The New York herald., 1921-06-12
$4,000 EXPECTED AT
HUDSON BOAT RACES
College Crews Will Attract
Rowing Enthusiasts From
All Over the Country.

Special Despatch TO THE New York HERALD
PoUGHKEEPsIE, June 11.-Seventy-five
thousand persons, the greatest number
that has ever witnessed an intercollegi-
ate boat race in this country, are ex-
pected to view the battle for supremacy
among the crews of California, Column
bia, Cornell, the Navy. Pennsylvania and
Syracuse on the Hudson River here on
June %. This IL the estimate given
the board Of stewards, who has spent
the last week in preparing quarters for
the crews and expects to devote all his
time this week getting ready for the rec
ord breaking crowd. Just to be on the
safe side, Col Coils will arrange for the
accommodation of 100000 persons, al
though he thinks the number probably
will fall a little short of that mark
Col. Coils arrived here just eight days
ago Since then lighthouses which were
on the verge Of topping overheard have
been repaired and put in tip top condi-
ton for the five crews, which. unlike
Columbia, use temporary quarters each
year. Just now four of the crews, Co
lumbia. California, Syracuse and the
Navy, are in quarters. Pennsylvania Is
expected tomorrow and Cornell will be
in Monday or Tuesday. 1t was no little
task to repair lighthouses that had stood
unused for five years and get them
ready for the crews. But Col. Coils,
who supervised the construction of Camp
Whitman in 1917 and was construction
officer at tho Port Of Bordeaux during
the war, has completed the work to the
satisfaction of the coaches, who. as
every one knows, are exceedingly croch-
ETY. when they reach Poughkeepsie
Now the Colonel is turning his at
tention to the welfare of the vast army
of spectators that will be here. The OBJ
servation train, with It's capacity limited
to $500 persons. will not begin to carry
even a small fraction Of the crowd. and
in order that the main army may be
kept apprised of the movements OF the
crews in the three races. Col. Coils will
install on the bridge SPECIAL set OF
signalling devices, which will make 1t
possible for observers anywhere within
a mile and half of the bridge to de-
ternine clearly the position of each crew
at each half mile post.
Fine View for All.
Every facility will be provided for
the accommodation OF the crowds
ashore at and near the finish line
There will be an unobstructed view OF
the finish for ALL because all yachts
and steamers will be kept to the east
ward of the course so that every one
on the west shore will have the last mile
of the course spread out before them
free and unobstructed. Thus those who
f~Aa Nt,o< t1,axr mot oh hflt in
the Sc pasteboards for the train will
have no reason for remaining away from
the regatta, for they will be enabled to
follow almost as we'll from the lower
part Of the course as If they were actu-
ally on the train.
AS to the train itself, the change In
the length of the course from four miles
10 three has placed the starting line
directly opposite the Columbia boat
house, so that were the old system of
having the middle car of the train on
a direct line with the crews adhered to,
the passengers on that car and four or
five on either side OF 1t would be un-
able to see a thing. Consequently 1t has
been decided by the stewards to start
the train north of the boahouse so that
every one will have clear View or the
crews as they get away Then the
train will pull abreast Of the shells
and continue in that position until the
finish line IS reached.
Because of the presence of the Navy
eight in the big race more attention Is
being attracted by the regatta through
out the country than in any previous
year, not excepting 1907, when the Mid
dies rowed on the Hudson before. The
number Of applications for room reserva-
tions In the Poughkeepsie hotels and for
observation train tickets has swamped
the local Chamber of Commerce. 1t Is
expected that Poughkeepsie will enjoy
again the riotcus days just before the
regatta which marked the big regattas
In the late 'sos just after the race was
first brought here.
Plenty of Work Ahead.
The practice of the crews for the next
week will be of the most intense kind
with time trials coming every day or
every other day. Columbia, California
and Syracuse which have been here for
some little time are thoroughly ,ac-
climated and ready to go through stin
week OF II. The Navy, too. appears to
be fit, but will need day or two to get
accustomed TO the change. and the same
will be true of Pennsylvania and Cornell
when they arrive. 1t is hardly probable