Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-10-06
AUGUSTUS SIDE.
The Yacht Races as the Capital City
See Them.
interest in All the Bulletins Columbia
the Favorite.

wen, ipH 'dit. anyway, | nDt
interested in yacht racing"
Yes. but had rather see our boat win
though, hadn't you?"
Yes. but still don't care. Hello.
what's that? The Columbia has forged
ahead? Well. did you ever hear anything
like that. | knew We would win I kini
of felt as though it was not right for the
foreign boat 10 be IN ahead"
That is but a scrap Of The conversation
that took place regarding the first yacht
race. Tuesday. of which the Journal gave
bulletins through the afternoon
The people pretend to be not the least
bit interested in the outcome Of the race
If IL looks at all as though the foreigner
would win but just as sure as the Colum-
bia is ahead they feel an exultation ami
a satisfaction that is not in their hearts
when they hear of the Shamrocks lead
ing, even though they say they care moth
ing about the outcome.
Seldom has anything had more general
interest than the races Of Tuesday ami
Thursday. Men We're talking Of n,
events ana both guessing and betting Al
the outcome of them. The men on the
trains that passed through the city would
step off long enough to inquire for tn
latest bulletin of the race. Everywher"
the one all absorbing topic was the yacht
race and its probable outcome. Men wn1
know not the difference between the keC!
ana the deck, or the port tack from the
starboard, Were talking ship and sails.
with lacks ANA breeze in a manner that
threatened to have the vtrnacular of
yachting Ahed with land lubber talk
that it would forever he inlistinguisn.
able.
First of all, Tuesday came the news
that the Shamrock had started ana
crossed the line onS-r1fnute ahead of the
Columbia ana then before noon came tn"
very depressing news that the Shamrock
mad been gaining and was a full quarter
Of a mile ahead Of the Columbia With
it came the information that the excur-
sion steamers We're crowdinG up so near
that they We're taking the breeze out of
the Columbia's sails.
Where is Bob Evans?" the people be-
gan to inquire of each other about the
man who was to keep the race course
free.
Probably h. is to be blamed for the
whole of it, remarked religious man
who was standing near. You know Bob
can swear dreadfully when he gets mad
and he was probably swearing that 1t
took all the wind to keep his lungs in
operation
Others remarked that they guessed
Captain Bob wouldn't do anything wrong
after the way he fought at Santiago.
The news about all that was re-
ceived during the noon hour and il was
depressing. The Columbia hackers soon
began to find takers for their money for
ii was contended by many that the Co
lumbia had been said to be the best boat
in light wind and here in a light wind
was the Shamrock running right away
| from her.
At a little past noon came the cheering
information that the Columbia was gain
| ing and then the Shamrock men began 10
| think they were too previous in making
| their talk. Then the Columbia turned
the stake boat two minutes ahead. So it
| kept on in favor of the Columbia side III
| til past O'Clock when it was announced
| that the Shamrock was again ahead.
Shamrock men again guyed the Columbia
men and everyone grew more anxious.
There was as much real anxiety if not
more than there probably was in the
| crowd who were witnessing the races and
had the privilege of seeing every second
| of the hopes or depressions of spirit
| The news got into circulation in some
manner about 80 o'clock that the race
| was over and both yachts Were given the
| credit of winning, but the bulletins con
| tirued to come and it looked doubtful for
| the Columbia. People began to guess at
| the time limit hoping to save the Ameri
can boat from defeat in this manner and
finally at nearly o'clock the welcome
news came that there was no possible
manner for either boat to get over the
| line in the time limit, which was five
and one-half hours. There was a gen
| eral sigh Of relief and now they are
waiting for the Thursdays race, and
hoping the Columbia might take the LEAF!
and keep it to the finish.
| When the hour for the start arrived.
Thursday, it was the same as on Tues
day Everyone was anxious for the lat
| est news and that was again the all alb
sorbing topic of the conversation. First
| of all there came the news that there was
| little or no wind to help. Then through
out the rest of the day the news while
making everything point to a result like
| Tuesday. the declaring off of the race,
| showed that the Columbia was having the
} best of it and the excitement did not pre-