The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-20
ARCTIC STEAMERS RACING.
Il YANKEE BOLT MAKES THE RE
CORD ON LAKE BENNETT.

|
Her Competitor Was a Canadian-Klon,
dikers Bet Gold Dust wfaio tho Race Was
On-On and Bacon burned in the Fur.
naces and BOY Sat on the safety Valve.
snATTLn, Wash. Aug. 5.--steamboat rac-
ing on Lake Bennett and the upper Yukon
River 10 now at its height, and some Of
the recent contests have In excitement
| equalled the old-time races on the Mssis.
sippi River. The steamers are not unlike
those Of the Mississippi. They have stern
or side wheels. big deck houses, and the
usual half-glass pilot house. They burn
wood altogether. Some OF the vessels were
built OF steel In the East. shipped across the
continent on fat cars In sections. carried
to Lake Bennett, and launched. others
| were built Of native timber on the shores
| Of the lake. The most exciting race 30
far was between the steamers 8. 8. Bailey
and tho Australian. The latter was beaten
BY q few miles and Capt. Bailey won Q
small fortune.
The Australian Is owned by the Canadian
Development Company. an English corpora
ton. and is undoubtedly the finest boat on
the lake. Tho Bailey 10 O wooden steamer
owned BY q Seattle hotel man. and was the
tramp of the Lake Bennett fleot ALTHOUGH
she cost only half the price Of tho Australian
sho developed speed from the start. The
two steamers had several contests before
the great race. but something always hap
pened to the Australians machinery which
prevented actual test Of speed. About
a month ago the Australian and the bailey
lay at the upper end Of White Horse Rapids
about to start for Bennett City. A tele-
phone message was received from the lower
end Of the rapids that the Bonanza King
had Just arrived from Dawson with sixty
Klondikers who were in q hurry to reach
skagway. II. Maitland Kersey OF the Aus
tralian line took several ticket-ssIlers over
the three-mile trail to meet the Klondikera
making the portage. Capt Bailey followed
alone on q mule. All sorts Of Inducements
were held out to the Klondikers by the
rivals. The miners were not in q hurry to
purchase transportation and decided to wait
until they saw the boats. The portage was
finally completed and bidding for business
became very brisk. Capt. Bailey at last
Getected a movement in favor of the Aus
tralian on the part Of the leaders of the
klondike party. He mounted a box and
said:
You fellows are in a hurry to roach BEN
nett City You say you will travel on the
fastest boat The fare to Bennett On either
steamer is $50. II the Bailey does not Land
you there first the trip will not cost you .
cent"
This offer won the day for the Bailey, and
the Klondikers filed on board Tho steamers
longshoremen began to hustle the baggage
on beard. AS soon as the owners OF the
Australian saw that the passengers were not
for them. they started their boat at full
speed for Bennett. Her owners said that
Capt. Bailey must lose the 81 200 fares in
yolved In his offer. Nine minutes later tho
Bailey left the White Horse landing, and a
stern chase began.
Several miles ahead the Australian corid
be seen. Black unoke poured out of her
stack, and occasional blasts Of fame show
ed that oil was being used to make the boat
80 faster. Her stern-wheel was kicking
through the water at a tremendous rate The
Klondikers on board the Bailey thought they
were surely In for a free ride to Bennett
Capt Bailey went down into tho fire-room
and showed his firemen a stack of bright
500 pieces. which he said would be theirs II
the Bailey landed first A quantity of bacon
had been left on beard by mistake II was
put into the furnaces carefully Slowly bit
surely the Bailey began to draw UP on her
rival. After two hours she was Immediate
eastern and lighting against the Australians
swell: Tho channel Of the Tnku. In which
the boats were then running, il narrow.
There was room to pass had each vessel held
course. the Australian crowded to either
side whenever the Bailey tried to pass her.
ana the miners thought they were shut out.
over the stern Of the Australian hung a
number OF Klondikers, who tainted a group
NJ miners on the bow Of the Bailey with their
seeming defeat. Big Bill Anderson, a rich
kiondiker on the Bailey, raw q chance for
bad stal,ed 30 much Holding up a sack OF
gold he yelled 70 the Klondike crowd ON
the Australia:
TN bet this sack we beat you in"
III take the bet" cried Kondiker on
the Australia "Have the sack weighed and
put It up with Jack Davies. I'll give you
pain In champagne with your money TN be
just like finding It."
Inc gold scales were brought out. and An.
derson's sack was found TO be worth sb foo
The Klondiker on the Australia nut Up
llke amount In crisp Canadian Bank of Com
merce notes with Yukon" on each end In
heavy red letters "
The channel was still too narrow to admit
OF the Bailey's going ahead. and tho Rion
alkers Sill joshed each from stern and bow.
are there any more fellows with money
On the Bailey" asked Burt Ashton. a San
psS nf Sn Oman man who had cleaned up big mo-
Two thousand here that I'd like to double,
gu fellows seem pretty easy"
I'VE men on the Bailey put up 81 900 each
s snn covered the money. Several wagcrs Of
VOW and less were placed
Near Cariboo Crossing there are two
channels That lead into Lake Bennett. Ono
Is very safe. but some I'VE miles longer than
ne other which is full OF rocks Tho Aus.
.raiian bad no pilot, and was compelled
10 take the longer run
Wen beat them cure. now" said Cant,
ANDERSON or the Bailey. 1T can take this
BOAT through the cut or without the least
LANCER" ''
Owner Bailey shook his head I'VE will
90 through the long channel" he said. we
need no unfair advantage. There will he
10 doubt when this race is over which boat
IS the faster'
The relative positions of the two steam-
'rs did not change an inch as they rushed
llong through Cariboo Crossing across
Windy Arm and. finally into Lake Bennett,
mere was now plenty Of room to pass and
he Bailey had the chance she had waited
or. Not soul on either steamer was
sleep. The decks were crowded The dark
,aze that forms an Arctic summer night
lad settled down, and both steamers looked
Ike great fireworks machines Showers
" bright wood-sparks were scattered out
n wide trail behind the steamers. The
n lNF NWwVNa.