The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-06

State victory is not known. All the yachts
lie In wait for the train, and the fortunate
one is the yacht that catches the wind
portunity Is sought by all the crack yachts
The Empire Express, at a point near
Poughkeepsie runs along the very brink
of the river, the tracks being laid upon
an embankment built for them. So close
is the train to the water that the slight
est accident would send ii skimming over
the surface of the ice When the accident
happened TO the embankment month ago
the train was so quickly submerged that
many passengers lost their lives penned
in the cars like rats in a trap.
1t is in this locality where train and
yacht almost meet, that the great race
takes place.
The Empire State Express, be 1t known
is like a hgh-bred race horse. 1t let's moth
ing passit off at at the post at the signal
from the engine driver, it speeds to It's des-
tination, dashing past all competitors and
coming out ahead with time to spare.
Knowing the fettle of its competitor the
crack iceboats of the Hudson lie quietly
alongshore waiting for the speedy train
and ready to measure distance with IL.
Oftentimes the ice yacht must wait for
days before it can catch the Empire at
the proper time and minute, for boat and
train must start even and both be in full
running order when the running start Is
made There are no starters to assist In
the getting off of the race. Each must
watch the minute and then put forth all
endeavors.
The Empire can do nothing but keep
the steam at highest pressure. But the
ice-yacht, with its hardy crew and It's
doughty helmsman, can and does WORK
hard for the spurs II wins.
The race is a mighty Interesting one.
The man who invented the ice-yacht of
\ 1853 would open his eyes in surprise were
he to see It, The first ice-yacht is said to
have belonged to George D. Allaire of the
Shrewsbury, in New Jersey.
He constructed a box seven feet long by
four feet broad. making It Of the rough
est hemlock. He mounted 1t on three
short runners rudely shod with iron, and
rugged it with a mast stepped like that
Of catboat fright in the eyes of her"
On the mast he set mainsail with a very
low peak. This boat frivolled about the
ice, and the grandfathers of New Jersey
made a days tour OF the river 70 see
the thing on. The boat was not remark
able for either beauty or speed nor could
1t have raced with fox terrier, let alone
the Empire State Express
From that rude beginning blossomed
out the great ice-yacht the Scud, which
once sailed a mile In half a minute with
q latecn rig IN bowling gale. When this
feat was accomplished one man was out
the weather runner holding on 20 the
shroud, and the man al the tiller was
hanging on by his eyelids afraid to
breathe. One of the men on this occasion
tried to pray, but as all he could think
of was Now ! lay me-" he gave up the
attempt, and devoted himself to hanging
| on like grim death That was a race
! In q squal.
The ice boat Of a few years ago was a
| duck boat of very primitive type with
| three runners all FURNISHED and sharpen
/ ed. This boat was quite expensive and
led up TO the present ones Of great cost
/ Nowadays the boat that races with the
/ Empire State Express has runners Of tobin
/ bronze blocks Of aluminium and rigging
Of the finest quality of flexible silver steel
| The sails Of the new craft are as elegantly
made as the muslin Of the Defender, and
/ the same trouble is taken to secure that
exquisite wilderness so noticeable IN the
yachts that sail for the Americas cup
The best results have been obtained
from the craft that carries only a baby
jib, just for balancing purposes. Her
mainsail gives her the motive power Il
has very high peak, Ike that of an up
to-date racing catboat, and the rigging Is
of finest wire. The runners are OF cast
steel and the sDars are hollow.
A mile a minute can only be obtained
by The very heavy boats, the bigger the
boat the greater the speed. The smallest
ice yacht for racing purposes must be
twenty-eight feet long with her back bone
In one piece.
1t will not do for sportsman Of small