The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-08-23
THE COLUMBIA DISABLED.
Her Steel Mast Breaks During a
Race With the Defender.
New Yacht in the Lead When the Port
spreader Gives Way and Causes a Gem
eral Wreck-A Narrow Escape.

NEWPORT, f. I. Especially D.-Durlng the
race between the cup yachts Columbia and
Defender off this port the new boats port
spreuder broke, her topmast snapped close
to the cap OF the mainmast, the big steel
spar bent double like q boys tin putty
blower and her sails came tumbltng down
into the water. All the shrouds, stays,
board ratified to the deck. and In the period
OF thirty seconds the noble craft was
helpless wreck and rolled moaning In the
trough OF the sea. The Columbia had
three minute lead when the accident oc.
Cured. In the crash MIR. G. Oliver Iselin,
managing owner OF the yacht, and Frank
Allen, the mate, came Within an ace ol
being killed.
The catastrophe was 50 sudden and ap-
parentlv 80 appalling that the scores OF
pleasure craft and grlm-vlsaged torpedo
boats that were following In the 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 Gwln quickly dlstanced
the others, and stopping close to the
wreck OF the Columbia hailed her.
"No one Is injured and nothing Is dam
aged below deck" cried Mr.. Iselin in reply
to the hoarse summons OF the naval officer
Such proved to be the case. The Colum
bias hull was intact and there was no
danger OF her sinking. The Columbia Was
taken to Bristol for repairs.
For some time no one knew just what
had been the cause Of the accident. for
there was certainly no breeze blowing SUI.
fclently strong to cause It, but after look.
ing over the wreckage 1t wac observed that
the port spreader had broken upward by
the strain Of the topmast shroud, causing
the topmest to break of. The sudden
force Of the spar, the weight OF the top.
sail and clubs coming against the star
board masthead shrouds was too much tor
the steel mast, and 1t instantly collapsed
The topmost shroud, which Mr.. IseliD
says was the cause OF all the trouble, was
not in q position to properly support the
topmast, which fitted into the mast head,
telescope, fashion. instead OF being stepped
upward through the spreaders to the
head OF the topmast and, although the
crew OF the Columbia swayed the topmast
forward as much as possible for the race.
the port spreader was not able to stand
the strain.
No such serious accident ever before be-
fell cup challenger or defender In these
waters. The expense OF rerigglng the sloop
will be heavy, and, although most OF the
wire shrouds and stays can be used again,
they will necessarily have to undergo se-
we're test as to their strength, for the
wrenchiug they received may have rem.
dered them worthless. The hull Of the
boat was not seriously damaged, the only
perceptIble injury being large dent in one
Of the metal plates on the stsrboard side,
Just abaft the mast, caused probably by
either the blocks or spars striking 1t. The
plate eau easily be bent into shape, and,
being so fur above the waterllne, cannot in
teriere seriously with the boats speed.