Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 January 1882 — SWIMMING FOR PRIZES. [ARTICLE]

SWIMMING FOR PRIZES.

Some Pretty ‘Contest* in the Xhst River—AnExcitingMatchße- . X. tw’tgn Wojnen. v i New York Son. There was great sport at the swimming races the other day at the foot of east Bixty-flfth street. Many spectators were present, and they heartily applauded the efforts- of the contestants. The ladies’ race occasioned particular interest, and the recklessness with which-gloves and caramels were bet on the result wasshgiply appalling. The-races were all with a strong flood. Good tlmte, for amateurs, was made. The judges were John Wendel and B. Huitz, and the referee was E. Plummer. In an intermission between the races Miss Hattie Goes,Meta Steinburg, Clara Jackland, Eva Stubenbord, and two little f Ha, Amanda and Nellie, disported themselves gracefully and skillfully in the water in iront of the Alma Club house. The tide was running like a mill race when the contests began, and some alarm for the safety of the swimmers was felt, but skillful boatmen followed the contestants, and no accident occurred, though one youhgster had a narrow escape from drowning.

The first race was for boys; distance, 400 yards. The starters * were Louis Kahnweiier, H. Braun, G. Phillippi, A, Isaac, F. Btenglin, H.. Huller, M. Faebr, G. Schafer, and L. Samuels. There was a hot contest for the first 100 yards.' Then Schafer drew to the front, closely pursued by Braun and Phillippi. i Schafer won by a few feet in 2 minutles, twenty seconds; Braun, 2:24}; Phillippi, 2:25}. The next was a 100-yard pupils’ race. The starters were B. Schwartz, James Clark, M. Goldman, H. Crane, G. Rainer; C. Egendolph, Louis Parisette, and C. Hoffman. The youngsters had a scrambling start, tumbling overboard one after another. Clark dived first, and for the whole distance it was close work between him, Schwartz and Rainer. The order of finish was as follows: Clark, 57} seconds; Schwartz, 1 minute 1} seconds; Rainer, 1 minute 271 seconds. An exciting episode occurred near the finish. Parisette, a youngster of eight, became exhausted and sank twice and was going under the third time with a feeble cry of “Oh, Mother!” when boatman Thos. Heaney rowed rapidly up, and with the assistance of the referee pulled him into the boat. The next event was a race for young men; distance, a half mile. The starters were M. Lippman, Oscar Kahnweiler, J. Platt, A. G. Hall, J. Phillippi, 8. W. Lippman, G. Hoffman, and W. Hoffman. Kahn weiier took a header first, bi*t S. W. LtppmanquiCkly breasted him, and for fifty yards held a lead of a few feet. Then Hahnweiler overhauled him, and it was side by side for another fifty yards. Then S. W. Lippman again took the lead, and with a very pietty stroke Continued to increase his lead, and passed the finish fifty feet ahead of Hahnweiler, in 6 minutess2}seconds. Hahnweiler's time was 7:13}; M. Lippman’s, 7:22}. The fourth race was open to all; distance, one mile. In this event several crack swimmers appeared. The starters were Ml Lippman, A. Meffert, P. Seitier, A. A. Schmacher, Gus Sundstrom, andC. Hroehle. Sundstrom is a powerful swimmer, and at once took the lead. He was close pressed by young Meffert for an eighth of a mile, but from that point to the finish Sundstrom continued to gain, and, with a neat hand-over-hand stroke, passed the finish the winner in 18 minutes 50} seconds; Meffert, 19:54}; Hroehle, 20:55}; Mippman, 21:03}. There was great excitemet over the ladies’ race; distance, 200 yards. The entries were: Misses A. Leckerling and C. Struthers, both handsome blondes; and Misses Katy Hoffman, Fanny Ahrens, and Flora Henlein, pretty and graceful brunettes. Miss Lockerlifig took a header first, bobbed np serenely, and kept the lead for the fiist fifty yards. Then Miss Henlein came up nearly abreast of her, with Miss Hoffman only a few feet behind. It was close work between the three for the next fifty yards, but Miss Leckerling. With a very graceful stroke, began gradually to increase her lead,and, though cries ashore urged her competitors to renew their eftorts, she passed the finish a winner by several feet in 3 minutes 51} seconds. Miss Henlein came in second in 4:10.}; Miss Hoffman’s time was 4;12f. . The prizes were gold medals, and were presented to the winners in eloquent speeches by President John Wendel of the Alma Club.''< 7 Afterward there were tub races and goose chases, and the sport wound up with a grand “ schi tiers tech en.”