The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-31
(BY LESLIE L. GILBERT.)
Affords Opportunity for Rec
reation and Possibility of
Contests Between Rae
ing Machines.

In one respect the Alabama River has
been long neglected. 1t presents to Mont
gomery a splendid opportunity for lovers
of aquatic amusements and athletic
sports.
On the Mississippi River at st. Paul
st. Louis. Memphis and New Orleans the
leading Young business men have organ
lied rowing associations and boat clubs
which are not only a fine medium for
athletic development. but also an unend-
ing source of pleasure in the social life
of those cities. The regattas held in these
cities are looked forward to from year
to year with intense interest and much
rivalry exists not only between the dif-
ferent cities, but also between the va
rious clubs of the same cities.
On the occasion of the annual regatta
the grounds about the boat houses are
lined with the. lady friends OF the ciun
members, the river is dotted with hght
rowing craft containing the friends ana
supporters of the contestants while dis-
tinguished and influential citizens stano
ready to deliver the prizes to the win
ners amid the plaudits of the assembled
visitors and guests. There are races Tor
single sculls, double SOULS, four-oared
shells and barges and afterwards come
the swimming and tub races.
During the Street Fair of 1901 Montgom-
cry was given an opportunity or seeing
what a race was, between skilled anna
teur oarsmen. and though all the crews
represented therein were strangers 10
Montgomery and the race therefore lack
ed the spice of local interest, nevertheless
the race was voted one of the most in
teresting and enjoyable events or the
weeks entertainment.
The official record of the regatta is re-
ported in the minutes of the thirteenth
annual meeting of the National Assocl-
alton of Amateur Oarsmen for 1907. Which
have been recently published. The CLUBS
represented in this contest were the
Young Mems Gymnastic Club OF New DE-
leans, the Century Boat Club ana the
Western Boat Club of St. Louis. Tht
crews expressed themselves as delighted
with the course and seemed surprised
that the river had never been used ioi
this purpose in the past.
JohnJ. Schwab, President of the South
western Amateur Rowing Association Of
| St. Louis said upon that occasion: "Witf
| this beautiful river you could have one
| or more big rowing regattas in Montgom
cry every year. The banks of the rivei
are sloping and give excellent opportun
| ity for spectators. The course is almost
perfect 1t surprises me that the citizens
| of Montgomery have not discovered thes'
| facilities before. Rowing is sport ina
| broadens young men and gives then
health and vigor. There is nothing which
advertises the city more than rowing
| club Take our club. for example. we
are invited all over the country. We fly
| the flag of st. Louis, win prizes, ane
| attract the attention to the city in q
| clean, healthy manner. The smaller citle:
are beginning to realize these facts.
small town has equal advantages witt
a big city. Montgomery, for instance
might develop a national champion in on'
of our amateur classes just as young De
mourelle has done in New Orleans.
club house could be built on piling OF
either side of the river reached by stee
| stairway where even the strongest cur
/ rent would have no fleet.
James ]. Woulfe. Manager of thu
| Young Mems Gymnastic Rowing Club.
well known New Orleans lawyer, de
| clared that Montgomery was letting on
| of the best rivers in the country go t
waste and urged that the local amateu
| sportsmen organize rowing club
once.
A mile or so up the river at the sit
of the old chemical works there Is
splendid opportunity for the location o
river park IL some enterprising person
would take hold of the matter The i'm
mense building itself with little eXpens
could be readily transformed into
pleasure resort and would easily accom-
modate on one floor hall suitable TO
| a vaudeville entertainment while on tn
upper floors there Is ample facilities 70
dancing, roller skating. bowling and tn
serving of refreshments
Outside the grounds are PLENTIFUL
supplied with shade trees and the rive
bank could be terraced to the water
edge. There a natural bathing beach
provided with soft bottom of sand. an
stakes and ropes could be placed to in
dictate the limit of safety. The plac
could be reached not only by light ROY
boats and steam launches on the river
but by an extension of the West En-
line of street railway or by a switch fror
the railroads, which pass within a shor
distance of the grounds.