The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-28
WAS CLOSE TO THE FINISH
At One Time It Appeared that
 Harvard Would Win.
The Blue Clad oarsmen Also Capture the Contest Between Freshmen. Crimsons Win in Four
 cared Match.

New London, Conn, June z.-ln race never sxcelled on the Thames Yaie's Varsity crew won the great tn~ ter-university rowing event of the year, in the last half mile of the four mile course today. by a scant two lengths. The magnificent contest was witnessed by thousands from obser- vation trains. yachts and points of vantage along the bank.
 To Yale also fell the honor of vie- tory in the freshman race, while Har- yard tonight takes consolation in tho fact that her Varsity four walked away from the Yale quartette hand- somely.
 The two minor races, with honoes divided. served only to whct the ap~ petites of the spectators. These con- tests had resulted exactly as the ex- perts had predicted. and some 2ese0e persons were impatient for the supreme event of the regatta.
 The big race was rowed down stream in the cool of the evening, shortly after T o'clock. The conditions were fairly favorable. A wind off southwest blew diagOnally against the crews at th@ rate of about six miles an hour.
 At 7:14 both boats were in positions Yale had the east course. while Har~ ward occupied the west. The pistol was 
 on even terms. Harvard possibly hav- ing a slight advantage. For threa lengths 1t was stroke for stroke at Se 70 the minute. Yale then dropped to 5S while Harvard went down to B. At the half mile it was Harvard by e very marrow margin, a second and a. fifth as to time, and still quarter of length as to distance.
 As the first flags of the course were passed. Yale was rowing 36 and Har- xard was one point lower. HarveFd had settled down into the best work or her race and with beautifully steady pull the Cambridge boys sant their shell still further ahead, Yale, too, was rowing magniflcently, but at this stage of the race did not display the dash of the Harvard men. At the mile it began to look like Harvard. Passing the mile and a half Yale lowered her stroke and Harvard followed and for the rest of the race, with the exception of beautiful spurts upon occasions, the crews hardly varied from 50 ta Sf.
 Yale's pull seemed to be more telling and as the shells approached the navy yard there was a perceptible gain for the blue, and when the two-miie dag was passed. Yale was leading for the first time in the race. Harvard was one second behind. but in the next half mile she again wrested the lead away from Yale, and at the two and half mile flag, Harvard led by just two- fifths of a second. The Yale men pull- ed like giants, but Harvard was work ing with just as much power and skill.
 As result, Yale was unable to creep up. and Harvard actually drew ahead still further-one-fifth of a second passing the three-mile station three fifths of 6 second ahead. The lead of the crimson oars was to be estimated not in lenths. but in mere feet and incheS. The shells entered the finishing mile with beau- tiful water condition between the long lane Of yachts. and it remained for this last mile to afford the most spectacu- lar contest seen on the Thames for many a year.
 Harvard was still in the van, but Yale was clinging to her. It was not until the three and a half mile fiagB were within hailing distance that Chit- tenden, the Yale ooxswaln, called on his men for a mighty effort. Up went the Yale stroke and on crept the Yale shell. Harvard tried to respond, and her men answered the call heroiaclly, but the sons of Old Eli tore along in . style that was maddening to Harvard supporters. The three and half mile PulHI 61G d&dlH III lHC AEaQ RAo was never headed. In the end, with Harvard never letting down for an ln- stant. Yale took on added strength, and the Yale men began to steal away. foot by foot
 It was nothing but Yale after this.i and feet became almost length. Then it was one length and open water ap- peared fo rftfhe first time It was the old story of Yale crew with skill and endurance to stay in the last stages of the long journey. Yale's victory was one of a scant two lengths. The official time was: Yale. 23:37; Harvard, 23:45
 The Freshmen race and the four-Oar contest preceded the big event of the day. The Freshmen eights were sent off up the river or their two mile row just after s o'clock. Yale was at the rail- road bridge at 4:45, the arvard young sters were five minutes behind.
 1t reuqired nearly fifteen minutes for the crews to take their places in the shells. Yale took the lead at the start and was never headed, crossing the line four and a half lengths ahead. The time was: Yale. 10:27 4-5; arvards 1O:4S.
 From the appearance of the two fourn on the water at the navy yard at the end ot the Freshmen race, there was nver a doubt as to the superiority oE the Harvard quartette. Their stroke their fitness were clearly ahead of Yale's. Harvard occupied the east lane. Yale the west The race began at $40 and Harvard proceeded to take vengeance for the Freshmen's defeat The Crimson oarsmen took the lead at tn crack of the pistol and crossed the line in 11:49 Is, six lengths ahead ox Vale. whose time was 12:09 1-5.
 New Street Railway,