Evening Star Newspaper, April 6, 1930, Page 99

- b ——— NI T XZIEXTIF & et g s A s g THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, APRIL 6, 19 e A of the other clubs used to meet to bury the hatchet and participate in the cheer that is now prohibited. This was a most romantic spot, the club house on the bluff above the landing some 200 feet, and down from which tumbled a small stream through ravines of rocks, to the river below. “Here, indeed, was the ideal spot for lovers, and oh, how many homes even today turn back the pages of courtship days with happiness and relief, in reminiscent mood. “What mysteries of thought and what realms of delight are brought back when the curtain of time is pulled aside and retrospection of the social and racing trips made to Fredericks- burg, Lynchburg and Richmond are recalled, and where, after the races, the crews and members were recipients of Virginian hospi- tality—receptions, dances and convivial pariies marked the trips, and time passed lightly to all who made the trips. “In boating parlance during its history many important clews have carried to victory the colors of the club—red and white—previous to the year 1900, and perhaps the greatest of those were the one which made up the heavy and light four's, and which, when thrown into an eight, formed a crew that was the best the city ever had. The heavy four was made up of Dyer, Reynolds, Robinson and Elmore, while the light crew was Fisher, Kearney, Cornwell and Warden. These two made up tne famous eight-oared crew, that, with Doyle in the cox- swain seat, won the $1,000 championship cup given 'by the Staten Island Boat Club for a race on the Kill von Kulls course between Staten Island- and New Jersey. There were eight crews in the race and the Potomac in winning it made the fastest time ever recorded on that course. “ANOTHER great crew that also made the aquatic world sit up and take notice was that composed of McKinney I, Ryan 2, Baker 3 and Fraser stroke, for they brought into the organization many silken and silver trophies of their prowess on the water. Per- haps their greatest of all great achievements was the race rowed in the senior fours in the Potomac River Regatta in 1883, in which they had as antagonists the Eurekas of Newark, N. J., a four-oared crew that had 14 rivers ¢o its credit, and came to this regatta fresh from winning the championship of America at Saratoga Lake; the Columbia Athletics, the Metropolitans and Fairmonts of Philadelphia. “The race developed into a driving test of skill between the Eurekas and Potomacs through the entire stretch of water, and 100 yards from the finish line theé Potomacs were leading by about two lengths. At this point a small sailing boat got into the course and fouled the Potomacs, allowing the Eurekas to take the lead, but soon djsentangling them- selves the Potomacs straightened out, and, in one of the greatest spurts ever made, over- took Eurekas and crossed the line winner by a scant half-length. In speaking of this fine ending, Chadwick, the New York Herald’s great authority on aquatics, said he saw what was almost impossible to accomplish, but he doubted if it would ever again be done.” AS usual, The Star covered this regatta in its interesting way, and what Mr. Doyle has said is supplemented by its report of Scptem- ber 26, 1883, which the writer found to be in part as follows: “POTOMACS WIN THE THIRD RACE “THE CONTEST BY SENIOR FOUR'S “TIME, 9:38 “The starters were No. 1, Crescenis of Phila- delphia; No. 2, Eurekas, of Newark, N. J, and No. 3, Potomacs of Washington. The Columbias failed to put in an appearance. * * * At the start all got off together. The Eurekas soon took a slight lead, followed by the Potomacs, but there was but little difference between the three boats. At the quarter the Potomacs and Eurekas were side by side, with the Crescents only half a length behind, the Potomacs row- ing 42 and the Eurekas 36. At the half the Potomacs had lost a quarter of a length, but soon regained their position, and the Crescents were even with the other two. “At the three-quarters the Eurckas had & slight lead, but it was still anybody's race, clear water not being visible between any two of the boats. At the mile the Potomacs had dropped to third place, but were not a length behind. Here the Potomacs struck good water and picked up somewhat. It was a desperate fight between the three. At Easby’s the posi- tions were about the same but the Potomacs spurted and were almost even with the Eurekas, rowing 44. The oar struck a tug and the Potomacs lost two strokes. They got to- gether again and spurted magnificently. They kept it up and passed the nose of their boat a few feet ahead and won the race, the Eurekas right on top of them, with the Cres- cents among the pleasure boats, stopped. “The Potomac boys were wild with delight. Notwithstanding the fact that they lost two strokes by a foul, they gathered themselves together like a flash and were immediately at work, rowing their lightning stroke clear through and taking the lead away from the the crew that before today claimed the cham- pionship of the United States. “The race was won by clear grit, and few such magnificent contests have ever been rowed. The Crescents had a good chance to win up to the last half, but they seemed unable to stand the pace and sheered off by the unequal pulling of the sides.” CONTINUING, Mr. Doyle’s recollections, in- . terruptea by The Star's account, he tells us: + “This crew also captured the senior cham- pionship in the Potomac River regatta, and by their wonderful speed kept the club always to the fore in important races. “Another remarkable crew,” he says, “was the: four of Elmore, Robinson, Reynolds and Dyer, who, during their time and as long as they rowed regularly together, never met defeat, leading the best crews oI America across the line’ first. In development, this crew stood out pre-eminent as the most perfect one’ ever pro- duced on the river.” Ky One of the best races in which this crew The Potomac Boat Club winners of 1904. Left to right, standing: Spence r Bliss, Ourand, President Doyle, Thompson and Ju Ganne. Middle row, left to right: George Scott, McGowan, Carl Muller, Barber and Hernan. First row: left to right: (um- known) Bocock, Mandeville and Hanliein. participated occurred in the Potomac River re- gatta of 1886, when the senior four, including the names mentioned by Mr. Doyle, did some fine rowing, as told by The Star of Sepltember 29, as follows: . “The race for senior fours, which followed, W. C. McKinney (right), Potomac River champion, 1881 to 1885, and Joseph also won their race. It was indeed a big day for the Potomacs, who won four out of the six races entered, capturing individual medals on all the races, the Mason cup, The Star and Post cups, besides several banners. Another crew which Mr, Doyle recalls with T. Daly, champion 1901, members of the Potomac Boat Club.: was the event of the day, and the result was a great surprise. The Potomac crew, which had won the race for junior fours a short time before, succeeded in this race in outrowing their competitors—the Fairmonts of Philadelphia, the John Hadley Doyle, president of the Potomac Boat Club, 1898 to 1908. champions of tYe ccuntry, and the Columbia senior fours.” 3 In the same regatta, according to The Star, the Potomac eight, consisting of Kearney, stroke; Fisher, Cornwell, Dyer, Reynofds, Rob- inson, Elmore, Warden, and Doyle, coxswain, pride was the one in 1904 that won the junior, intermediate and senior eight-oared races here, and followed this up in New York by adding the title of champion to their fame, ‘when th2y defeated the pick of America, including the Argonauts of Toronto, then the American champions; Mallas of Philadelphia, Unions of New York and Staten Islands of New York. “This crew,” Mr. Doyle says, “was composed of Bocock 1, Bloss 2, McGowan 3, Thompson 4, Scott 5, DuGanne 6, Mueller 7, Bahr 8, Hanecke coxswain. They were coached by the great “Pat” Dempsey and rowed in perfect form. Spencer Bliss, one of the best of all athletes 'of the District, was one of the leaders of the crew.” HOUGH the Potomac Boat Club is still going strong, yet-few today can realize its popu- larity and importance three, four and five decades ago. Its history teils us it developed some really topnotch. scullers, including “Pop” Truax, -“Dick” °~ Morgan, . “Connie” Bailey, “Charley” Warden, “Billy” Britt, “Stefe” Kearney, Louis Fisher, “Will” Roberts, “Joe” Daly and others. In talking over the merits of the old sculler of the club Mr. Doyle grew very enthusiastic in praising Mr. Warden, who, he said, was “the most proficient oarsman and sculler of which he had knowledge, and withal the most re- markable in every way.” He said he doubted if any club anywhere ever had his equal. “Weighing, .in condition, but 118 pounds, yet he filled a seat in the big winning senior eight, pulled bow in the unbeatable lightweight four and rounded out nis career by being a cham- pion sculler.” ! As to the coaches of the old Potomacs, Mr. Doyle was equally as ardent in his praises of Charles E. Courtney, who made such a fizzle of his race with Hanlan in 1880, saying of this noted oarsman: “Charley Courtney, after his many fiascos in matches and tabooed by the'’ public generally,” was picked by ‘the'Pitofiines '’ as’ codch' & yedr after thdy’' had throwh 'his - boats, étc., from their cli®, due to"Ris ‘Weird' and funny race with Hanlan. So good did he make that under him the Potomacs races, and then Cornell University placed under ironclad bonds, and he could back to the Potomacs, even though it club that made him.” The writer has not before him a full the presidents of the Potomac Boat Club, those who helped to build up this popular useful organization he finds that Edward Schaeffer served in 1878, William H. Gibson 1879, Capt. W. H. Howgate, 1880; W. H. Apple- ton, 1883; Samuel E. Wheatley, 1884 and 1885; G. M. Fague, 1892; George -J. Johnston, 1896; Gilman M. Fague, 1897, and John Hadley Doyle from 1898 to 1908, being succeeded by Charles G. Warden. 1%y e clubs, of which, most naturally, the Potomacs had a full share, and since quite a number of these are still with us he is going to give you the names of the officers and members of the Potomac Boat Club for 1894, perhaps one of a few lists obtainable. They were: George J. Johnston, president; Ulysses S. Roulette, viee president; Oscar P. Schmidt, secretary; Edward F. Riggs, assistant secretary; Charles G. War- den, treasurer; Willlam M. Offley, captain; William E. H. Merritt, lleutenant; Joseph A. Oliver, 2nd lieutenant, and James C. Addison, Thomas Antisell, William H. Appleton, Frank H. Barbarin, Edward Barrington, Henry B. Bennett, Harry C. Birge, Fred J. Blair, Willlam H. Conley, Arthur B. Cropley, George A. Von D‘chfll'lmfi' Edward Derrick, PFrank L. Donnelly, . J. D. Doyle, J. Hadley Doyle, Douglas Dyrenforth, Robert G. Dyrenforth, Jchn C. Exner, Gilman .- Fague, B. Carlyls Fenwick, Allen E. Fraser, J. Eakin Gadsby, Wil liam Galt, E. Richard Gasch, Ferdinand Gawlét, Austin Herr, James H. Horah, George J. Johm ston, Frank Jones, William ©.’ Jones, ‘John Al Joyce, John T. Kelly, Lawson Lindsley,’ Edwin Maurice, Ernest H. May, William E. 'H. Meritt} Frank A. Miller, George C. Montgomery,; " John J. Nolan, Walter D. Nolan, Willlam M: Offiey, Joseph A. Oliver, M. K. Page, Samuel C: Palmer, Frank M. Pearson, Armistead Peter, M.D.3 Michael J. Quinn, Edward G. Randall, E. Frane< cis Riggs, William F. Roberts, Harry S. Rohres, R. Douglas Simms, Arthur Small, George T, Smallwood, Robert- H. Spurgeon, Thomas Q, Steward, Edward G. Temple, Wade E. Thomag, John A. Waddey, Charles G. Warden, Samue} E. Wheatley, William P. Wheeler, Walter R. Wilcox, Henry C. Winship and Claude R. Zag-: pone. : 7 Pacific Flathead ,Borers.' . "[HE Mediterannean fruit fly is met, battled and conquered, according to latest reports, so along comes another pest to claim a little spotlight. 4 ; The pest under discussion makes his habitas in the Southwest and along the Pacific Coass. He directs his activities at tke orchards, nurseries and ornamental and roadside- plant- ing of deciduous trees. : ' Known as the Pacific flathead borer, he not only bores as any natzead might be expected to, but is also a downright nuisance. His, principal means .of attacking. the trees is to get into the growing tissue just under the bark: and either.ring the trees, killing them outright, or stopping the flow of sap and bringing about slow decline of the trees. The principal means of combating the bor so far developed. are to apply guards which prevent the depositing of eggs on the bark or, once the borers have made their way into the bark, to cut them out with a knife. T Should protective measures fail, there re- mains only the recourse of fooling the boref' and planting trees he doesnt like, such as the black) walnut, - ehestnut (which has' its oW bligtit; anyway);' hackberry, sweetgtm,’ Ehg- lish™* harwthortt, “Honey ' 'locdst!” Black’ ‘lobi achbias! biSewosq, Eurspédn lindbhs, @hpréss trees, maidenhair trees and various conifers.