New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-06-26
THE BLUE TRIUMPHANT.


seven and thirty-six- In the first mile Har-
wards shell ran with remarkable snoothnes5.
but after that it began to hang Rowing ex-
perts who watched from the observation cars
declared that Harvard's recovery was rough
that the men swung too far back on their slides
and that the; clipped their strokes at the catch.
For the enlightenment Of the ldymen. It ought 10
be recorded that when the experts said thess
things they meant that Harvard's oarsmen
made so much fuss about their stroke that they
had to row at a faster rhythm in order TO keep
within striking distance Of Yale. Ultimately tire
strain Of this sort Of thing told on them, and
the result was that though the Cambridge eight
fought hard and CALAMITY they were not only
badly defeated. but utterly exhausted as we'll
New-I.ondo1 awoke early this morning. for the
first OF the observation trains ives scheduled
to leave the Consolidated station for the initial
trip up the river a 1890 O'Clock. Several thou
sand visitors had spent the night in town. and
in consequence All the hotels were crowded
from cellar to garnet Scores Of late corners
were obliged To pass the night in the Hobbies Of
the hotels or prowling about the town IN search
Of what mild amusement might be found New
London is not metropolis. and the combina-
ton Of the circus and the races proved too
much for the hospitality of the place.
All the early morning trains from New-York
Hartford. Nev-Haven. Providence. Norwich ard
Boston we're loaded from end TO end with pros
pective and banner bearing spectators. The
clouds that had hung over Neyv-En gland for the
last three weeks were still doing business az
the old stand. but though At intervals a fna
mist fell the meteorological conditions had
terrors for the rival factions. Naxt to football
game there is no out Of door attraction which
brings out so many pretty girls the boat
races They were all here to-day. just as radiant
and enthusiastic and smartIy gowned and gayly
beribboned as Of yore- When the observation
trains pulled out for the biggest race Of ths
day at a little before o'clock. there were ffty-
five carloads Of them. their escorts. their
brothers. their fathers their mothers. their sis
tiers. their cousins and their aunts- Down
the surface OF the river foated hundreds more
of them, on some one OF the numerous marine
palaces anchored there,
DELAYS AT THE START
There was the usual demonstration as tbs
Eastern observation train pulled up near Red
Top, just across the river from Bartlett's Point,
where two huttering white flags indicated thu
starting point. Then followed a long delay.
during which the principal excitement
created by Charlie Swinson. who had Just
rowed No. on the winning Yale freshman
crew. and was dragged aboard the train b.
some twenty-five OF his admiring fellow citi-
zens. who desired the distinguished honor OF
grasping his good right hand. Then followed
the burst Of blue sky before mentioned. after
which Old Sol. having given his tip on the
races. retired into his accustomed obscurity.
The long wait enabled even the most unac-
customed spectator TO learn from his better
informed neighbors the fact that the condi-
tioas of wind and weather were almost perfect
The tide was still ebbing. though near IT'S turn.
while the wind was just the gentlest zephyr
from a point a trife east Of north The water
was so smooth to be almost CLASSY and be-
fore the crews appeared the tide had almost
ceased to run and the race narrowly escaped
being rowed In slack water
The multitude was getting bit impatient. az
ter waiting half hour, when. at 1:25.
roar from a band Of devoted followers gathered
on top of the bluff at Red Top announced that
the Cambridge eight were launching their shell
Two minutes later the frog cheer from the Other
side of the river called attention TO the fact
that YaIe's oarsmen were also ahoat. and IN
stantIy- they came IN sight around the bend
from Broad View Yale was first IN place at the
starting boat. Harvard padding some distance
upstream and slowly falling down into place.
Ellis sons had won the choice of course. and had
chosen to row next to the western bank
BLUE AND CRIMSON WAVE
There was great hullabaIoo from the Cen
trail Vermont observation train, which stood on
the track Just above the start The Blue and
the Crimson burst into life and Haunted over the
uproar that came across the river from hun
drads of undergraduate threats. Meantime the
referees boat the Scout. had drifted down be
hind the rival Fights. and the referee. W $
Meickelham putting the rnegaphons to his lips.
addressed the fateful queries:
"Are you ready. Yale? Are you ready. Har-
vard?' From each coxswain came the answer:
'"Yesr'
Then the pistol cracked and sixteen oars
flashed into the water With grUnt, rattle
and a roar the observation trains got under way
and bore their cheering thousands downstream.
abreast of the racers. There was nothing to
choose between the two in the start The crews
caught the water simultaneously at about 1:3J.
According to her programme. Yale settled IN
stantIy after the first few sharp initial strokes
into her steady 90 swing. Captain McCSrew. on
the other hand. set a 81 pace. and so effective
did it prove that within ten boat lengths the
Crimson shell quarter of length ahead
These relative strokes were continued for the
first half mile. whose flags Harvard reached
half length TO the good. the wearsrs OF the
Crimson meanwhile shaking the air with their
shouts of glee- Many of the wise ones cor
fdentIy expected that the race would be
and lost inside the first two miles. and when
the first instaImeut of the long. hard journey
had been finished with Harvard maintaining