Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-10

Old Route Up River Abandoned
\ to the Satisfaction
of All.

The national regatta races will be
rowed over the course opposite Potomac
Park. This important step was made
by the Potomac Boat Club at its meeting
Wednesday evening. after the subject
was thoroughly thrashed out by the en-
tire membership of the board OF gov
errors. The decision to desert the upper
river course was not because Potomac
Park was the better one aquatically, but
because the club decided to cater to
the entire public in the matter. of sight
seeing. and comfortably placing the great
crowd that is expected
President James Pilidngton Ct the ma
tional association was in town early in
the week and personally inspected both
courses. afioat and ashore, and while
admitting the upper course was superior
from rowing sense, the fact that the
lower course. by its environments and
beauty. would be the better drawing card
for spectators. he gave it his mark of
approval, for, after ALL said Mr.. Pix
ington, '"oarsmen, like every one else.
have vanity, and they like to see crowds
along shore watching their sport
y 4
The. Potomacs in the past have held
five big regattas on the upper course.
three Middle States and two for the Poto-
mac River Regatta Association, and the
course for rowing has been pronounced
the best in America, so their desertion
of same through a sense of civic pride
should meet with acclaim by our people
who are working for the uplifting of
our city. It means a heavy outlay on
the part of the local committee, as
means must be taken to properly take
care OF the visiting oarsmen on the
course, such as temporary quarters for
housing OF boats, Mushrooms, floats, sur
veying Of the course. and manyD inciden-
tails Of cartpg boats to and from George
town.
The course will run from a point off
the government wharf, near Easbys
point, commencing well over on the Ana
lostan island side of the river. and will
strike across the channel in a direct
line. paralleled with the sea wall of
Potomac point, to a point 100 yards west
OF the Highway bridge, i will be five
finish will be roped of and nothing al
lowed In the lane but the contestants.
press boats, revenue cutter launches and
tne harbor police.
The determination to use the Potomac
Park course is very pleasing to every one.
especially 50 to the Board Of Commission
ers Of the District, who. since President
Taft expressed himself SO favorably to-
ward aQuatics and this location especial
ly, have left nothing undone to boom the
place as an athletic center. The men,
Commerce and our merchants generally
were elated when they heard the news.
and all predicted that the Potomacs
would have no trouble in raising the
money to finance the affair, since they
had shown their magnanimity in catering
to the general public.
The course question settled and out of
the way, the local committee is going
ahead working up schemes to make the
rowing part OF the regatta success.
The national association has allowed the
Potomacs the privilege Of adding Junior
eight race to the program. and 1t
will be the aim OF the committee to have
that race one Of the biggest cards of the
affair. for by it they expect to make some
Roadway In finances Secretary Fort
meyer has sent out circulars to every
club in the association, calling attention
to the race. and inviting them to make
entries. President Warden of the Po-
tomacs is confident this race will be the
banner affair. and he would not be sur
prised to see some entries In this event
come from Canada. There will be entries
ton, Harlems, Metropolitans. Nassaus and
Nonpareils Of New York. Wahnetahs Of
Flushing. New Rochelles. Varunas of
Brooklyn. Maltas, Fairmounts. West
Philadelphia and Crescents of Phtladel-
phia, Ariels and Arundels of Baltimore.
Virginias OF Richmond, Potomacs and, 1t
is also hoped, Analostans of Washington.
II only one-half of these come. what an
interesting field Of starters it will be, and
what a race it will eliminate In.
President Pilkington, while here last
week, corroborated the statement made
in the columns Of The Star of recent
date to the effect that reports received
from outside sources was to the effect
in history as the banner one Of the as
ISOLATION. He said he never heard or
saw such interest in aquatics before. and
It looked to him as If the people were
than ever before. Take New York as
an illustration" said Mr.. Pilhngton
every one Of the forty clubs in that
neighborhood. has men training for
Washington, and it looks like the Har
lem river clubs would come down In their
entirety. I look for huge crowd here
in August, and they will see some Of the
fastest racing ever witnessed anywhere
in the world" The Winnipeg four, that
won the English challenge cup at the
country in time to take part in the races
here. It Is the first time that AN Ameri-
can crew has won the event. hence the
Winnipeg will be a great attraction for
either the New York Athletic. Ottawas,
Argonants or Arundels Of Baltimore take
their measure here on the .Potomacs.
The Potomacs will also enter crew In
all the senior four events.
4 4 r..
The action of the Chamber of Com
merce Wednesday in donating $3.50
toward the expenses Of the regatta, was
very pleasing to the committee and will
help along considerably toward liquidat-
ing the heavy expense. The regatta
committee is awaiting patiently word
from the Board Of Trade and the other
civic organizations of the city. Tickets
for the evening excursion on the 10Th
instant are selling rapidly. and the pros
poets are that the Manchester will car
ry big crowd and the fund will be en-
riched by another good sum.
The national committee In charge of
the regatta are Messrs. Harry P. Ward
well OF Boston. John J. Schaab St. Louis,
Mo-; Harry Penn Burke. Philadelphia,
Pa; James D. Denegre. st. Paul, MINI.
Fred r. Fortmeyer. New York; Judge
James G. Tighe. Brooklyn, N. Y with