The Washington times., 1912-08-31
VISITING OARSMEN
ARRIVE IN TOWN
Local Entries in Labor Day Regatta Are Confident of
Making Good Showing Against Stars of the
East
BY VINCENT DALEY.

The vanguard of the host of oarsmen
who will flow into the city today and
tomorrow for Mondays big Middle
States Regatta, hoped off the trains
at the Union Station early this after
noon and made their way for the
Potomac Club House where their shells
were already unloaded and awaiting
service. These first arrivals are the
men from Philadelphia, that rowing
mecca of the country where any even
ing in the spring and summer sees
crews by the dozens cutting trails
through the placid waters of the
Schuylkill.
The Philadelphians are here to carry
off everything in the way of prizes
that they can get their hands on. They
are a big. husky looking bunch of fell
lows, well built and for the most part
bronzed as result of their open air
work up in Fairmont Park. They carry
on their shoulders the triple rivalry
which they call Philadelphia against
New York. Philadelphia against Balti-
more and Washington and last but not
least. the rivalry of their own which
will cause each of the Quaker City clubs
to do their best to beat their neighbors
twenty-five crews in twelve out of
seventeen races, that ought to mean at
least eight firsts and a good smatter-
they argue. They are simply out to
win and little they care what the dope
sters say. What they want now is those
eight firsts, and IL they fail in getting
them, they will not be as happy going
back to the Slow City as they seem to
be coming in from It,
Baltimoreans Coming
Later on this afternoon the Baltimore
oarsmen will put in their appearance
h.,
New York representatives. With but
very few exceptions, all of the crews
which are to compete on Monday will
be on the water before darkness sets
in tonight. Those who do not get here
this afternoon, will be in early tomor-
row and both tomorrow morning and
afternoon will see the Potomac crowded
with the racing artists from the big
cities of the East.
Today the river began to change its
aspect. Barges on which spectators are
TO be placed, are being anchored along
the District shore, while on both sides
of the river the smaller launches of tbe
Potomac fleet are securing advantag-
and around Aqueduct bridge, about
dozen houseboats, belonging to venders
of pop and sandwiches, fruits and pea
nuts, are changing the usually dreary
Virginia shore into a Veritable Rialto,
while the decorations on the pleasure
craft and canoes will when completed,
give the whole stretch of the river from
the bend up to the Three Sisters, car
nival appearance.
Damper on Canoeing.
The cold weather of this summer has
somewhat put a damper on canoeing
But cold or warm, tomorrow will surely
see a record crowd out in force to get
q peep at the crews in their practice
spins AS for Monday, there VIII prob
ably not be a half dozen of all the local
available water craft unused and po-
lice protection and surveillance will be
necessary to keep Aqueduct bridge open
for traffic.
Aaueduct bridge, by the way, is one
of the best vantage points from which
to view the races. Those who can keep
TO the east railing will see the last
all the excitement possible out of a
typically birds-eye view of the finishes.
The course takes in the three arches
beginning at the second from the Vir-
ginia shore and extends from point
above the Three Sisters to the wharf
of the Fort Myer power station below
the bridge.
The Potomac, with entries in the
Junior and intermediate singles, the
Junior doubles, the Junior and interme-
diate four-oared gig and all three of the
races for eiGhts, have the best oppor-
tunity TO annex the larger number of
plaques and medals. What is more. If
confidence counts for anything. the boys
who sport the Red and White have
some of these prizes already deposited
Coach Dempsey with his full fleet of
speed boats left the Potomac float
shortly before dusk last evening and
all took a Iona spin going as far up
stream as Dixie Landing, and then
rowing back down to the start Of Mon