The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-09-14

naval academy at that place up to 1874, when
she was bought by Gen. Butler for the ex-
tremely low price of $4,000, it is said, She
were then taken to Gloucester, Mass, over
hauled and used for a pleasure boat until the
next year, when she was entered for the famous
Isle of Shoal regatta. Among her competitors
was Rufus Hatch's fast yacht, the Resolute.
the Rambler, Halcyon, Fosm, Fearless, Com.
ing, and other speedy crafts. The race was
| over a 80 mile triangular course, with dag
boats at each corner OF the triangle.
CRAFrY DODGE.
The night before the day of tho race the
America put back into Gloucester, and Capt
jim Read, the skipper, went ashore. IN a
tical and experienced sailors from the fishing
vessels in port, and put them on board the
America, sending his regular crew ashore.
arrangements were also made by which tho
fagboat or buoy marking, the turning point Of
the course on its longest leg, was carried away
out to sea and moored. The race was started,
the America and Resolute fighting for first
place. When they came up to the place where
the fiag-boat should have been the America,
then in the lead, came about and stood in for
Of the other yachts kept in search
of the flag boat, while the crafty Ben
and hts Cape Ann crew laughed in
their sleeves. The America won, of course,
but the prize WAS not awarded. Rufus Hatch
was dissatisfied and Disguised at the way the
America had won and challenged Butler to race
him again over the same distance. Butter was
agreeable, and two match races were sailed
between the Resolute and the America, the
latter winning both; one being awarded on
time allowance, and the other on actual time.
During the winter of 1876 the America re-
ceived a complete overhauling, a new deck.
new wales and setting the masts plumb instead
OF tho old style OF raking masts, being the
principal alterations. In the summer Of that
year she proceeded to New York, intending to
compete for the Queens cup, won by herself
twenty-four years previous, but upon her
arrival she was barred out, as she did
1os 0si sluSb. She ' went Now over f4 the
course, however, showing the other yachts the
way, and came il considerably ahead. The
America next sailed for the Cantenniai prize
and silver service, the course being from Sandy
Hook lightshlp to Cape May lightship and re-
quite handily, but only secured the Centennial
prize. After this Gen. Butler issued a chal-
lerge to sail any yacht in the New York squad
ron twenty miles to windward and back, but
the America laid in New York harbor for
three weeks awaiting an answer. In August,
1876, she sailed for the Bennett Challenge cup
from Sandy Hook lish,ship to Benton's
reef lightship. Of Newport, and back,
= distance of 2 miles. In this race
she suffered . mishap, her headgear
being carried away while between Shinnehook
and Fire island, at a time whom she was only
led by one boat Owing to this accident she
lost the race. The same year, whom the yacht
the Madeline, Of the New York squadron, the
America met the two boats outside Sandy
Hook and beat the Madeline, the winner of tho
match, by four minutes and forty-two seconds,
although she had only her sailing crew aboard,
and also carried a pleasure party Of ladies and
gentlemen. The America then came back to
this port and her spars and sails
were reduced for cruising, as Gen. Butler
proposed to cruise among the West India
islands This trip was postponed until
provements costing $4,000 were made upon
her. She was entirely replanked two streaks
below the water line, her length increased six
and a half feet aft, and two feet forward, the
old lines being retained, and various other
changes were made. The America is now los
feet long over all, and 96 feet on the water line,
~ feet 8 inches beam, has o draught of IL
feet = inches, and ID ninety tons measurement.
The main mast is 70 feet in height.
There are five large commodious staterooms,
and four large open berths in the after cabin,
beside ten berths il the forecastle for the crew.
She is built of oak and hackmatack and planked
with teak, beside being copper fastened and
diagonally braced with iron. or late years the
America has not sailed in regattas or made
matches, Gov. Butler using her for a pleasure
boat exclusively.
A BLIND YACHT BUILDER.
Probably the fastest steam yacht in the
Worlu OF ner BIG, ana uhuoubteoly the fastest
in American waters, has just been sold to
Mr.. Mark Hopkins, the California million
aire, now Of st. Clair, Mich, and she is now
upon the way to her destination. This yatch
bears the enIgmatlcal name of No. 100 and
is EXCHANGED for $4,000 and the steam
sos, 800. The No. 100 was built by the
Messrs. Herreshoff Of Bristol, R, l., who
have the reputation of constructing som of
the fastest small craft afoat The yacht was
IaGtrfnnl fA,. fhn ,r,~r ~ A. a.
ideas in the way of marine steam engines that
her builders had recently conceived, and is
100 feet in length, with a breadth of l21a
feet. and has made over nineteen knots
an hour, or about twenty miles. The
No. 100 is a fne-looking craft, and
is admirably adapted for yachting
purposes having a compact steam engine and
boiler occupying but a small part of her hold,
while every inch of the remaining room is
utilized for the cabin, gallery and forecastle.
The most remarkable thing in connection with
this yacht is that her designer and builder is q
man who has been totally blind for over thirty
years, and has, in spite Of this misfortune, de-
veloped an ability in work Of this kind which
ranks him at the head Of his profession. This
blind genius 10 Mr.. John Herreshoff, the head Of
the firm. The mod els of the vessels designed
by him are prepared by well-approved mathe-
NAUTICAL calculations, worked out mentally
but after tho model is made he goes over it
carefully, detecting instantly all defects by his
keen sense OF feeling. The ability of this won
derful blind genius ls not confined to the work
of constructing bulls. He has taken a large
share in the improvements made by the firm in
the ordinary marine engine. Some time ago the
Herreshofs turned their attention to the con-
struetion of improved boilers, and the blind
brother succeeded in inventing the coil boilers
with which their vessels are fitted out. These
boilers have the merit Of not only developing
power in an astonishingly short time, but also
of reducing to d minimum the possibility OF
disaster by explosion. Tho No. 100 is prO-
vided with one OF these boilers. The engine
has at the cylinder what is termed the ~"annnlar
valve," an invention of the blind genius, and a
device which has no counterpart in the world.
Mr.. Herreshoff has contracted to build a small
steamer that will do twenty-five knots az hour,
and hopes shortly TO turn out q craft that will
steam at the rate of twenty-five knots an hour.
Yachts and yachting will grow in size, speed
and popularity every year. NELsE.
Bob IngersolIs Little Farm.
New Orleans Special: Consequent upon the
s