The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-16
PRESIDENT AT A BOAT RACE.
GIVES PRIZES TO SAILOR OARS
MEN FROM THE SYLPH.
The Contest Arranged by the Roosevelt
Boys and ROwed I'm Their Boats--Presl-
dent and Mrs. Roosevelt Dine with
the Men I'm the Yachts FOrecastle.

Boys and ROwed I'm Their B0ats-PreSl-
dent and Mrs. Roosevelt Dine with
the Men I'm the Yachts FOrecastle.
OYSTER BAY, July 15.-Jackies from the
United States steam yacht Sylph, which
has been stationed here at the disposal Of
the President for the summer, rowed a
spirited four-cornered race on the bay
this afternoon. The President and his
family and many relatives and friends
watched the contest from the deck of the
Sylph.
The race was arranged for the amuse-
ment of the Presidents children and the
children OF his relatives here. In fact,
the contest was proposed by the Roosevelt
boys, and the jackies, as well as the Presi-
dent. fell in enthusiastically with the idea.
The President offered cash prizes amounts
ing to as for the crews getting first and
second places, and the Roosevelt children
lent their trim little skiffs for use in the
race.
1t was about 4 clock when the launches
from the Sylph put out from j. West Roose-
welt Is pier with the Roosevelts aboard.
There were seventeen children in the party,
six of whom were the Presidents. Among
the others were the children Of j. West
Roosevelt, Emlen Roosevelt and Franklin
family in sailing yacht from his home on
the Hudson. Mrs. Roosevelt and Miss
Alice and Secretary Shaw and Jacob Ris,
who were among the Presidents guests
for the day, also were in the party.
A brisk breeze was blowing when the
launches left the pier and the waves were
topped with whitecaps. They slapped up
against the sides OF the boats hard and sent
the spray flying over the people in them.
The President, after the officers had paid
their respects to him, went with his son
Kermit and the latter's young cousin,
Philip Roosevelt, to the bow Of the Sylph.
Kermit and Philip were to act as Judges at
the finish, and the President and Lieut..
Preston. who is in command OF the Syiph.
stationed them right up at the point OF
the bow with glasses and revolvers loaded
with blank cartridges.
The Sylph was headed toward shore
off the eastern end of Centre Island about
midway between the island and the main
land. Between the Sylph and the Centre
Island shore a rowboat was anchored for
one OF the finish stakes. The Government
yacht served as the other. The President
and the two boy judges, with Lieut.. Pres
ton. remained standing in the bow. Most
Of the rest of the party went to the upper
| deck.
When everything was ready the word
was passed down to the jnckies. They
came up on the run. twelve fine, strapping
fellows, bronzed almost to blackness.
| They were dressed in white sleeveless
rowing Jackets, with white caps and loose
| fitting white Jeans. ending at the knees.
! Most Of them were barefooted and none
wore stockings. They went over the
sylph's side in a hurry and dropped into
| the four boats which the Presidents chill
! dren had lent for the sport. They were
ordinary rowboats, but trim and light.
Three men got into each, two manning
an oar apiece and the third with paddle
acting as coxswain.
The wind had come up stronger since
the party from Sycamore had boarded tho
Sylph, and The sea was running pretty
high The waves splashed over the sides
of the little craft. wetting the sailors from
head 10 foot The jackies laid to the oars
| In a five minutes, warming up. and then
were token in town by the Sylph slannch,
On the launch with some of the Sylph's
officers were Miss Alice Roosevelt and
Theodore ,Jr., and George Roosevelt, another
cousin of the Presidents children Teddy
and George were to act as starters. The
launch went mile and a quarter up the
bay, just about opposite the Sasino on the
line quickly, the launch taking up her posi-
ton at one side.
Are YOU ready" called one Of the youth
full starters. AYE" the answer came
back good and strong and the contestants
bent over their oars for the signal. There
was a pistol flash from the launch's bow
| the eight oarsmen struck out. the coxswains
yelled a starting word of encourage ment.
| and the boats shot forward. An eight
knot breeze was blowing directly across
the course, which was straight away for
a mile and quarter
borough. with Kullman as coxswain. got
away with little advantage. Their
| stroke seemed to be more even and they
splashed less than the others. AT the first
/ quarter they had lead OF several boat
lengths Boat No ?, with Lee and NIL
! was second. 1t bad good lead over, the
other two one of which was manned by
Wiepand and McGeehan as rowers and
Schmitt as coxswain and the other by
Riggs and Battistella at the oars and CO.
l<lumbus with the paddle.
Ii was evident then that the struggle for
supremacy was to be between boats No;
and No. g After the first quarter the
stroke was increased by the leaders until
it was running as high as &c. The
water kept getting rousher ar the racers
approached the finish, and they spashed
considerably. kulrnan's boat still had the
lead as the last quarter was entered, but
Snyder and his rowers had cut il down con-
siderably, and both crews were doing their
best.
The President stood in the bow with MS
ewes TO glass from the very start of the
race, but az the boats got nearer he laid
down the glass and leaned slightly on
the rail. The boys who were acting as
Judges also showed that they were excited
over the contest.
Snyder called on his two men 10 la on.
They did. and the distance between them
and the first boat was lessened almost two
lengths before half the remaining quarter
had been covered But Kullman also ex-
horted his men. "Heavc! Heave for all
you're worth" he cried. Rogers and
lioldsborough did heave nobly, and. try as
they would those in boat No. could not
overcome the lead
Huffman and his boat crossed the line
fully four lengths ahead, and the pistol was
discharged by one OF the young Judges,
who was dancing with excitement. few
seconds later Snydcr's boat came in, with
the men rowing as hard as ever, and the
pistol was fred again. All the men in the
first two boats were pretty tired, but they
dotted their caps to the President, and
clambered up the Sylph's side with Won
derful show at spryness. Schmitt's boal
got in third, and Columbus was last. The
winning boat made the course in fraction
less than ten minutes.
When all the jackies got aboard again
the President shook each ones hand,
saying, Splendid race Splendid race!"
and they saluted. Then he gave the prizes,
klS in cash TO the winners and 40 TO the