The Washington times., 1902-07-06

1t was so late in the season that
many of the boys, who had been swim
ming and boating, thought il was about
, time the club had pier and hoat. since
the clubhouse was right on the waters
edge. Accordingly it was voted to builG
them as soon as possible, and the house
committee secured the necessary ma
terials.
The float was built on a framework
OF heavy logs. the flooring being of oGe-
Anch planks. with z heavy moldina
around the edge. iron rings were let
into the molding. for tying beats. The
noat was 10 be kept in place by an
: chors. as there was no tide in the river
The smooth. sandy bottom of the river
sioTed gradually from the shore TO a
depth of seven feet, fifteen feet from
shore. In building the pier the boys
drove two .arallei rows OF 3xi beams
III the sand. resting firmly in the clay
beneath. These beams supported a walk
(which extended from the clubhouse
porch twenty feet out into the water
The float was anchored off the pier,
from which it was reached by gang
plank hinged on an axle at the top and
siiGlng en- roller at the bottom. The
! BOYS nailed rungs TO the gangplank. tc
afford a sure footing. They now had
Very good facilities for boating ard
swimming.
Treasurer Charley Olmsted learned
that the club could purchase a light
, cight-oa-ed barge for SIS from a rowing
club down the river, which had lately
dlsDanded and wished TO turn its ma
terial into cash. The club authorized
The nurrha of 10 Ho-
OF the boys rowed it up to Riverview.
II was too large to be accommodated
properly in the clubhouse. so the boys
built long shed for it at the side OF
the house. with ways running to the
water.
George Graham was elected captain
OF the crew, and he finally selected the
following as the makeup OF the eiec::
FRANK Carson, bow; Roy Rogers. No ?:
Jack Higgins, No. 3; Fritz Baunibech.
No. 4; Amos Johnson. No. ): william
Stratford, No. G; Alfred Davidson. No.
q George Graham (captain), stroke,
and Joseph Stein. coxswain.
The boys decided to hold a carnival
OF sports on the water. It was to be
their last appearance for some time to
come, as they had decided to go camp
ing in the mountains during August.
portInity for the people of Rlverview
10 witness their athletic contests till
the football season. many months away
and so the forthcoming events arous-
ed much interest. 1t was arranged TO
nave swimming races, a tub race. and
an eight-oared barge race The last
event was hard to arrange at first. for
there were no crews young enough 10
be on equal terms with the Perseyer-
ance eight. However, the second crew
Of the Star Athletic Club averaging
seventeen years, was matched to row
against the home crew, which averaged
hardly fifteen years
The Perseverance crew practiced and |
trained faithfully. The boys had diff /
Guilty in getting the proper stroke at
nrst, but with coaching they developed |
speed and endurance. The race was 10 /
be one mile. straightaway. finishing AT |
the clubhouse. Finally the day Of the
carnival arrived. The crowd extended
along the river bank In a long line
on both sides of the clubhouse. At II |
o clock the first event was started-the |
5O-yard swimming race. There were
four Perseverance boys entered, and
three from Riverview At the report
of the pistol the boys left the float
and struck out briskly. They were close
ly punched for twenty yards, then Rex
Ticknor forged to the front. with Char
ley Olmsted closely following. On the
last ten yards Charles spurted, but
could not pass Rex, who finished a yard
to the good. The time was rather fast
for such young boys-i1 2-5 seconds.
Next came the duck chase. A domes-
tic duck was let loose in the water, and
the ten contestants dived off the float
after it. 1t looked easy at first. but the
duck eluded its would-be captors with
surprising case. Just as II was about
to be caught, it would turn quickly and
paddle out of reach. The futile efforts Of
the boys became laughable and the
crowd shouted all sorts of sarcastic
comments at them. 1t was evident that
The duck had many friends on shore. for
each failure OF its pursucrs was greeted
With fresh shouts of laughter. How
ever, FIVE OF the boys closed in upon il
rom different sides, and escape was i'm
possible. Jack Henderson seized II bv
he throat and bore il gently to shore
amid the boisterous applause of the
,rowd
The attention OF the crowd was now
directed TO catboat race between
Walter G1adwin's Dolphin and Dick
ives Mermaid. The boats crossed the