The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-09
NO YACHT RACE YESTERDAY
The Puritan Fouls the Genesta and Car
ries Away Her Bowsprit,
Consequently the Race Was Declared Off for
the Day-Record of Events on the
Ball Field and the Turf.
AN UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT.
The Puritan Attempts to Cross the Genesta
Bow and Fouls Her.

The Puritan Attempts to Cross the Genesta's
Bow and Fouls Her.
NEW YORK Sept. Sat o'clock this morn
ing there was, to all appearance, as slight a
prospect of a race as yesterday. There was not
enough wind to ruf1e the sea, except when an
occasional puff came, which made the sails that
hung lazily on the craft about the harbor fill for
a second or two and fall down limp as before
To an ordinary landsman it looked as if there
was no chance of good wind, but those ac-
customed to scan signs of weather predicted a
brisk breeze before H. The vessels soon began
to arrive; first singly, and then by twos and
threes, till, by 1885, the lower bay was again full
of yachts. Near Sandy Hook dock the Puritan
was riding at anchor, while further in
the bay the dark lines Of the Gen.
esta made themselves visible as the haze
began to clear away. At $50 A. h. the wind
veered round to the east. and the yachts in the
Horse shoe were preparing for action There was,
however, at that time, very little Of a breeze
and slender prospects of race. There was not
a sail in sight within two miles of Scotland Or
Sandy Hook lightships Eager groups of people
kept sharp lookout for the black hull of the
Genesta or the snowy white stripe of the Yankee
yesterday. There was a considerable amount
of betting on the GeDesta, aud one over-sangulne
Englishmen had the bardihood to double
his bet on her. The hackers of the
Puritan, however, were equally sturdy in their
defense Of the American sloop. When the
yachts were under sail and were beating toward
the Hook, the Puritan was greeted with enthusi-
astic cheers The excitement rose with the
wind, and the betting, which had begun to flag,
became brisk, with large odds on the Puritan
When the yachts came in view from Sandy
Hook the Genesta and Puritan were in close
company, and making sail for Scotland light
ship The red white and blue pennant OF the
Puritan was first seen. The skipper Of the
Genesta pointed right toward the Puritan, in an
endeavor to take the latcer's wind away. The
captain of the Puritan believed he could cross the
Genestas bow, and tried to do so. The result was
foul, in which the Genesta's bowsprit was
carried away, and the main sail of the Puritan
badly torn. The CONSERVATION on the judges
boat and on the yaehts was great, and those
who were not near enough to see were afraid
that the yachts were injured below the water
line. It was foul. pure and simple, upon the
part Of the Puritan, and was due to the fact that
her skipper thought he could bring her before
the wind faster than he did The hole in the
Puritans main sail is in the afterleech, in the
lower corner and, of course, renders her useless.
1t was only by luck that further accidents were
avoided, for after the collision all the visiting
and attendant yachts ran up close to the Purl-
tan and Genesta, and several fouls occurred.
The judges held a consultation and talked with
the shippers of the Puritan and the Genesta
Both declared racing to be an impossibillty.