New-York tribune., 1905-06-30

that ever came to New-London ever saw a boat
race that for sand and pluck was the equal of
that rowed by the varsity eights to-day
New-London of course made its usual pro-
fessonal holiday, for race day in New-London
has long been recognized an institution to be
managed for the profit of the natives. and prices
were raised all around usual But the visitors
came expecting to pay and paid gladly, almost
with enthusiasm. Many hundreds came in dur
ing the morning hours automobiles, and the
towns principal thoroughfare was early dubbed
Benzine Boulevard" redolent of the stuff that
furnishes the motive power and sOnorous with
the toot of the horn that says Jump. and jump
quick, or take the consequences"
PLEASURE CRAFT IN HARBoR.
Down on the waterfront all was activity and
jostle. AS usual the harbor full of pleasure
craft, from the stately steam yacht to the little
ten-foot power boat, and all the landings were
busy with the arrival and departure of yachting
parties, big and small.
Not long after the yachts began to move
up to the bridge and through the draw to take
their position at the starting point or off the
finish. the fancies of their owners dictated.
Half an hour before the time set for the get
away. the multitude abandoned the streets of the
town and 1ocked in the dingy railroad station to
board the hooded cars of the two observation
trains 1t was ever brilliant assembly, ana
The genus pretty girl was 10 be seen in Sucn
numbers and variety to be witnessed
nowhere else in the country which means, of
course, on this earth, except pertains at a coll
lege football game.
LITTLE BETTING ON THE RESULT
Occasionally one came across a group of rival
partisans intent making wager but of
betting there was comparatively little. What
little was done was arranged on the basis of
odds that favored Yale, to l. That Haryards
real strength little suspected is proved by
the inconsistency between the Wilderness of the
odds and the eloseness of the struggle. What
really dictated the odds was the tremendously
imposing string of victories that Yale has left
behind her for the last five years and the pres
tige that they gave.
Five minutes before 40 the multitude was
ready for those twenty odd exhilarating min
utes that had brought them far. One OBJ
servation. train stood, magnifcently bedecked
with blue and crimson, on the big bridge in-
mediately overlooking the start. The other
was lined up the western shore, its occupants,
though further away than the spectators of the
other train, consoled by the knowledge that
they would have a perfect view of the finish,
four miles up the river. Both training launches,
the John Harvard and the Elihu Yale, lay
quietly off the western shore, and at 43o tha
delicate work of boating the crews began.
Harvard was the first affoat, and amid storm
of cheers shot easily away toward the bridge,
where the referees boat awaited the two eights.
Yale's crew was boated five minutes later. and
in the interval the Yale men the western
train did some exceptional work in the cheer
ing line, led by FIVE shirt sleeved shouters headed
by no less personages than Russel Bohue the
ALL READY FOR THE WORD.
AT 4:45 o'clock bith crews were in position
for the start. and the referees boat drifted slow
ly down upon them from under the bridge,
Referee Meikleham standing alone. megaphone
and pistol in hand, at the bow. Then
quitolike launch drifted across the course and
had to be demonstrated with officially, but at
length all was ready, TIE two boats straight and
the course clear The usual questions TO the
coxswains and the Affirmative replies an in
finitisimal pause, a puff of blue smoke from
the referees pistol, whose report not one OF
thousand can hear-then the sixteen blades
gripped the water for the first time and
the struggle There was no per-
ceptible advantage at the start and for a few
strokes the two shells hung absolutely to-
gether. Then wild cry of hope went up from
the Harvard contingent it seen that the
boat driven by the crimson tipped oars was a
trihe in front-not enough to give confidence
but hope 1t gave undoubtedly. AS the western
observation train groaned and ratified into mo-
ton, crimson balloon. Jared from the
steady hand of its owner, fioated heavily out
over the CLASSY river. For an instant it hung
between rising and falling. then II struggled
manfully upward lay in the still air an instant.