania hit the
stroke up to IS, and there began one of
the most exciting contests ever seen in
boat racing. Slowly the bow man of
the Pennsylvania boat lined up with the
coxswain in the Wisconsin boat, but
just as he had come on line with him
the Wisconsin crew responded to the
squirt and again drew their boat away.
Lost by Poor Steering.
1t was at this point that Wisconsin
was seen to swerve badly towards the
western shore, and to the surprise of
everybody maintained this course, al
though it took them inside of num-
Der of small pleasure boats and fully 500
yards, if they maintained their angle,
out of their course at the finish. Nat
urally the Pennsylvania boat, pulled
desperately by the Quakers, gained up
on the Wisconsin boat, and as they
passed into the last quarter the noses
of the shells were on line. The Penn
sylvania contingent on the train were
frantic with joy, and, standing up, gave
vent to their feeling with yells to the
crew to win the race. The Wisconsin
boat, unable to turn back into its lane,
had found dead water in the lane which
they had sought near the shore, and,
pull as they would and as desperately
as they did, the nose of the Pennsyl-
vania shell came out inch by inch until
it crossed the line scant half length
ahead of the Badgers boat. 1t was a
finish that set wild with delight every
lover of good sport. The Cornell boat
was fully three lengths to the rear of
the Wisconsin boat, while the Column
bias finished gamely their stern chase
almost four lengths behind Cornell.
Pennsylvania time, 20:O4; Wiscon-
sins, 2o:05h; Cornell's, 2O:13; Colum,
bias, 20:20. The record for this course
is 1929.
In the Pink OF Condition.
Right after crossing the line the
giants from Wisconsin paused mo-
ment to take in their surroundings
and then wormed their way out from
among the maze of rowboats and small
yachts that lined the course on its shore
side. They were in the pink of condi-
ton, not man in the eight showing
the least symptom of collapse, and i'm
mediately rowed across the river to
| their boathouse, which is situated about
opposite the finish mark. AS soon as
their boat was housed the Badgers
formed group about Capt. Sutherland
and shook his hand, and then they fair
ly Rugged each other. Their enthusi-
asm was unbounded, although they
were very much disappointed at not fin
ishing first. The eight were unani-
nous, however, in relieving their cox
swain from all blame for steering them
out of their course.
The Coxswain's story.
The little steersman himself, j. G.
Dillen by name, felt very much de-
pressed about the matter, though he
made a good defense for his action. He
said:
Just as we were passing under the big
bridge noticed a large berry crate float
ing right ahead of US. hard on our port bow.
In few seconds we would have struck 1t.
and In order to avert disastrous collision,
l veered sharply toward the shore going so
far out of our course that I realized that
If were to attempt to get back again the
movement would probably cost us the half
length that we were then in the lead of
Pennsylvania, and. looking down among
the small boats inside of the course, and
seeing what I thought chance to pass
among them and reach the finish line, I re.
solved to keep the shell as she was then
headed, and take the chance OF course,
the maneuver cost us the race, but ! am
sure that did the best that was to be done
under the circumstances"