Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-04
Athletic Contests of the Army
Engineers.
COMPANY LINTHELEAD
A LARGE GATHERING OF SPEC
TATORS.
Enthusiastic Rivalry of the Soldiers
Company X Won on the
Water.

Khaki-clothed athletes sprang nimbly over
hurdles and jumping bars, swung the sledge.
| put the shot and rowed pontoon races at
| Washington barracks this morning, whilo
| this afternoon the same stalwart members
| OF the Sd Battalion Of the United States En-
| giceer Corps are chasing creased pigs,
| climbing slick poles. eating pies by the
| wholesale and INDUCING generally in the
| Fourth Of July merriment which annually
| marks the nations birthday at army posts.
| The rivalry between the four competing
companies of the battalion OF bridge build
ers is very keen, and not until late this
| evening will the winning company be
cure in its claim TO the flag which the
| officers have donated. In addition to this
patriotic emblem which goes to the company
scoring the highest number OF points in the
various contests. cash prizes are being
| awarded to the successful competitors indi-
vidually.
Many Spectators.
The sports began at Washington Bar
racks soon after o'clock this morning. an
elaborate program having been arranged
and great preparations made. Field and
aquatic events Of every charac ter made up
the entertainment, which drew to the pretty
government reservation at the foot of IL
street a large assemblage of interested
| lockers. The various events were followed
4 Dt the engineers Win the deepest interest.
| and company yells by the men mingled with
| the braves Of the officers who were as
| much in the spirit of the occasion as the
| lowliest OF privates in the rear rank. The
officers families well as the sweet hearts
and friends of the enlisted men turned out
| to see the fun and enjoy the athletic PROV
/ ess Of the soldiers.
The honors of the morning were carried
| on by l. Company, commanded by Capt. j.
+. Mclndoe. The men of that command
were jubilant and willing to wager any
amount OF money the company would prove
| the winner Of the flag. Company l. won its
points in the field events while Company n
| the second in the race for points, swept the
| day on the water. The comic events were
| postponed until this afternoon. and the in
dicatlons are that a very enjoyable Fourth
| of July will be rounded out with comedy
enough TO keep. the soldiers talking and
| laughing for weeks to come.
The athletic tournament was confined to
the battalion Of engineers, with a few en-
tries from the hospital corps. The judges
of the events were Col. Edward Burr Capt
w V. Judson, Lieut.. W. ID. Conner and
Lieut.. +. c. Boggs. Lieut.. A. Il. Putnam is
officer of the day. The commanders of the
| competing companies in the battalion and
VINO zealously watched the interests of their
| men entered in the competitions, are: Com
pany 1. Lieut.. A. b. Putnam; Company H.
| Capt. {. w. kutz; Company l., Capt. ]. +.
| Mclndoe; Company NJ, Lieut.. NJ. l.. Walker.
Athletic Events.
| The first event of the morning was the
| running broad jump which proved an I'M
| ually close and interesting contest. After
three trials for each man. Corporal Porter
! of Company L. was declared the winner
| having cleared IL feet Tx inches of ground
! Private Stevens of Company X took sec
ond prize, while Private Patterson of X
Company and Private Darby of the Hospi-
! tai Corps were tied for third honors.
Next followed base ball throwing con-
| test, and Private Odell of l. Company took
ha
feet Private Lacy of l. Company made
the second best throw. with Corporal Peph-
few of l. Company rating third.
The sprinterS of the battalion We're now
| given their turn a the prizes and the privi-
lege of working for the honor of their re-
| spective companies, the 100 yard run be-
ing announced. Running qualities in the
soldier are not to be entirely despised and
some of the engineers proved themselves
exceedingly fleet of foot At the crack of
the starters pistol a lively octet flashed
away on the century course, each runners
path being marked out with lime lines
First Sergeant Wimot Of NJ Company
broke the tape, and was declared winner
He was closely pressed at the finish by
Corporal Dobson of Company L and Pri-
Vate Newton of Company l., who finished
second and third. respectively. The time
of the race. IL 2-5 seconds, was fast for a
turf course.
Pontoon Race.
The onlookers' interest was next attracted
to the river wall, for the canvas pontoon
race was about to begin. The crews, three
In number, were to row over half-mile
course In boats which the engineers use
Tor building temporary practice bridges
A great crowd of soldiers and other spec
tators gathered about the finish flag. and
as the crews neared the line, rowing up
stream. the shouts for the several COM
mands were loud and encouraging The
crew OF K Company, admirably coached by
Corp; Coombs as coxswain. won by COM
m he u
with Sergt. La Roche coxswain, finished
second. and the time was IL minutes and 5
seconds. Later In the day the same crews
raced again In wooden pontoons, at three
quarters Of mile. Company X again
won, with l. Company second and NJ Com
pany third. Corp. Coombs of K Company
kept his men in midstream and trailed
Company L TO within a few hundred yards
of the finish. At this point he called for a
squirt, and his men pulled away from their
competitors. winning by four or five
lengths. The pontoon races gave Company
X twenty points in the general competition.
each race counting ten. The field events
counted but five points first.
The standing broad jump was won by
Sergt. Mulln of l. Company, at feet 3Is
inches; Sergt Cudworth of NJ Company
was second: Private Darby, Hospital Corps
fourth.
The running high jump was won by Cor
poral Porter Of L Company, at feet 10a
inches; Darby Of the Hospital Corps and
third in the contest.
Close Finish In 22O Yards
The finish in the 90 yards dash was SO
close that the winners were not known I'M
til announced by the three judges. The
soldiers Of the companies whose representa-
tfves were defeated by such narrow mar
gins were anxious to have the event run
over, but the judges could not consent to
this. The official placing gave first prize to
Sergt. Dobson of Company I. Private Riehl
of X Company and Private Newton OF L.
Company ran dead heat for second place
The time of the race-23 seconds-was ex-
ceedingly fast.
Company was in front in the hop. skip
and jump. Corporal Porter proving the win
ner at distance of 80 feet 81 inches Cor
poral Stillweil Of L Company was second.
and Private Stevens of X Company third
In the standing high Jump Larkin OF I,
Company proved the best, clearing the rod
at feet, whereas his competitors failed
after reaching feet IL inches. Riehl of X
Company and English Of Company were
tied at the latter mark
The officers in charge OF the contests
agreed that the field events should count
In the general competition as follows: Five