The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-12
TIE PURITAN AND GENESTA.
A Race that Began in Promising Style
Comes to an Unsatisfactory End.
The Wind Dies Away and the Yachts Are
lowed Back to the Starting Point-An-
other Effort To be Made To-Day.

NEW YORK Sept 1.-THE failure of the
Puritan and Genesta to race on Monday and
Wednesday is probably responsible for the de
crease in the business done by the excursion
steamers to-day. Very few of the many steam
ers left their piers this morning with full com
plement of passengers. The Iron Steamboat
Company sent out .hree steamers this morning.
and the Knickerbocker line two The number
of private yachts and steamers which left the
city this morning certainly no smaller than
on Monday
Betting Oh the result of the race was active
down town this morning. The odds. while in
the majority of cases in favor OF the Puritan
were not as heavy as on Monday. Sporting
men seem to think that, with stiff breeze and
a heavy sea, the Genesta will be able to outsail
her competitor with ease. There were few
offers of two TO one in favor of the Puritan
which found ready takers.
1t was with grim forebodings that their jour
ney would, for a third time, be useless, that
fleet of graceful yachts unfured their canvas
last night and left their pleasant anchoraGes
about Staten island. and headed for the bolster
Gus Horse shoe The schooner yachts Resolute.
Tidal Wave Clyte, Foam, Estelle, varuna and
steam yacht Vision, all bobbed on the crested
waves of the Horse-shoes troubled water at MID
night. AS the night advanced the wind in
creased, and the waves rolled higher and higher
The wind blew dead from the northeast and
kept increasing from ten miles an hour at sun
set to nearly twenty five miles at midnight This
morning broke hopefully, and at daybreak
all was life and hustle board the
yachts The ''offshore" signal was hoisted
on the flagstaff of the Highlands The wind was
then from the northwest and blowing at the
rate OF twelve miles an hour, with indications of
a steady all-day breeze. At 8 o'clock none of the
sailing craft had started for the light ships
although much was spread. The
schooner yacht America, with General Butler on
board, was the first to arrive at the Horseshoe
TINS morning. Soon thereafter the Puritan and
Genesta were sighted coming up on the port
tack, the Puritan from the Narrows and the
Genesta from the west bank.
The hotilla which gathered around the Scot
land light ship this morning imposing in
number, even if it did not equal the dimensions
of the great feet which covered the face of the
ocean week ago. In addition to the countless
yachts, from the majestic schooner
to the saucy-looking sloops and
cutters which dashed among their
larger companions like gulls or minnows, there
were the steam yachts and a number of large
steamers specially engaged for the guests of the
New York Yacht Club. Some eager persons
went down to Sandy Hook last night expecting
to lind accommodations there, and had sorry
time of 1t, wandering about. wet, cold and hun
CRY, upon that unacceptable spot. Few of them
remained to see the great race which had
prompted them to their unwse expedition
Famlshed with cold and hunger they took the
earliest boats or trains for New York or Long
Branch. The day regarded as most favor
able one for the Genesta, but the Puritan after
the Geelet-cup race IN rousing southeaster, at
Newport, should not be thought to dislike the
weather. Gen. Ben Butler could not have
wished a better breeze for the America and to-day
he is not thought to have any reason to com
plain. even though he were arranging match,
as he did at Gloucester, when the only condition
of the race was that there should be an eight
knot breeze. 1t was then said after he had been
beaten by the Fortuna, Gltama and Mahyon,
that he had the wind he wanted. and the process
of whipping him was termed, Educating Ben
Butler" He will go the course to-day in
the America.
Capt Jesse Clock. one of the best informed of
the younger yacht SHIPPERS and the son of old
Capt Wat" Clock. of the sloop Mischief, said
this morning that he never saw any vessel make
the speed that the America did one day beating
to windward in a strong wind.
Early In the morning an hour after daybreak
the sailors of several yachts pulled away from
their craft toward Sandy Hook. When they
arrived they drew from their dngies portentous
looking bags, which they Immediately began to
fill with sand. This they took back to their
vessels. and soon the grind and swish of the
work of holly-stoning the decks could be heard
on the shore.
A Post dispatch from the Horseshoe says:
In the nelghborhood Of the Scotland lleht-ship
the morning opened with fresh northeastern
breeze. without much sea, although the white
caps far out gave indications of rough water
later in the day. By o'clock the Horse shoe
was full of life, most of the large
yachts having anchored there for the night
while the Narrows were crowded with steam
ora and hn
carried nearly 10 600 passengers between them
The Puritan and the Genesta were towed out to
the lightship. In company with the judges boat
and the tug of the New York Yacht Club at 10
o'clock. and there was good deal of fast sailing
done by the crack yachts of the club while the
racers got ready The sky was overcast, with
streaks OF hight in the east and the breeze
freshening every moment. AT l1:45 the whistle
to get into position was sounded, and the
sloop and cutter had every square inch of canvas
up as if by magic. The way the Genesta showed
her hull, under the pressure of the breeze
amazed the yachtsmen, who had not had occasion
to see her in anything but the comparative
Gains of Monday and; Tuesday. She keeled over
at times in way that would, have frightened
the spectators had they not known how much
more of her was still under water and how many
tons of lead held her down. Her speed during
the preliminary Sailing for position could scarce
ly be compared to that of the American boat
but both dashed through the water in fashion
which promised fine race. They did not come
near enough to have what might be called
brush until the line crossed perhaps having
last Tuesdays disaster in mind
SAT l125 the signal to cross the line was
given, and within a minute the two blasts from
the Judges boat announced that the racers were
off, the Puritan passing first so far as could be
seen from Sandy Hook, and taking the windward
course, heading about northeast, nearly parallel
to the line of Coney Island. The Genesta was
about ten seconds behind and on the land side
Whether her delay was due to the Puritan hav
ing taken her wind, could not be determined
even with good glasses Five hundred yards
from the start the two boats had drawn apart
but were running with about the same speed,
the Genesta wishing, apparently to repeat Mon
days performance and get ahead of the Puritan
by going freer the Puritan sailing about as close
TO the wind as possible. By the end of the first