Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-08-03
MAST GIVES WAY.
Columbia Badly Crippled in
Race With Defender.
Everything Above Deck a Wreck, New
Mast Being Carried Away.
No One Injured Several Narrow Escapes
Her Hull Not Damaged.

! Newport r. l., Aug. "a most un-
fortunate accident to the Columbia, to-
! day, marred the pleasure of what prom
! lsed 10 be thorough test of the rela-
| i've speeds OF that boat and the De-
! Tender, in a nice topsail breeze, and
| late this afternoon. the new boat was
| toWed up TO her builders works at
| Bristol, total wreck above decks Her
new steel mainmaSt was bent double
just about half way between the deck
and the masthead and all that remain
ed Of her magnificent spread of can
vass and specially made rigging was
piled up in heap about the stump of
the mast, tangled mass of canvass,
wire ShrOudS, metal turnbuckleS
blocks and ropes. Practically, all that
remained whole was the steel boom and
gaf and the bowsprit and even the
gaff was damaged a trifle at the Jaws
The dismasting Of the Columbia oc-
CURED less than an hour after The new
and old cup defenders started on the
beat out TO a flagboat off the north end
of Block island, when the two contest
ants had covered about half the dis
lance. Columbia was leading at the
time and was steadily drawing away
from her rival, Capt. Barr giving her
sails a good full, preferring to hold
along at an increased rate of speed
rather than outpoint the Defender, as
he had previously done.
The two boats We're holding along on
q port tack and into the point Judith
channel, about three miles off the
point. the new boat having the weather
position and fairly tearing through the
water, when there was sound of
breaking spars aloft; and in an in
slant the topmast went crashing down
to leeward; carrying with it the fine
new club topsail and small jib topsail
1t seemed to the eye witnesses but a
brief part of a second when the steel
mainmast buckled in the middle and
down came the upper end of the spar
and the huge mainsail dropped into the
water on the starboard side.
For an instant everyone on Column
bia held their breaths, and then was
heard Mr. Iselins voice inuuiring
whether any one had been hurt or
swept overheard but fortunately, all
hands escaped injury. Mr.. Iselin and
Mate Allen had the closest call of all
They We're down on the leeward side of
the craft watching the trim of her
headSails and hearing the noise aloft
scrambled up to windward, and were
barely in time, for the collapsing of the
mast allowed the main boom to drop to
the deck. the steel spar brushing AL
lens hat overheard.
Mrs. lselin was below at the time
but she came on deck Immediately af-
ter the accident and when The Asso-
GATED Press tug range alongside a few
minutes later, she was calmly taking
snap shots of the wreckage. The dis
cipline was excellent. not a man leav-
ing his place until Capt. Barr gave or
ders to clear away the Vreckage and
get the canvas aboard and then the
crew went to work with a will, clear
ing up the tangle, the Columbia drift
ing with the waves, dismantled and
sad looking craft.
AS soon as tho accident occurred. De-
fender. which was the nearest yacht to
Columbia. lowered her jib topsaiI and.
ranging up alongside her unfortunate
rival, Mr.. Duncan inquired anXiously
Il any one had been hurt, and upon re-
ceiving a reaSSuring answer stood by
for a time and then went on a little
iaunt out to sea. The steam craft near
at hand raced up to the dismantled
Columbia at full speed, the torpedo
boat Dupont reaching Columbia first
ana offering medical assistance if 1t
was needed. All kinds of yachts soon
reached the boat. and foremost among
them was the steam yacht Augusta.
with John r. Herreshoff and a party of
ladies aboard. Mr.. Herreshoff was
teeply erieved when informed of the
accident, but was pleased to learn that
no one had been hurt.
Many of the yachts offered to tow
Columbia back to Newport, but as Mr..
Iselin had previously accepted the Of
fer made from The Associated Press
tug S. c. Hart to stand by and take
Columbia in tow, he was obliged to de-
cline the offers with thanks.
For some time one knew just
what had been the cause of the acct
lent. for there was certainly not strong
enough breeze blowing to cause it, but
t was later seen that the port spread
IF had broken upward by the strain
Of the topmast shroud, causing the
topmast to break off. The sudden
force of the spar. the weight of the
opsails and clubs coming against the
Continued on mage 2)