Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1895-09-13
Valky rie Defeats Defender IN
the Second Race for the
N II Americas Cup. n WI
Accident to the Latter Yacht
Ruined Her Chances at Il
II. the Very Start.
Sails a Plucky Race, However,
and Finishes Not a Min
ute Eehind.

! and swittness, Defender followed Val.
| kyrie across the finish line. Less than
! half q mile separated the two. and
I anxious eyes kept pace, second by sec.
ond, with the time indicators as they
moved around, and when it was seen
that the American defender had not
only lost nothing in the last 30 miles OF
the course, but had actually gained, a
great shout went up for the gallant
struggle the vessel had made. 4
There were cheers for the victor, too,
but although Valkyrie III was the first
challenger since II to lead over the
home line, the honor Of the perform.
! ance was lost sight Of for the time in
the grand effort Of the American, for II
it, were for nothing else, the Amer.
can heart loves the hard loser in the
fight, and loves him the more when he
loses w. S.s r. w. = "
Through No Fault of His Own.
It was grievous accident that ruined
which, under the hair-splitting circun-
stances Of jcckeying at the starting line,
looked to be unavoidable. EARLY in the
morning the racers had leisurely made
their way down to the Hook from Bay
Ridge, white winged and beautiful.
Just before reaching the starting line,
when Valky1ie was still to windward
and Defender to leeward a length
asterh, but still overhauling her, the
American be at was blanketed 50 much
that her baby jib topsail and jib shook.
Captain Half seeing this, luffed up
little, evidently Intending to let the
other boat go ahead tor the purpose OF
enabling him to pass unaer her stern
ana to windward. Captain Sycamore,
at y alkyrie's tiller, noted this move and
lutfed up also. 1t was then that the
thousands Of watchers on tie surround
ing Loats noticed
%s* How dangerously Close
to each other the racers were. And
Just at that moment, too, a snap and a
rending sound was heard, anu 1t was
seen that Defenders J1b topsail was fly
ing loose in the wind. Valkyr.e's
main boom had swung around ana
fouied Defenders rigging. Valkyr4e,
which had crossed the line first, had
gained . good lead Ey Defenders GAS
aster and had probably 4 little more
than half q mile advantage at the end Of
the first leg in the triangular course
over which they sailed. Her gain was
something less than four minutes in the
bent o windward. From that Oh, how
ever, Defender, while not perceptibly
closing the gap between them, lessened
the time and they crossed the line not
y Tot
kyrie, according to corrected time, how
ever, wins fiom the cup defender by
Just AZ seconds. .-r
&c.,. Spectators Limited.
There was life and motion at the
start, although it was no such sign as
was presented OH the day CT the first
race. Far back in the quiet hours the
sea was dotted here and there with a
sal, and the smoke on the horizon told
Of an advancing fleet and when the first
sun was fired a swinging vanguard,
bright with color, was there to speed
the racers on their journey. Then,
while all eyes were on that invisible
line over which q step made too soon
would prove fatal, Defenders mishap
came. Recovering quickly, however,
and followed eagerly by those to whom
the breaking away Of the jib topsail
and the bending Of the topmast meant
for the moment abandonment of all
hope, she went in stern pursuit. With
in q few minutes it. was seen that De-
fender meant to sail the first leg ~
$751;. Without a Jib Topsail -,
and to many Of those ON the excursion
steamers and accompanying yachts, this
gave the first inkling that an accident
had occurred and that Defenders top
mast was the weak spot. The course
was down the Jersey coast, and nauti-
cal experts ON board some Of the boats,
critically observing Defenders progress,
expressed themselves as believing she
was merely following the Englshman
over the course without attempting to
race. This belief was strengthened by
the fact that directly after the fouling
at the line a protest flag was run up
with vigor that denoted determina-
| ton on the part of the American com
mander. But Defender was in for a
race, and during the progress Of the
| first few miles, sufficient repairs were
made to enable her to set baby jib top
sail after rounding the first buoy.
Canadians Were Jubilant.
MONTREAL, Sept. H.--Thousands Of
people yelled themselves hoarse in st.
James street in front Of the newspaper
l 100 = = : ~ o. - - - II