Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-07-02
HARVARD WINS TRIPLE
VICTORY ON THE THAMES.
Continued from Page One.)
brothers had preceded him as Harvard

OdrSmen ana whose IdtHer Ill HIS Jay
was also Cambridge oar. Former
Secretary Bacon, leaning against the
rail of the referees launch watched
the race with grim determination
until he saw his boy winner. then
he joined the group of Harvard men
who Rugged each other in their joy.
On the Mirage, the boat of the re-
gatta committee which followed the
race, was Postmaster General Frank
H. Hitchcock while Secretary of the
Navy George Won L. Meyer saw the
contest from the United States ship
Dolphin. Aboard trains and yachts
were many other prominent people.
The race was started almost on the
minute and was rowed without
single mishap. The policing of the
course was by far the best in the long
history of boat races here on the
Thames.
1t was just 600 o'clock when the
crack of Referee Meikleham's pistol
started the crews in the race. Along
the first mile of the course, there was
barely enough wind to ripple the sur
face of the Thames. Both crews got
away in splendid form, Harvard row.
ing at 80 strokes to the minute, Yale
at 3S. After the racing starts had
been rowed out the Ellis quickly set
tied down to 33 strokes to the minute
while Harvard dropped hers to So.
At the half-mile flag Yale had let
her stroke down to 81 but Harvard
had only dropped to "a to the minute.
Over this half mile the struggle was
practically an even one up to within
few lengths of the flag when Har-
ward began to push the nose Of her
shell to the front. At the flag Har-
ward had a lead of just one second
which is less than a third of boat
length. Over the second half mile
Harvard increased her lead by lust
one more second, reaching the mile
flag two-thirds of length ahead Of
Yale. Harvard was still rowing "a
strokes to the minute. Yale was back
to 81 although at one time on this
half mile she had lifted her stroke to
80 to the minute. Over the third half
mile the crimson gained another sec
ond and at the mile and a half flag
had a lead of practically a boat
length. Yale was now rowing 80
strokes to the minute while Harvard
still held her speed at a. Over the
in the positions of the shells, nor in
the number of strokes rowed by,either
crew.
Just beyond the two-mie flag off the
navy yard, Yale made her first deter
mined effort to cut down Harvard's
lead. Wallace, the Blues stroke, raised
his speed to 81 strokes to the minute
and for a few lengths it looked as
though he would be able to catch the
Cambridge boat. But Roger Cutler also
had something in reserve. He raised
his stroke by two points and by so do
ing was able to hold Yale and passed
the 2ia-mile flag still leading Yale by
three seconds. Yale had been compelled
to drop her stroke to so but Harvard
was strong enough to keep hers at Sc.
This was the crucial point in the
race. 1t was on this sixth half-mile
that the Crimson first really got decis-
lively away from Yale. At the three
mile flag Harvard had a lead of 10 sec
onds which measured out on the river
was three boat lengths. Harvard was
now rowing 36 strokes to the minute.
Yale in her effort to keep in the race
had again spurted up to 81 to the min
ute The Blue was not able to hold this
gait long and soon had to drop back to
30 to the minute, her normal gait. Har-
ward, on the other hand, had enough
reserve force to hold her stroke at 50
to the minute and therefore continued
to gain on the Blue. At the az mile flag
Harvard was leading by IA seconds.
having Increased her lead by four Sec
Onds on this half mile.
no
lost to Yale. There was, however, no
accident, and Harvard continued to
increase her lead at every stroke. The
Ellis were still rowing well together
and had enough fight left in them to
put her stroke up to SO to the minute.
Harvard raised hers to the same gait
and crossed the line 20 seconds ahead of
Yale. leading by practically six
lengths. Svery man in the Yale boat
finished the race at his oar and still
fighting gamely.
Around the finish crept the long OBJ
scrvation trains like two large SER
penis stretched out along both banks
of the river. Above the trains from hill
top and every point of vantage futter-
ed thousands of blue and crimson flags
The highways were choked with auto
mobiles. But down on the river was
the most magnificent part of the spec-
tacle. Crowding in close to the finish
were hundreds of yachts and launches
of every kind and description Through
this avenue the crews sped on as can
mons doomed and whistles am horns
footed. No such crowd ever before fol-
lowed the crews to the finish when the
finish has been at the upper end of tho
course. In less than minute after the
race was over, the two Fights rowed
off to their quarters. Yale in the gloom
of defeat, Harvard amid the noise and
glory of victory, to fall into the arms
of 300 old graduates who had tumbled
out of the observation trains and hur-
ried down to the Harvard boat house.
Then followed the procession Of the
victors back to New London. 1t SEEM
ed as though the crimson flags would
never cease to flutter. Old oarsmen got
together amid the excitement and talk
ell it over. There was not a criticism
made of either crew with the possible
exception of Dixon Van Blarcom,
Yale's No. Z. In the early part Of the
roca 10 yofiooohJ1, Lab;rd l., IT.,