Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-28
EXCITING BOAT-RACE,
Twenty Thousand People See It
from the HudSOn's Banks.
PENNSYLVANIA CREW WINS,
Wisconsin Second Only Because of
Bad Steering.
STRIKING WORK OF wEsTERNERs
They Astonish Everybody With
Their Fine Performance, ana Lead
STRIKING WORK OF wEsTERNERs
Time of the Race, 2O;Of.


of the most exciting four-mile boat-races
ever Witnessed in the history Of college
rowing. Five thousand people on the OBJ
servation train yelled themselves hoarsc
in frantic appeals 10 their various cole ge
crews to do their best. and with the
other 1900 they saw the Red ard Blue
carried over the line winner by a short
half-longth from the Wisconsins. who
lost in the last 200 yards by bad steering.
Cornell, the victor Of former years. pull
ed after, full four lengths IN the rear.
and Columbia. never in the fight after
the end of the first mile. traied in. a
good three lengths from 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 1000 miles to meet
former victors, for without the gallant
Wisconsins in the race it would have
been doleful procession after the Sc
cond mile.
GREAT SURPRISE.
To say that there was surprise on the
observation train and amid the great
crowds upon the banks, when the Wis
consin shell swept mile after mile Of the
course, until the half-mile was reached
with a clear lead over all the crews. Is
putting it mildly. When the people on
the banks were told that it was Wisoon-
sin they were almost dumb with amaze
h..
the gallant struggle they dropped their
appeals for their own crews ana cneered
for the Wisconsins. The fast-mOving
craft kept its sharp nose TO the front
until the people on the shore saw the
bow turn out to the left and lose The
race TO the Pennsylvanians.
From the first eighth Of mile Penn
sylvania rowed a hard stern chase, at
one time being astern of both Cornell
ana Wisconsin, but their pluck and en-
durance sent them over the line first In
good time, and by such a small margin
that the glory is greater.
For Cornell, the winner Of many battles
the contest proved to be a race only in
two miles For those first two miles
she did gallant work but she was strug-
Cling against evidently better crews, and
it was only by eXertions of a phenome-
nal nature that she managed TO keep the
nose OF the boat ahead Of Pennsylvania
for a brief time in the second mile.
COLUMBIA OUTCLASSED.
OF Columbia, it may be said that she
was outclassod from the start, and bar
ring an accident, there was never a time
when she stood chance Of winning the
race. She went TO the rear In the first
quarter Of a mile, although she made a
good start, and stayed there all through
the race.
Two false starts were made, and the
referee called the crews back. 1t was
i've 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
few strokes. A they settled into the
stroke taught them by the various
coaches. Winconsin seemed to be row
ing the least number OF strokes per
minute of all Of the crews, but her boat
was going faster than any OF the others.
Before the first eighth of mile was
finished the Wisconsin boat had showed
its nose ahead of the other crews, with
Cornell second, Pennsylvania hanging well
on 10 her. and Columbia fourth, dropping
astcrn.
THE FINE WISCONSIN WORK.
When the first half mile was reached, so
fast was the Wisconsin boat going that
il had taken its whole length ahead OF
the Pennsylvania boat, ana was maj a
length ahead OF the Cornell boat. on the
extreme east. Columbia was rowing, with
the nose of her boat just overlapping
PENNSYLVANIA. tranticaly the Pelnsyi-
Vania rOOters on the train yelled nj their
crew. and the broad brown backs OF the
4. ~. ~
minutes they shot their boat up even
with the Cornell boat. But TO catch Wis
cOnsin was not so easy. " hen the lnile
was reached the Wisconsin boat had
lead Of a clear length over Pennsylvania,
while Cornell and Pennsylvania were SEE
saving for the second place. The WiscOn-
sin crew had settled down 10 stroke cf
81 10 the minute. but the boat never
checking between the strokes, and the
blades cutting the water as keenly as
knife.
Look at those Westerners 60" shout.
ed those on the observation train, and
Wisconsin stock went up Tor htt!e
while. When the Wisconsin crew had
reached the mile ana quarter point,
they eased off a tri1e in their stroke. row
ms for two or three minutes AT u. Al me
same time the Cornc.is picked up thc'r
stroke and showed their boats Lose
slightly ahead Of Pennsylvania, ana
the stern OF the Wisconsin
she'll cornell | vel! came from thou-
sands OF tnTOatS on the observation lldiilf
and the hope arose that the Cornell crew
was going TO the front in their usual
style. but with apparent ease the Wiscon-
sin stroke went back to It's regular y,
ana the boat shot ahead aganTa good
half length.
BEAUTIFUL RACE.
AT this point it was one OF the most
beautiful races imaginable the -FOUR
,rews rowing with great regularity. ana
an of them with clean, neat stroke.
Is they passed the two-mile mark there
eos a quarter of a length OF clear water
,etween the nose of the Pennsylvania
.heu and the stern OF the Wisconsin
sbeu and then for the first time those
mon the train began TO appreciate that
.Visconsin was not a onemile crew, and
RAJ having pulled through the first TWO
niles al such splendid pace. they were
liable 10 make trouble at the finish. Cor
1eu was even with Pennsylvania at the
rork and the two crews stayed on even
errns until the two-mile-and-a-q quarter
,oint was reached Then the see-sawing
,egan again. Cornell and Pennsylvania
alternately forging the nose Of their
,oats ahead OF each other In a desperate
Mort 10 maintain the second place.
while the wonderful western crow. with
he indescribable stroke, which was much
.riticised kent their shell about a length
N the van Passing the three mie-and-a-
'uarter point. Pennsylvania hit the stroke
-, a. thirtv-nvp and then began one OF |