The sun., 1899-08-03
C0LUMBIA'S MAST SNAPS.
RACE WITH DEFENDER OFF NEWPORT
y COMES TO A SUDDEN END.

General Wreck-Owner Iselin and Mate
Allen Have Narrow Escape from
Serious sInjury-Accident Pronounced Un-
avoidabIe-Repairs VIII Bo Completed
at Bristol in Time for Next Weeks Cruise
of tho New York Yacht Ciub-what Prom.
ised to he Fair Test of the Two Flyers
Unfortunately Spoiled by the Mishap.
NEWPORT. Aug. 2.-During the race between
the cup yachts Columbia and Defender of this
port to-day the new boats port spreader broke.
her topmast snapped close to tho cap OF the
mainmast. the big steel spar bent double like
boys tin putty blower and her sails came
tumbling down into the water. All the shrouds.
stays. sheets. halyards and running gear
above board ratified to the deck. and in tho
period OF thirty seconds the noble craft
was a helpless wreck and rolled moan
ing in the trough Of the sea. In the
crash Mr.. @. oliver Iselin. managing
owner OF the yacht. and Frank Allene
the mate came within an ace Of being killed.
Tho catastrophe was so sudden and appars
emily so appalling that the scores Of pleasure
craft and grim -vlsaged torpedo boats that wsre
following in tho wake OF the yacht seemed to-
pause for an instant. Then recovering from
the shock they flew to the spot where the
yacht lay. like mammoth seagull. wounded
on the water. Emitting dense clouds OF black
| smoke the feet torpedo boat Gwin quickly
dstanoed the others. and stopping close to the
wreck Of the Columbia hailed her.
No one is injured and nothing IL damaged
below deck." cried Mr.. Isein In reply to the
hoarse summons Of the naval officer. Such
proved to be tho case. The Columbia's hull
| was intact and there was no danger ofhsr sink.
ing. Tho mshap. which looked at first aS
though 1t had ended the career Of the cup de-.
fender. can be repaired in four days. The boat
will be ready to start on the cruise Of the New
York Yacht Club next Monday and she will b0
on the mark whom she Is called upon to race
against the Shamrock on Oct. 3 of Sandy Hook,
The details OF the accident are these: Tho
yachts had crossed the starting line and were
beating against the wind for the stakeboat.
anchored one mile Off the Block Island bell
buoy. They had raced just fifty minutes. and
the Columbia had established substan-
| tial lead over her rival. Tho exact spot
where the towering mast and clouds Of
canvas collapsed was two miles southeast
by east from the White Lighthouse on
Point Judith and eight and three-quarter
| miles from the Yellow Sands on the bluff Of
Block Island. The wind was blowing fresh
from tho south-southwest about ten miles an
hour. The sun smiled brightly aud the sea
| was not rough. 1t was an ideal sailing day.
The Columbia was the port tack and
| headed in direction that would make her
| clear Point Judith by two miles II she kept on
| the hitch long enough Suddenly at 1905
| o'clock the port spreader cracked. That was
| the beginning OF the trouble. Tho spreaders
are two pieces Of wood. square shaped. like a
| wagon tongue. that are fastened on the top
mast near the heel and extend out on either
| side about eight feet. They are used to lend
| purchase to wire ropes or shrouds which ex-
| tend from the top OF the topmast to the
sides OF the yacht opposite tho mast. They arc
fastened to the deck by what are called turn
buckles. The shrouds are drawn as taut as
| possible to keep the topmast from bending.
| The reason the Columbia port or left hand
| spreader broke was that In all her trials up to
last week she had been using an Oregon
| pine mast. to which the topmast was
| fastened in the usual way. on the for
ward side OF the big SPAR Last week
| this pine mast was taken out and now steel
| mast was placed in the boat. This mast con-
| taiDod new contrivance OF Designer Nat Her
reshoff in the shape OF a telescoping topmast
| which could be lowered into the hollow steel
| tube or hoisted to its place at will. The idea
| was to do away with the cumbersome device
heretofore necessary in fastening the topmast
| to the main stick.
The rigging OF the Columbia was bent to no
| the old style device. and when the new mast
| and telescoping topmast were put In last week.
| the gear would not run true from the deck
| through the spreaders to the topmast heade
because the position OF the topmast had prac-
| ticay been changed from forward OF the main
mast to inside the mainmast This appeared
| to be a small matter. but to-day's catastrophe
proves that 1t is not so. Undue strain was
| brought on the port spreader at this particular
| time in the race and the piece Of wood broke
| inside the masthead shroud. leaving no sup
| port for tho topmast. Tho instant the
| sprsader cracked the topmast. which supported
| huge club topsail. bent like a whip to the
| snapring point and then snapped close to the
cap or top of the mainmast. Over to starboard
| went the topsail. topmast. shrouds. halyards.
| sheets. and everything pertaining to the sky
| works Of the yacht. The complicated mass
| hung for an instant by the shrouds which fell
| over the gan halyards. Then the overwhelm-
| ing burden proved too much for the big steel
mast which. robbed OF its support. wavered for
| a second then bent in the middle like jack
| knife. Tho whole fabric which hung to 1t clat-
| tered to the deck or fell into the sea.
| Tho sailors were lying on deck. strung out
| fiat on their faces like SO many dried fish.
| Capt. Barr was at the wheel and Mr.. IselinS
| guests. Herbert G. Leeds. Woodbury. Kane.
Newberry ID. Thorne. Almeric Hugh Paget
| and Nat Ierreshoi. the Columbia's designer.
| were sitting on deck near him. Mrs. Iselln
| was below. Mr. Issln and Frank Allen. the
crash came Mr. Isen and Mate Allen jumped
| to windward just in the nick Of time. Tho big
steel boom. weighing ton or two. fell to the
| deck so close to Allens head that his cap was
| torn OF. At the same time the wire on the
| truss OF the main boom grazed Mr. Iseln's
| shoulder.
The fearful suddcnness OF the thing rendered
all on board speechess for a time. Mrs. Iselin
| jumped up the companionway and gaIed
horror stricken on the desolate scene. Thirty
seconds passed, and not word was spoken.
| Then Mr.. Iselin said
| is any one injured? Is sany ono oyerooard?"
The words aroused all hands from their
stupor Capt Barr left the now useless wheel
| and Numbered forth his orders:
| stand BY there. to clear away that Rear!"
Aft here. the port watch. and haul that
mainsail on deck"
The Deer lsle sailors jumped at the words
| and began to work like beavers to gather in
l,la a., -.