The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-10-18
SHAMROCK
MEETS WITH
ACCIDENT.
The Top Mast Of the Challenger
Carried Away After Twenty
five Minutes Sailing
WHICH LEFT HER HELPLESS.
Columbia Sails Over the Course
in Wonderful Time, Taking
the second Race.

NEW YORK, Oct. 1.-THE top mast
nj the cup challenger Shamrock carried
pway twenty-five minutes after the big
single stIcker had crossed the starting
line to-day and her enormous club sail
with its 5000 feet OF canvas, came rat
Ting down on the decl. leaving her a
hopeless cripple. No amount of pluck
or courage eouls face such catas-
trophe and Captain Hogarth immedi-
ately abandoned the race, towing back
10 the anchorage after he had cleared
away the wreckage. The Columbia com
,Inued over the course alone. placing to
her credit tile second of the races for
the Americas cup. The accident to the
shamrock ruined the race and caused
the leenest regret among the yachts
men and the thousands OF sightseers
who were on hand to witness what had
promised to be a glorious duel. 1t is
unfortunate that the defender should
have been the beneficiary OF an accI-
dent, as there Is little glory in beating a
cripple, but the rule Is ironclad. II
crippled before the start. time for re-
pairs is allowed, but once over the line
II anything carries away, the sufferer
must make such repairs as he can, OF,
II rendered hors de combat, as the
Shamrock was to-day, he must take the
consequences. There is good. sense and
logic behind the rule. The races are a
test of construction as wen as design
and seananship. Doubtless II Mr.. Ise-
lin could have had his choice in the
matter he generously would have de-
clIned to continue in view OF the crip-
Piled condition Of his rival, but the
rules gave him no alternative. He was
in duty bound to go on, and as he fin
ished within the time limit, the race
was his Had the accident not occur
red. however. It is believed that the
Yankee boat would have repeated the
beating she gave the challenger yester-
day. During the twenty-five minutes
the yacht sailed she had gone through
the shamrocks lead like a streak and
had established a lead Of more than
three hundred yards on the weather
bow.
Former Accidents.
When the Puritan fouled the Genesta
on the inside course In 1887 carrying
away the challsngers bowsprit and top
mast, although the race was at his
mercy under the rules, Lord Richard
Sutton magnanimously refused to
claim It. To avoid Just such a contin-
gency, In which the beneficiary of an
accident is always reluctant to claim
his rights, u special clause was added
to the regular rules this year, leaving
absolutely no option in the matter.
This clause was signed by Sir Thomas
Upton and Mr.. Iselin a few days before
the date of the first attempt to race.
The accident to-day shows what a dell
cate machine a racing yacht is nova
days and how close to the limit Of safe
ty 1t is built. It is a superlatively light
structure. weighed down by enormous
ballast to carry the gigantic spread OF
canvas, The most delicate and scIen-
tifc adjustment Of weights is required.
The simple breaking Of a stay to-day
wrecked the Shamrock.
J The wire backstay Of the top mast
which helps to support the slender
spars, gave way and this support re-
moved, her Oregon pine top mast, us
big as a telegraph pole, sixty feet long
and fourteen inches in diameter, snap
ped on like a match Just above the
lower mast cap. This mast was not on
ly supporting the pressure Of a fifteen
knot breeze against her big kite. but
was also sustaining the crushing
weight OF the sail itself and the two
club top sail yards each forty feet
long. Later in the afternoon the Sham
rock was towed up to the Erie basin, In
the upper bay. A new top mast will be
sent up tomorrow and she will be re-
measured. She will probably be taken
out for n spin Tomorrow to try her
new stick and the third race OF the SER
les WIN be sailed on Thursday. This
race Will again be over a wIhdwagd and
leeward course, and II the Columbia
wins the series will have been complet-
cd without giving the Shamrock an op-
portunity to test her mcrits In her fav-
orlte point OF sailing over triangular
course.
Glorious Contest Promised.
The day had promised glorious con-
test There were only gray neutral
lines In the morning. but hard, strong
twclve-knot breeze out Of the east kick
ed IN the white caps and the wind and
tide helped TO pile up the ttlmblIng WA
ters. Tho Shamrock went out eager
for tho fray. She cast on her tow bc-
fore she reached the bell buoy at tho
head or the swash channel and mndo
the remainder OF the wny with n light
shift under her own canvas II looked
Ike blow such as the Shamrock is
reported to have been praying FOR and
the sailors Of the Irlsh boat made ey-
orythlng snug nloft IN anticipation ot
an incrcusc IN the wind Tho rIec wps
TO be over an oqullatornl triangle, ten
miles 10 The Lex, which would give the
challenger chance at aor fayorlt4
point Of saliinT, reaching IA ooon as
mo committee had slsaalled the course
sas nIst leg q beat to Wlndward, cast