The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-26
BUNS ON BAR NOT OVER FIFTY
FEET FROM THE CLUB
HOUSE.
RUDDER CUTS THROUGH STERN
VARUNA ALSO OUT OF TT RECAUsR
HER MAST SNAPPED
SHORT
They VIII Be Sailed T0dny-Tartax
Goes Over the Course ut Great
Speed

Wind, confusion, expectation and
disappointment were the Drincina1
features of what was to have been the
first race of the series between the
White Bear and the Minnetonka. vacht
clubs at Minnetonka yesterday after
noon. There was no race Two of the
four boats were disabled: The Alfrida
and the Varuna. This spoiled the
races in both classes and equally d.
vlded the misfortune between the two
clubs. A gay crowd of 400 people was
sadly disappointed. The pretty girls
pouted and said it was 'just too awful
~ awful" and the stalwart duck-clad
sailors, wet to the skin. swore SOFTLY
and sweetly, the sound Of which was
drowned by the raging wind. The
story Of the race is this:
Inc largest crowd. by far, that has
ever been attracted to the Minnetonlxa
facht club house by any event assem-
pleu tnere yesterday afternoon to wit
ness the first of the series Of three
races. The afternoon trains were
packed with spectators, most Of whom
LOOK passage in small steamers for
the Club House island. The wind was
one OF the strongest that has ever
peen experienced at Minnetonka on
clear day. 1t was blowing twenty-six
miles per hour and the waves were
running remarkably high The four
contestlng boats were rather slow
ABOUT getting ready. Alfrida, the
White Bear sloop, was towed up to the
clup mouse by the judges boat. Tartar
sailed up close reefed a few moments
later 1t was 3:33 before the Judges
Doat, Acte, got into position. The
judges were Fred Hopkins and z. II
Phelps, of Minneapolis, and DR.. T M
Welsh, Of ST. Paul. Preparations were
being made to fire the starting gun
for the sloops, and Tartar was RIM
nlng up and down the bay like a wild
colt, waiting for the signal to be eivan
10 start. Alfrida slowly swung ont
from her moorings at the club house
interest was intense as the two sloon5
oreW closer together for the first time.
Ihen there was a jar and a halt IN
the part OF the Alfrida. Her taught
canvass began to f1utter in a distressed
manner and 1t soon became apparent
tnat she had met the ignominious fate
u running hard on bar within fifty
1eet OF the club house. Her rudder had
peen Jammed up through her stern
ana she was helpless. Before the
judges fully. realized what was the
matter Alfrida had her sails down and
was oe1ng blown across the bay to
the Cottagewood shore.
Iartar in the meantime was waiting
ior the gun, winch was not fired. She
bore down on the scene and tried ~
get an understanding Of the situation
Inc confusion ratified the shippers of
the two cat boats Varuna and Nushxa
After some hesitation the judges decided
that there must be some kind of
race anyway, and so with difficulty tbev
gave the cats to understand that a gun
would be fired for them to start The
gun was fired. Varuna was near the
starting post in readiness, and the
NGshka was not far behind. Var1Ina
swung out OF stays and heaved aWay
Tor the start. Just as she was crossing
the line her mast gave way under the
terf1nc strain and cracked with a noise
that could be heard clear across the
bay. That settled it. The race could
not now be sailed in either class. The
judges came in to the club house and
delivered the doleful ultimatum. No
tice to that effect was posted on the
club bulletin board and 1t was officially
stated that the series would be begun
over again today. BY this morning.
both the disabled boats will be ready
for another trial. The Alfrida's in
Jured rudder can be fixed in an hour or
so. and Capt. Wetmore thinks he can
easily borrow a mast that will take the
place Of the broken one in Varuna
Tartar, after ascertaining that all
races were off, took advantage of her
start and sailed around the course once.
Her running was phenomenal The
terrific wind drove the marvellous boat
through the water like an arrow Peo-
pie fairly gasped. 1t was undoubtedly
the fastest water sailing ever done on
the lake, and the speed of the boat
nearer approached that of an ice
yacht than anything else. No one had
a chance to see what the Alfrida would
have done under similar circumstan-
ces.
An idea Of the force Of the wind can
be obtained from the fact that the big
powerful steamer, City of ST. Louis,
could not steam against it out of St
Louis bay. After several attempts, she
had to give it up and swing around
into the sheltered cove opposite the
Milwaukee railway station at Hotel
St. Louis. Her passengers were trans
ferred to tug boats.