“BARGE ‘PRISTIS’ LAUNCHED – Interesting Aquatic Event Witnessed on the Bay Yesterday – About two hundred persons, the greater part of whom are ladies, witnessed the launching of the TRITON ROWING CLUB’s new eight-oared *BARGE* (Note: the word ‘barge‘ was used for the sleek racing craft specifically built for competitive rowing races, albeit the word sometimes conjures up images of bulky, freight carrying floation platforms nowadays; which are quite different – ed.) at the Santa Fe Wharf yesterday afternoon. The event was one of the most successfully managed and most interesting in the history of rowing organizations here. The barge, which was built in this city by MANUEL S. GOULARTE, a Portuguese, is the most shapely and perhaps the fastest barge in the bay, and as it lay on the float near the wharf yesterday it was greatly admired… ~ The barge is…, 40’ long, with a 4’ 6” beams, has sharp lines, and will no doubt prove to be very speedy… , She is 20” longer than the ZLAC’s recent boat, with a beam just 2” larger as well…, the vessel was christened by Miss Mary Currier…”
(*Source: San Diego UNION & Daily Bee newspaper – Sunday, September 5, 1897 – Pg. 5)
*Editorial Notes: This racing ‘barge‘ Goularte built for the Triton Rowing Club initially cost about $500 (equivalent to $18,600 today, and by 1899 it was serving the San Diego Rowing Club and 5 female rowing clubs then here. – ed. ~ *Source: San Diego Weekly Union newspaper – Thursday, September 21, 1899 – Pg. 5) ~ Meanwhile, “ZLAC‘s” first exclusive barge was launched on August 3, 1895 from adjacent to the Point Loma Ferry landing, some two years before GOULARTE‘s ‘Pristis’ (curiously, the Latin word for ‘sawfish‘ – ed.) listed above for the Triton Rowing Club. ~ Meanwhile, ZLAC (founded in 1892) is famously America’s *Oldest* Continually Operating Female Rowing Club (132 years now, and counting… – ed.). Begun by Ms. Lena Polhamus Crouse (daughter of Captain Albert A. Polhamus), Lena persuaded her sisters (Caroline & Agnes) and their friend (Ms. Zulette Lamb) to form a female rowing club; using the FIRST LETTERS of *each* of their first names; forming the acronym ‘ZLAC‘. See link below: