The Washington times., 1906-05-21
CANOE CLUB WANTS
TO SAVE NOVICES
Giving instructions and
Warnings on River.
Mr.. BLANDY, LIFE SAVER
Giving Swimming Lessons and Showing
What to Do in Accidents-Bene-
fit Next Saturday.

Paddle your own canoe was a piece
Of advice adopted yesterday by between
600 and 400 enthusiastic admirers OF the
little craft on the Potomac.
From early in the morning until late
in the evening there was a constant
procession on the canal and on the
river No accidents were reported Be
sides canoes there werem any outrig
gers, launches, and several hundred
fishermen in ordinary garden-variety
rowboats.
The popularity Of the river and canal
as places Of recreation is growing rap
idly. and the form of aquatic sport ex-
periencing the largest boom is canoeing
When properly handled by persons fam
iliar with the art the canoe is per
fectly safe and will stand an astonish-
ing amount Of rough water and high
wind, but when manipulated by novices
IL IS extremely dangerous. When two
unexpert persons are in the same canoe
the chances for a serious accident are
very bright,
Protecting the Sport.
In order to preserve the sport so far
as possible from fatalities which give
ii a black eye the Washington Canoe
Club has taken decisive steps. The
officials of the club have been given the
authority to order off the river any
member who shows that he is so lack
Ing in the finer points of the game
that he is endangering himself or others
Also. the experts of the club are on
the lookout for novices who are not
members, but whose erratic actions in
dicate that they are a menace 10 them
selves. They give advice and warning
and act generally as guardians OF the
river.
Howard Blandy. the famous swimmer.
Is an honorary member Of the Washing
to-. Canoe Club, and has volunteered his
services as a sort Of amateur ltfe-saver.
lie is teaching the members to swim,
and Is also giving them instructions in
what to do in case they should be cap
sized A canoe never sinks, and Mr..
Blandy points out how even when the
little craft IS full of water II is still
bouyant enough TO support a nOn-swim-
sons are highly appreciated by those
taking them and IL is safe to say that
they will save more than one life before
the season is over.
The canoe club has also obtained the
promise of assistance from the Police
Department of the District and the
county authorities Of Alexandria county
TO put a stop 20 the bathing IN the bun,
which is one Of the drawbacks to taking
ladies on the river. The officials have
promised TO make an example of the
first offenders they catch, and their ef-
forts will be applauded by all decent
lovers OF aquatic sport
On Saturday night the Washington
Canoe Club will have its annual benefit
at the National Theater The attraction
will be the minstrel troupe OF the Arun-
del Boat Club of Baltimore. These
amateur black face artists give a show
each year which is a bowling success
in the Monumental City. but this is their
first essay in cork out of their own
bailiwick
a committee from the Washington or
ganization saw the krundels perform IN
Baltimore in the carly part of this
month and was so impressed with the
excellence OF the show that Il immedi-
ately asked the Baltimoreans to repeat
in Washington. Hence the doings next
Saturday