New-York tribune., 1900-07-01
THOUSANDS HAVE TO WAIT.


THOUSANDS HAVE TO WAIT.
There was disappointment in store for the
thousands that had begun hustling across the
river to Highland about noontime. They We're
determined to be on hand for the first race, the
four oar at o'clock, but they did not count
upon waiting more than two hours for it. When
the time came the water was too rough, ana IL
was announced that the first race would De the
varsity struggle, at g o'clock.
Meantime down at the finish lay the sharp
proved Yachts decked with college flags ana
swinging downstream with the ebb. The steam
ers Grand Republic and Richard Peck plack
with excursionists, were close at hand, manoeu-
wiring for good positions at the hnlsh' Inc
tracks on the west bank of the river were
black with people at 4 o'clock, the hour set for
the four Dared race, but the long excursion
train that lay in a curve Of the shore down the
river did not get in motion until a quarter aIleT
the hour Then it was filed in twinkling with
tho irnnatIent crowds The colegians were
pre+ty much scattered, but rallying cries for the
different clans went up here and there, and soon
developed into regular cheering. The PennsyI-
vania freshmen stood on their float as the tram
passed by and cheered their comrades. Out III
the stream the General Mcdonald, an ageo ana
decrepit river craft was Justify towing nodt Oh
picturesoue canal boats toward the sea, follo"eu
by a freight laden sloop with weatherbeaten
sails careening to the breeze that struck freshly
on the east side Of the river.
TWO OF THE RACES POSTPONED
There was a long wait at the two mile nag
The high west banks protected the course
trihe from the wind, but 1t was stlh S'ro"s
enough to make the water very choppy' anu
at 4:45 D. m. the referees boat steamed up
alongside the observation train and announced
that both the four oar and freshman races
would be postponed. the first race being the
varsity at o'clock
This left a gap of over an hour to While
away. The usual vendors of novelties in the
food and drink line seemed to spring UP out Of
the ground like a flash and did their best to
beguiIe away the moments for the waiting
trainIoad. It turned out, too, to be a most
favorable opportunity for the men whose money
burned" to find its way from their pockets into
the other fellows Anxious students of the law
of chances hurried to invest their money. for
there was no in saving 1t for the lesser
races, and for a time there was brisk lot of
betting done AS usual. most OF it was between
Cornell and Pennsylvania on even terms.
If it was tedious waiting for the crowd II must
have been even more for the Wisconsin fresh
men, who lay on float out at the two mile
starting point. O'Dea, the coach, was with
them to keep up their spirits. but it was chill
waiting for the youngsters. The breeze mean
time quieting down a good deal 1t was
sos D. m. when the Quakers, the first crew to
come out, took to their shell, and received a
round Of cheers. They padded out past the
train. but just then a big night boat, the
Onteora, came padding up the river. despite
the alleged police arrangements, and sent such
a swell waIlowlng across the river as threat
ened to break Pennsylvania frail paper shell
squarely in two
PRETTY PICTURE AT THE START.
The picture at the start one to be remem-
bered. The rays of the sun, which had sunk
behind the western banks, lighted up the east
hills but the river lay a rippling gray in
the fading light. Along the east bank crawled
long freight train motley, nondescript and pict-
uresque with it's many -hued old cars. Far to
the south the dim blue wall of the High
lands, stretching across the bend OF the river.
Light clouds, their fringes tinted with deepen
ing hues, oated across the sky, and under it all
lay the long observation train, a many-colored
ribbon. stretching for quarter of a mile along
the brown and scared western shore.