Sewickley Herald

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The Sewickley Valley's Home-News Weekly
Vol. XXVII.   No. 34.
SEWICKLEY, PA., THURSDAY, JULY 3, 1930
Price 5 cents.
Z31)£ 3\acc of tb* ^fcts? .Ann. and t^e Bom (Brcene
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The Tom Greene at the starting Hue—Tlie Betsy Ann after the race—and thecrowd of eager passengers during raee
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BETSY LOSES
Thousands Watch Third Annual River
Race
—By Boss W. Buck—
The old adage, "Youth will be served, '' was again proven Saturday afternoon, when tho comparatively now,
steel-hulled "Tom Greene" showed a
clean set of paddle wheels to the veteran "Betsy Ann" during the last
nine milos of tho river race from 12
miles below Cincinnati to Coney Island,
ten miles above.
A tactical error by tho pilot caused
the downfall of tho Betsy, tho former
Mississippi stoamor which had tho support of tho old river mon as woll as tlie
backing of tho Pittsburgh district, for
at a eurvo just below the Cincinnati
bridge on which"" tho Betsy had tho inside, ho gavo the. onginoer the signal
to "livo steam" her and ho cut across
a sand bar. Tho Betsy, quivering like
a struggling animal, shot across the
bar and shoved Iter nose ton feet, then
fifteen past tho gangplank of tho Tom.
A great shout roso from tho 75 passengers and nows mon on tho Betsy
and from the hundreds of people lining
tho bridgo.
But their joy was short-lived, for the
Betsy's pressure had dropped 30 pounds
after tho engineer had opened her up
wide and tho Tom Greene, her funnels
belching black smoke, gradually pulled away from the smaller boat, amid
thc cheers of thousands of her supporters lining both banks, thc wharf and
bridges of the city. As soon as the
Tom pulled in front of tho Betsy, tho
raco was practically over, for it is almost impossible for a steamer to overcome the backwash and swells and pass
a boat in front.
However, in spite of the walk-away
finish, every one on both steamers, on
the "Island Queen" and the "Washington," carrying hundreds ot excursionists to watch the race, had a wonderful time, for the sky was blue and
cloudless and the Ohio was truly beautiful.
Tenseness and excitement wero in
tho very air as preparations for the
raco wore made at tho long sloping
wharf at tho end of Sycamore street,
Cincinnati. Reporters and photographers were rushing hero and there, inspecting tho boats, interviewing the
captains, pilots and passengers. Mr.
and Mrs. Frederick Way, Sr., of Bdgo-
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(Continued on Pago 4)
Boss W. Buck, Herald Editor, taking in
thc raco as part of his vacation
Says he's enjoying it all!
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