The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-08-15
Washington Club Captain
Breaks Record in Land
ing Honors in Race from
Chain Bridge to Aqueduct.
WILBUR BROOKS SECOND
By NAT T. wORLEY.

Maintaining a remarkably steady pace
all the way. Everett B. Ansley. captain
of the Washington Swimming Club.
crossed the finish line winner in the
sixth annual three-and-a-quarter-n
swim from Chain Bridge to the Aqueduct.
which was held under the auspices of the
local club yesterday afternoon
Wilbur Brooks, of the Maryland SWIM
ming Club. was second, and J. NJ. Cults.
of the Washington Swimming Club. third.
while the team trophy went to the WASH
ington swimming Club.
Out of an entry list of forty-two. COM
prising the best long-distance swimmers
of Washington and baltimore, twenty
nine were on hand when the start was
made from Chain Bridge at i:lo. and
twenty-three of this number went the
entire distance.
Ansley's record for the race was l:1i:o.
the best time ever made over the course.
but because of the swift current ana
hirh water il is doubtful il this mark
will stand. The best record ever made
under normal conditions 10 thai OF l:Zs:So.
established by "Bootsie' Miller in 1913
Besides winning the gold medal onered
to the winner. Ansley captured the hand
some silver cup for the first District man
to cross the finish line End with 1t the
championship of the District =,
Never in the history Of local
aquatic sports has such remarkably
close race been staged on the Po-
tomac Only twenty seconds separat-
ed the first and second men. While
the third man finished ten seconds
later. The tenth man crossed the line
but two minutes and five seconds be-
hind the winner: the twentieth man
six minutes behind, and the last man
twenty-six minutes and fifty seconds
in the rear.
Ansley started of with a stronp
stroke and made the best of the swift
current which races through the mar
row rocky gorge at Chain Bridge. Az
the Hen and Chickens" he was still
leading, with F. c. Stetson, of the
Washington Swimming Clun. secono'
and Wilbur Brooks. of Baltimore.
third.
Al the DO Drop In" Percy Gibson.
unattached, spurted from fourth place
in the race and forged to the front.
holding his lead for the next quarter
mile. when the effort commenced to
tell and he fell back and Ansley once
more took first position In the long
line of swimmers.
As the men passed the Three sisters
and turned into the home stretch. with
hut one half a mile to go to finish. Ans
lev was still leading with Wilbur Brooks
second; F. C. Stetson, third. and j. N.
Cults. fourth. Here all four put forth
their best efforts, Brooks gaining M
teen yards on Ansley and Cults coming
rapidly from behind and nosing out Stef-
son for third place. :.
All of the leaders finished strong and
from all indications. Ansley could have
gone another half mile and still main
tanned his lead over Brooks. When the
local swimmer saw that he had the race
well in hand. he took his time and nm
ished easily.
The patrolling Of the course by Lieut..
Russell Dean. of the Harbor Police, was
ideal in every way. With the lieutenant
in charge, the launch Major Sylvester
followed the leaders all the way, while
the rear was patrolled by F. c. Brun-
ner and Joe Smith in the police launch
"Skiddoo." and by Private Strauser IN
batteau-
Aside from the late start. the race was
magnificent both as to the showing OF
the swimmers and the arrangements
made by the club and the police. Not
a single unpleasantness marred the aft
ernoon's sport and the event will long
h. van, he rod hv whn wera preS-