Seattle Loses by Half a Length—and Wins the Lake

Seattle's first amateur regatta was rowed yesterday on Lake Washington over a mile-and-a-half straightaway from a point just north of Madison to Bartlett's boathouse at Madison Street. The senior four-oared race was first on the programme, scheduled for 3 o'clock, and from 1:30 until the last minute carload after carload of friends and supporters of the various crews disembarked at the foot of Madison Street and sought places to watch. The Madison Street pier, Bartlett's boathouse, the Canoe Club, Karl Engelbrecht's boathouse and the Laurel Shade were crowded with spectators. The syndicate boats had lowered their prices to a more moderate rate, and rowboats, sailboats, launches and canoes were pressed into service. The lake presented an animated appearance, dotted with dozens of small craft, the white of the men's flannels varied by the brighter colors of the women's parasols and costumes. A conservative estimate put the crowd well into the thousands. If they came expecting a better race than the first on the programme, they were sanguine enough to be delegates to a Populist convention.

At about 3 p.m. the launch Aquila, bearing Referee George R. Carter and two timers, steamed out and gave three blasts. The Burrard Inlet and Portland crews were already at the start; Seattle paddled up shortly after. The steam craft followed. A dead silence, then calls of 'One stroke ahead, Portland,' 'Hold her, Burrard,' 'Back up a stroke, Seattle,' until the three crews were in line—Portland next to shore, Seattle in the middle and Burrard outside. The pistol cracked and twelve oars rose together. The start was perfect, with any advantage seemingly to Burrard Inlet, Seattle and Portland even. At the end of the first critical minute the Seattle crew was rowing a smooth, even, powerful stroke, the boat running between strokes in rhythmic motion, in marked contrast to the quicker, jerkier stroke of their competitors. After the first quarter mile Portland led, with Seattle and Burrard Inlet neck and neck for second. Portland was rowing a quick, choppy stroke, timed as high as forty-two to the minute, but seemed to be shipping water; some of the crew, especially in the bow, were swinging out of the boat. Despite these defects, the Portland crew had managed to drive its shell at a high rate. Burrard was pulling hard but its time was far from perfect; the crew was wasting much force. Seattle was pulling a steady thirty-one strokes, well within itself.

At the half-mile Seattle had drawn away from Burrard and Portland led Seattle by open water. During the next half mile the positions remained: Portland still had open water, but Seattle's steady stroke was telling, and Seattle was drawing away from Burrard. In the last half mile excitement reached fever heat as Seattle crept up on Portland. Inch by inch the blue and white drew up. But the judge's pistol declared the course covered in 8:52 2-5, lowering the Northwestern amateur championship by 12 3-5 seconds, with Portland leading Seattle by less than half a length and Seattle leading Burrard Inlet by about three lengths. Thus ended the most important event of the first regatta of the North Pacific Association of Amateur Oarsmen held at Seattle and the third in the history of the organization. Seattle, with less than three weeks' training, had held its own with veteran crews trained for months and demonstrated the superiority of the Eastern or college stroke over the river stroke.

In the junior singles, H. H. Watson of Burrard did not start after his hard race, and F. T. Bourgois of Portland rowed over the course. The senior doubles was a walkover for T. W. Vreeland and R. C. Hart of Portland in 10:07. The double paddling canoe race had three crews: J. D. Watson and H. C. McCauley of Victoria, in a racing canoe, took the course next to shore; P. W. Charleson and A. K. Salsbury of Vancouver were next; William N. Redfield and H. S. Redfield of Seattle, in cruising canoes, were outside and badly handicapped. Victoria led down the half-mile and finished six or eight lengths ahead of Vancouver, with Seattle far astern. A mishap occurred when McCauley, a well-known Victoria canoeist, lost his balance and used his paddle to steady himself; Referee Carter mistook the movement for an attempt to beat the pistol and put the crew back half a length. Lieut. Hayden of the launch Antic went overboard while trying to keep one of the ladies from being thrown overboard; he came up, smiled reassuringly, and struck out for shore.

R. C. Hart, captain of the victorious Portland team, said afterward: 'I have pulled in many hard races, but never in so hard a one as today's. We rowed a leading race from the start, but as we neared the finish I had lots of anxiety on my shoulders, for I knew one of my men was practically exhausted and probably could not stand a spurt. For the last few hundred yards every time I glanced out of the boat I could see the broad, powerful backs of the Seattle crew drawing nearer at every stroke and cutting down our lead inch by inch. Had I known the finish was so near I should probably have risked it, but the pistol cracked while I thought there were yet 100 yards to be covered. As it was, we deceived the Seattle crew also, for they were waiting for us to spurt before they began. Had we both spurted, or had the race been 100 yards longer, the result might have been different. The Seattle crew is the finest-looking crew I ever saw together in a shell, and we are proud to have been able to snatch the victory from them.'

In the evening members of the crews occupied boxes at the Seattle Theater. The boxes were draped with club colors. Mrs. Alice Shaw, the whistling prima donna, appeared with streamers of ribbon including the colors of all the clubs and was enthusiastically applauded; on her first encore she was presented with a basket of flowers tied with regatta colors. During a pause, George R. Carter, commodore of the regatta, still in boating costume, addressed the audience and distributed gold medals. The winners of the Canadian Pacific cup, the senior four of the Portland Rowing Club, received the greatest demonstration, one carrying the trophy. A call came from a visiting oarsman—'What's the matter with the Seattle Senior Four?'—and the hearty response showed how fully the home crew's gallant fight was appreciated. Carter closed hoping this would be the first of many regattas at Seattle, marked by the fair and square, manly, upright spirit of true amateur sport.