The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-10-18

efl PROBABLY, was there q mofp mnBni-
hcent or exciting start in a cup contest
and the nishnan carried on the hon
ors. The two yachts wheeled and cir
cled about like big white EuilH, each
striving for the advantage. their huiiS
and decks and sails cleaning in the
sun.
The Shamrock finally got the Column
bia under her lee two minutes before
the start. and. try as the defender
would, she could not shake on her
rival Both were on the port tack, to
the southward OF the lIghtShIp. Finally,
when but seventy seconds remained,
the Columbia wore around beautifully
while the Shamrock simultaneously
tackled In the other direction, apd thus.
making two divergent circles. they
came around on the starboard tack
and headed for the line.
shamrock Had Advantage.
A collision was almost inevitable had
they approached each other at an acute
angle under the lee of the lightshlp, but
the Shamrock established an overlap
and the Columbia had TO keep oil, and
almost together they bounded away in
the smoke Of the gun. so close that a
sailor might have stepped from one
boat to the other. The Shamrock was
perhaps a half length ahead and in the
wlndward berth. Both had their sheets
trimmed straight aft. and as she went
across the Columbia set her baby 3lb
top sail. It was broken out and sheet
ed homo In eight seconds. But the
smartness of the Yankee boat in set
ting It's sail did not compensate the
patriots for the disappointment they
suffered on account Of the shamrock's
superior generalBhlp in getting the
weather berth But their dlsappolnt.
ment was short-llved. The ColumbiE
was blanketed and the patriots expect
ed to see her drop astern. Instead she
gathered headway and went through
the shnmrock's lee like u race horse
Madly she footed and in I'VE minutes
she was clear OF her adversary. Five
minutes later the Shamrock went about
on the port tack. but the Yankee held
on for a minute. to be sure Of the wea-
tiier guage. AS both heeIed away on
this tack it seemed that the Columbia
would repeat her performance Of yes
terday, for she footed faster and point
ed higher. Fifteen minutes after the
start she was three hundred yards well
out on the green boats weather bow,
and forging ahead at every bound. The
Shamrock did not set her handkerchief
forward. evidently believing from her
experience yesterday that It knocked
her of the wind.
Captain Hogarth was able 10 keep
her closer, but he could not hold her
as high as the white beauty. The Coll
umbIa's head sail lifted her head out Of
the waves and made her splash more
spray as her bow went smashing into
the long swellS. The experts thought
this made her spill wind out Of her
sails. But they had no heart to critl-
else the Bristol wonder, as she ate her
way to windward. Meantime the great
mass of excursion boats chased after
the big flyers and the wind was fresh
ening until It blew to fifteen to sixteen
knots.
Challenges Left Helpless.
About twenty minutes after the
yachts were started some Of the sharps
with their glasses glued on the two
boats noticed that the shamrock's top
mast appeared to sag a little. Several
times she was luffed up sharply. "she
won't carry that club over the course"
said one Of the men aboard The Assocl-
ated Press tug, John Niehola Suddenly
at 1924 the big kite and the whole top
hamper Of the green boat tumbled over
to Ieeward, and the stately challenger
was helpless cripple. Her big sail fell
lIfeless, like the wing Of a bird hit by
the hunter, and she lay on the water
helpless.
No one In the excursion fleet knew
what had happened, except that the
club top sail had carried away, and It
was almost a cry OF agony that went
up from the sIghtseers. Although the
Columbia was to be the beneficiary Of
the accident never were there more
sincere expressions Of regret than when
the Shamrock wore slowly around and
gave up the contest. The Columbia
went on, as she was bound under the
rules to do.
The Columbia made n fine race Of II.