The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-06-28
Beat the Wisconsins a Seant Halt
Length,
Cornell Three Lengths In the Rear and
Columbia Last.
A Finish That Delighted Every
Lover Of Sport-A Floating
Berry Crate Destroyed Wiscon-
sins Chances When the Race
Was Almost Won and Caused q
Veer That Lost the Race.

Was Almost Won and Caused a
Veer That Lost the Race.
POUGHKEEPSIE IN. ", June d.
Fully 10000 people to-day saw one OF
the most exciting four mile boat races
ever witnessed in the history of college
rowing. Five thousand people on the
observation train yelled themselves
hoarse in frantic appeals to their va
rious college crews to do their best, ant
with the fifteen thousand they saw the
red and blue carried over the line a
winner by short half length by the
Wisconsins who lost in the last POO
yards by bad steering.
Cornell, the victor of former years,
pulled after, full four lengths in the
rear, and Columbia, never in The fight
| after the end of the first mile, tralled
a good three lengths in the stern Of the
| Cornell boat.
| 1t was the kind of race that makes
the blood tingle, and was made so by
the crew that came over z. thousand
miles to meet former victors, Tor with
out the gallant Wisconsins in the race
| it would have been a doleful process
sion, after the second mile was entered.
To say there was surprise on the OBJ
| servatiOn train and amid the great
| crowds upon the bank when the Wis
consin shell swept mile after mile of the
| course until the last half was reached,
with clear lead over adj the crews, is
putting it MILDLY. When the people on
the bank, unable to place the stranger
crew, looked toward the observa ton
train inquiringly and were told that
| lit was Wisconsin, they We're almost
dumb with amazement, and when those
| on the train saw the gallant struggle
mile after mile they dropped their ap-
peass for their own crews and yelled in
friendly manner for the boys from
the West
| The alleged ragged stroke, the badly
keeled boat, the too long reach all were
forgotten as the fast moving shell kept
its sharp nose to the fore, and then the
people saw the leaders turn out toward
the shore at the finish and lose the race
to the men from Pennsylvania by a
short half length Well did the Penn
| sylvanians obey the injunction Of Ellis
Ward to not lose their heads. From the
first eighth of a mile they rowed a
stern hard chase, at one time being
| astern Of both Cornell and Wisconsin,
but their pluck and endurance sent
them over the line first in good time
and by such a small margin that the
glory is greater For Cornell, the win
ner of many BATTLES, the contest proved
to be a race only in two miles. Fer
those first two miles she did gallant
| work, but she was struggling against
hot
by exertions of a phenomenal nature
that she managed to keep the nose of
her boat ahead of Pennsylvania for a
brief time in the second mile. Of Co.
lumbia, it may be said thar she was
outclassed from the start, and. barring
an accident, there was never time
when she stood a chance Of winning
the race.
crew arrived at the starting point.
where the observation train already
was, and then there was a long wait.
because the Columbia launch while
towing the shell up the river had
broken down.
1t was CAB when the referees boat
signalled to Cornell and Wisconsin, both
crews being at the Cornell float Just
above the starting point, to come out
because Columbia had just rowed into
sight. Precisely seven minutes later
the four crews were in line and all had
answered the referees query:
Are you ready?" in the affirmative.
Cornell had the channel course. where
the advantage is said to lie, with Co
lumbia next to her, and tken came
Pennsylvania, with Wisconsin close into
shore. 1t was rather Iitiful to hear the
three eastern crews get cheer after
cheer and the Western crew not any.
Please keep quiet. observation train
called the referee, and then there was
quietness enough SO that the referees
voice could plainly be heard saying:
Are you all ready?"
Yes" came back the answer from
adj the coxswains. Then the nistol
flashed and the four crews seemed TO
take the water together. Hardly had
the crews rowed five lengths before il
was seen that number two OF the vs.
consin crew had jumped his seat and
the cexswain threw up his hands an
pealing for a, new start, which he hal
a right to do INSIDE Of thirty seconds
The referees boat wkfst!ed the crews
back and the fact that CorneIps boat
was furtherst down the river at the
time raised Cornell's hopes. A second
time the crews were lined up and an
other start was made. For some reason
or other some one in the Columbia,s
boat raised his hand as if in trouble.
and for a second time the boats were
called back to the start. 1t was FIVE
minutes after when the third start
was given, and this time the crews got
away without accident This start was
beautiful one, the four boats noses
seeming to hang together for the first
two strokes. AS they settled in the
stroke taught them by the various
coaches Wisconsin seemed to be row.
ing the least number of strokes per
minute Of any of the crews, but her
boat was going faster than any of the
others. Wisconsin rowed -, Pennsyl-
vania "a. Cornell "a and Columbia 333.
Before the first eighth of a mile was
finished the Wisconsin boat had showed
its nose ahead of the other crews. with
Cornell second, Pennsylvania hanging
well on to her and Columbia dropping
astern.
When the first half mile was reached
so fast was the Wisconsin, boat going
that it had taken its whole length
ahead Of the Pennsylvania boat and