Daily Republican., 1883-05-10
EDITION
STEAMBOAT RACING,
4 TRIAL OF speed Between two.
mlngtOn NteMInDO0(a. VII

"luxDu ot0WSmDO0G1.
The Philadelphia Times to- ,.ro
Two steamboats, lay at Y IA IH.,snyn. snyS
wharves, between Cbesr NJ % and rTar4 SWaInr.
streets, at twenty m on,ss s GU" aft.r ''au fin
yesterday afternoo . The % wbaryaI rvuI
were crowded wi n borss. " ,,uctS u"ins, ,nI
express wagon 4 oStreams of neomI' "''a
hoafeu hoaf 81 peS X'ers.tely beneath horses
hea.a,s ho,Sus "n' .an the gauntlet of rolling
va ' rao M rumbling boxes In an effort
~ ~. !" ch We gang-planks before the
y. ming BELLS stopped ringing. Out Oh
-seiA~hre avenue steamboat runner,
\ were dividing the streams of people in.
10 two lines, one line pushing through
the narrow gateway leading to Pier s,
and the other line rushing over ts
rough cObblestones of Pier 9. Two
luen, who looked like hotel runners ata
summer resort, stood in the middle of
the street and shook their fists at each
other in an outburst Of anger.
"If we don't beat your old tub down
to Chester I'll eat my coat shouted
one.
"Well, then, you'd better 20 without
yonr dinner, SOS to have a good appr-
tite," sneered the other.
The bell OF the Morrisania, at Pier
had sounded its last warning, and the
whistle of the Wilmington, at pier ),
was uttering spasmodic shrieks as the
crowds hurried over the gang-pank,
The decks were crowded.
ono, madame" gasped an officer ol
the Morrisania, as he made a deck
hand Of himself in the frantic effort To
get everything on board before the
steamer swung clear of the dock; 'no,
there will not-hurry along, you ubher
be any race. Racing-all aboard--ls
forbidden by lawn with the gang.
|plank !"
The plank came in with rush and
the officer leaned over the rail to catch
a glimpse of the Wilmington, which
was edging away from the wharf like
runner at the starting point of race
track.
The MOrrisania, a short, compact lit.
tie steamer, with enormous sidewheeIS.
shook herself free of the wharf and,
with full head Of steam turned On,
shot down past the Pennsylvania Raj.
road freight station at racing speed
A very heavy column of spray shot
up from the Wilmlngton's propeller a,
the pink land v hite bow swung clear ol
the Morrisanla'S wake. The Wil,ain.,
ton was heavily loaded and the start
was slow. Before she could gain the
channel she ran afoul of a tug and DRIFT.
ed inshore. When she finally got clear
and darted out into the channel the
Morrisania was opposite the American
Steamship Lines wharves. The start
was "A great advantage.
"It's going to be nip and tuck, SIR
said a middle-a.ed man. The Wi.
lnington beat this morning, and guess
the Morrisania folks are bound to get il
first this trip, if they shake the Old boat
to pieces. Racing's against the law,
but so long as the steam pressure is
kept belo" AZ, no matter how great ;i'
speed, it's all right"
While the wind blew up the river
the Morrisania lost ground rapidly,
but held her own at the Lends in
the river where the wind got a chanrc
al her bulky paldie-huX,V At tie bend
in the river below Gloucester TIE VII.
lningion showed Ter h.OaIsidc, like 4
great white fish, Il cloud OF smoke
hanging over her urck and Il double
column o1 pay shuo'lhR up lrbhs Nr'
sharp bow, ike streams from tom'
tain.
"rhry're crowLing her." said the
uiddlcaged man, as IA bigger, h.AcHrT
column Of smoke shot into the hazy air
"They could overtake us if they wou'
push their engine, but it don't pay i'll
a race Of this sort. They're gaining on
us, however, but we had too mur.. oI
start"
The Morrisania brought up at the Che'-
ter wharf with shock that threw aey-
cral persons down, and before the bow
lines had been secured the gang plank
was run out and the people crowded
out upon the dock. AS the last ras.cl-
ger scrambled ashore The WiImin g'Uh
came down like Il race-horse and whist
led inpat icntly for the dock. As the
Morrisania cleared away the Whining
ton glidrd up ,othe wharf, put a,h"r"
her passengers and freight, and, win a
shrek OF defiance, darted away for the
final struggle to Wilmington.
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