Evening star., 1930-03-23

der to the north, and both regarded as phe-
noinenal Oarsmen. Naturally it was inevitable
that these men should be brought together to
determine which was the better of the two, ana
somehow or other-especially in the great
events-something always seemed to happen 70
throw cloud over the races in which these
men took part like the one rowed on the
Potomac.
When they first rowed at Montreal, Canada,
over the Lachine course, it was as beautiful
a race as any one would care to witness. It
was nip and tuck all the way to the very
finish, Hanlan winning by less than boats
length
It was after the Montreal race that Hanlan
rowed in England with signal success. Court
ney during the meantime rowed race for
$500 on Silver Lake, New York, with Riley
who was at the Washington race ready to taxa
the part of either of the contestants should
one or the other fail to start He even ap-
peared on the course and rowed some distance
ahead of the racers.
What brought the Washington race about
more than anything else was a prize of $4,000
offered for this purpose by the Hop Bitters
Co., all to go to the winner. Chautauqua Lake.
New York, and not the Potomac was desig-
mated as the place for the contest. And right
here something happened that no one has been
able definitely to explain, and that is that ON
the morning the race was to take place. ana
when everything otherwise was in readiness it
was found that some mysterious person had
sawed Courtneys boat, and it was cut to such
extent as to preclude race.
HANLAN performed his part of the contract
by rowing over the course but the Hop
Bitters Co. refused to award the six thousand.
and in the end the race on the Potomac was
agreed upOn not, however, without much effort
and dickering. The Star of November IA,
1879 tells of the long -drawn-out conference
md he bU he fUnY me
follows;
AFTER upward of nine hours of hard labor.
almost every point in each article being ob.
jected to over and over again, one man or the
other having refused to go one inch furthers
articles of agreement were signed at 1910
o'clock this morning, Judge Wheeler the city
attorney of Rochester, being the subscribing
witness Courtney arrived at o'clock and left
at $3.50 to meet an engagement at Ithaca.
Capt p. H. Sullivan of the Rochester police.
his new right-hand man in place of BriSter,
signed the articles in Courtneys stead Court
ney and Hanlan agreed to row five-mile race,
two and half miles out and return, in best
boats in accordance with the following con.
ditionS:
1.-The race shall be for the sum of $6OOO
previously offered. The race is to be rowed
on a course on the Potomac River near WASH
ilgton, d. c., on Tuesday, December 8, be-
tween the hours of 2 and o'clock in the
afternoon. Smooth water required, subject to
the decision of the referee, who is empowered
to postpone the race until the next day the
first favorable day thereafter, if the water is
not in 1T condition for the race to come off,
but in case of such postponement it shall be
optional with the referee to fix the hours Of
the race between 10 and 11:30 am. or 2 and
S pm.
1T is mutually agreed that each contestant
shall deposit with the referee $500 within five
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 "Gol" if 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. Will
liam Blaikie of New York is to be the referee:
the decision of the referee shall he final, the
referee to accompany the men over the course
If possible.
:" Each oarsman has the right to select q
Judge to look after his interests who shall be