The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-02-27
TEN NILES IN TEN MINUTES.
An Exciting Race Between Iee-yachts o.
the Hudson.

An Exciting Race Between Iee-yschts on
the Hudson.
From ths PoughkeepGe Cor. New Yost World
Ice-boating on the Hudson here and at
New Hamburg for the past few days has
been of the most exciting character. Is or
30 big, handsome yachts being engaged in
the wild sport daily. Strong westerly
winds have greatly intensified the fun,
and the yachtsmen have entered into it
with will not exhibited before by them
for years. II has been the desire of all to
get annual races on as soon as possible,
but the snow In large tracts and hum
mocks, prevents them. as clear, straight
course can not be laid out. From here to
New Hamburg there is clear ice all the
ay on the east shore, but boats cannot
go over it unless the wind is northwest,
and even the course deviates enough to
make the distance ten miles, when really
in straight line 1t is but nine. Ii was
over this course that one of the most thrill
ing ice-boat races ever witnessed occurred
yesterday, and the affair is the chief topic
in ice-bOeting circles. Jacob Buckhout.
the ice-boat builder, at odd times last
summer constructed for himself an ice
yacht little smaller than the first-class
boats, but provided with all the modern
improvements beauty in model, and
rigging and sails, and as light as con-
sistent with safety. Yesterday three
yachts of the New Hamburg association,
the Phantom, the Zephyr and Magic.
came up from below. The wind was
blowing big guns from the west. and a
dozen yachts were darting hither and
thither, but all seemed to ignore each 9TH
er's company, fearing a race, till about 4
p. NJ, when the New Hamburg yachts
started for home. 1t was at that time
that Buckhout resolved to give his new
yacht fair trial. and he immediately
gave chase to the Zephyr, Phantom and
Magic, starting little way behind all
the cockpit, with his hand on the helm.
windward runner-plank and Emory
shrouds. The other boats also had each
hit the yachts, and they lifted" and
swayed as they flew southwark past the
city piers with lightning speed, the men
on the runner-planks clinging for dear
life and holding their heads down to
catch breath. Now and then the boats
would dash through miniature snow hum
mocks, leaving behind q fog Of fine snow
and ice. A quarter of mile from the
city the Buckhout boat oyerhauled the
Phantom. There was a struggle for sec
ond only for the supremacy and tie Phan-
tom fell to the rear. Right ahead of her
was the Zephyr, the crack yacht of the
New Hamburg club, and the Buckhout
boat picked her up also and then dashed
aheadfor the Magic. The sails of all the
yachts, each carrying mainsail, were
close hauled, and the speed attained was
terrific. On the clear smooth ice they
were making more than mile minute,
but the, men on the runner planks kept
the boats down and steads. The Magic
was not so easily caught as were her con-
sorts, but the Buckhout boat soon Tapped
on her, and then went to the windward
and VIGOROUSLY led the feet. Again the
Magic came up, and a shout Of exhultation
went to the rear from her crew as she
swept by the Buckhout boat and once
more took the lead. Off Barnegat, FIVE
miles from Poughkeepsie. the yachts were
all close together, and they hadn't been
away FIVE minutes. Buckhout's boat had
again passed the Magic and the latter put
into Milton. virtually giving up the con-
test. The Zephyr was ow giving chase to
Buckhout, and the crews of both
yachts were on the alert for
every advantage. OFF Van Rensse!aer's
point a gradually sloping snow hummock.
nearly two feet wide in the center, lay
directly in the path Of the Buckhout boat
When it was first observed the boat was
so close to it that there was no time for
deliberation, and the helmsman took in
the situation at glance To put his
yacht short around quickly would lose
him the race and possibly the Zephyr.
coming like lightning close beyond him,
might dash on to him and some one be
killed. To jump the hummock was to
take the chances Of losing his mast and
the race. He took the latter horn of the
dilemma. and yelled to the men in the
runner-plank to '.hold fast. look ont
now" and braced himself for the shock
With the velocity Of whirlwind the
yacht struck the hummock and bounded
over it to the clear ice beyond. the snow
flying in sprays in every direction, and
not even cord in the rigging breaking.
A wild hurrah went up from the crew
as the victorious yacht passed on. and
now that she was close 10 New Hamburg.
scores of people were watching her closely.
OH Marlborough the wind came strong
from the gorge along Jews Creek. and
she lifted and swayed. but Buckhout kept
her down nicely, and she rounded the flag
of New Hamburg quarter Of a mile
ahead Of the Zephyr and still further
ahead Of the Phantom, having done the
ten miles in ten minutes.