Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-17
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star
FIFTY years ago washinstonians were

Fifty years ago Washingtonians were
agog over the prospect of a rowing
match between two of
Hanlan and the foremost profess
nnur+nAx sional oarsmen OF the
courtney day, Edward Hanlan of
Toronto, Canada, and Charles Court
ney Of ithaca, N. Y. Negotiations had
been In progress for some time to get
these two men together In mat but
ARRANGEMENT Of pugilistic encounters
became. The Star of November IA,
1879, thus prints the story Of the final
signing at Rochester, N. Y, Of "arti-
cles" which. however, were later found
to be ineffective:
After upward OF nine hours Of hard
labor, almost every point In each article
being objected to over and over again,
one man or the other having refused
to 60 one inch further, articles Of agree
ment were signed at 1910 o'clock this
morning. Judge Wheeler, the city at
torney of Rochester, being the sub
scribing witness. Courtney arrived at
2 o'clock and left at $50 to meet an
engagement at Ithaca. Capt. p. II. Sui
Ivan Of the Rochester police. his new
r1ght-hand man in place of Brister,
signed the articles IN Courtney'S stead.
Courtney and Hanlan agreed to row q
five-mile race, two and q half miles
out and return, In best and best boats,
in accordance with the following con-
ditions:
1.-THE race shall be for the sum of
So, 900, as previously offered. The race
is to be rowed on . course on the Po-
tonnac River near washington, D. c.,
on tuesday, December 8, between the
hours of 2 and S o'clock in the after
noon. Smooth water required, subject
to the decision Of the referee, who Is
empowered to postpone the race until
the next day or the f1rSt favorable day
thereafter, If the water is not in Mt
condition for the race to come OF, but
in case Of such postponement, 1t shall
hours of the race between 10 and ll:30
am. or 2 and pm.
TT is mutually agreed that each con-
testant shall deposit with the referee
$500 within f1ve days from this date,
with written instructions to pay the
81 900 over to the oarsman who does
start in the race at the word 'GoP II
the other oarsman does not start. But
in case both start or both fail to start
the $500 is to be returned to each OF the
depositors. william Blake Of New
York is to be the referee: the decision
of the referee shall be final, the ref
cree to accompany the men over the
course. If possible.
Each oarsman has the right to select
a Judge to look after his interests, who
shall be allowed to accompany the ref
cree over the course. A judge for each
man shall be chosen by. mutual consent
molested or changed: also q judge at
the finish, with a referee to decide
which crossed the winning line first
"Hanlan agrees that from the mo-
ment the word 'Go!' is given he will
waive all rights which he has or shall
then have to the $6,000 provided both
he and Courtney start in the race at
the word Go! and the $4,000 shall go
to whomsoever the referee decides to be
the winner of the contest. But in case
either he or Courtney fail to start at
the word Col then 1t is agreed that
Hanlan does not waive such rights I'M
der his claim for the $4,000.
"A central line of hags an eighth of
q mile apart shall extend throughout
the center of the course, the expense
of surveying and tagging the course
and the referees expenses to be borne
by Hanlan and Courtney, share and
share alike. Any commissions, percent
ages, donations or income OF any sort
whatever from any railroads, hotels or
outside source whatever shall 60 to the
winner of the race.
THE race was fixed for December 8
TO give the men three good weeks Of
training. Hanlan, Ward and Doug
las start today for Toronto; both Han
Ian and Courtney expect to start for
Washington early next week. Han
Ian will be the guest of the Analostan
club and Courtney Of the Potomac club"
The race did not take place on the
9Th Of December nor for some time
thereafter owing to trouble over tech
nicalitles in the articles of agreement
The two oarsmen were keen rivals and
each had his devoted admirers. Han
lan's partisans were loud in their charge
that Courtney feared to meet his
opponent, while Courtneys
friends averred with equal insistence
that Hanlan did not dare 10 cross oars
with the future coach Of Cornell. At