The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-10-18
SHAMROCK MEETS WITH AIN
ACCIDENT.
Continued From I7lrst Pad.

I L 4 " q
rocks weather quarters. The omelal
time Of the start Wass BhamFocis,
1l:00;i6; Columbia, 11;00;f7.
The wind was east BY south, aud
freHhenlng by degrees ~ the yachis
stood along on nQfthea8t BY east
conr9e. They were taking the eaEteriy
HWells rather hard q timed, pluhging
their bOwHprita clear under, and doubt
leas putting 70 severe test all their
spars and rigging.
With half an eye any sailog man
could see, looking n the yacbtl end
on, from astern, that the Columbia was
lying say from half 70 three-quGfters
OF a point higher than the Shamrock.
both apparently having their sheets
trimmed alike on this port tack. The
fact that the Shamrock carried no baby
jlb top sail was excellent evidence that
I, her captains were afraid that n set Il
would pull her head Oh more yet, 20 Il
was kept down. While the Coiumbla's,
setting perfectly on It's stay, must haVc
helped that yacht, instead Of retarding
her In the Windward work. Fifteen
minutes after the start the Eolumbia's
position was fully two hundred yards
dead to windward Of the Shamrock the
latter being at that time slightly for
ward Of the Columbta's lee beam.
I AhULAAM DAFT 7ENAAAAAAAI AAAaAAAAN "
continue on the port tack 70 Liverpool,
II necessary. until the Shamrock came
about That never happened, however,
for as the breeze freshened and both
yachts began to put their lee rails
down harder, It seemed, looking at the
Shamrock's top mast from asteFn. as
II Il were sprung. At 1884, with q
/ crash that could be heard tar on to
ieeward, the shamroclss top mast broke
at a point close TO the cap, and the
great club top sail, with its long spars,i
I went flying down to leeRaru OF the
main sail. Swinging the long tiller,
across her stern TO port, Captain Hoe
garth Immediately put the Shamrock
before the wind. and, finding that no
one on board was hurt ne gybed her end
all hands began clearing away thu
wreck. The fore sail was taken in
| first. and men were sent aloft 70 over
haul the club top sail sheets and hal
yards, and clear away the top mast
back stays and other gear II was
some fifteen minutes before they were
able TO get the club top sail down on
deck.
Cause Of Accident.
1t was found that the direct cause OF
the accident was the parting Of the fore
top mast shroud In the nip" that Is
the part Of this steel wire rope rest
ing in the spreader which extends out
wards from the hounds Of the lower
mast. The strands Of the wire easily
chafe and rust at that point. especially
when the shroud is slackened by reason
OF being to leeward.
That ended the race 20 far as the
. EYR,nw,.Santr adVRanFRnf. Column hin,
took in her baby lib top sail. and con-
tinued on her course. lacking to star
board at l1:25, for Il had been especially
agreed a few days prior to the date
set for the first race that in the event
OF nm accident to either yacht, the un-
injured vessel was 10 complete the
course. This agreement was signed by
Mr.. Iselin and Sir Thomas Upton. II
was a great pity, Of course. that such
IN accident should have occurred At
such O time, when everything looked
promising for q good triangular race.
AT the time of the accident the Co
lumbln was about an eighth Of a mile
to Wlndward OF the Shamrock.
The steam yacht Erin, with Sir
Thomas Upton and party on board, fol-
lowed the Shamrock back to Sandy
Hook, where she was towed by her
tender on her way In the Erin was
passed by the steam yacht Oneida.
Former Commodore =. q. Benedict was
on the bridge He hailed Sir Thomas
Upton through the megaphone, and
said; sat ;r
II am very sorry to zee the accident
and I am also sorry that the race Is
TO be won this way. 20 We should MI pc
out" Sir Thomas thanked him, and
V,a1and rs, In HE
For thirty-eight minutes and forty
five seconds the Columbia continued on
the starboard tack. She had taken IN
her lib top sail soon after the accident
to the Shamrock. so a. to relieve the
top mast Of fny unnecessary strain. In
twenty.minuteB she went about again
to starboard, and eleven minutes later
she made her last tack for the first
mark, In three minutes and . half
she was up to the mark, and keeping
of around II. After she eased sheets
10 stRrboard No. JIb top sail was
broken out, ana the white yacht began
her ten mile reach for the second mark.
Her Official time at the turn WAS
12:S9:2s. showing that she had cUverad
the distance to Windward. about four
teen miles, in hour. 20 minutes and Ii
seconds.
Devoid Of Interest.
The reach to the second mark was
devoid OF interest. for the Columbia
simply sailed her course of southwest
half south straight as die, only
changing her fore stay sail for a bal
looner at 1:1s. She continued to carry
her jib top sail until the second mark
twas nearly reached. The second mark
was gybed around at 1887. Her
elapsed time for this leg was 50 min
utes, 50 seconds-a little better than
ten miles an hour
Setting the balloon jlb top sail n few
minutes after rounding this mark, Co
lumbia headed north, northwest. for the
home mark. on this last leg Of ten
miles the wind lightened considerably.
II took her hour. 3 minutes and 90
seconds to cover the distance. The wind
hauled little to the westward as she
approached the finish line, 20 the bal
loon jlb top vail was taken IN, ami
the small jib top sail net. Al e:37:11
the Columbia crossed the finish line be-
tween the red llghtship, and the COM
mlttee boat a winner OF the second
race of the international series. shs
was greeted by the usual steam Wills
ties applause, and was soon after
towed to her moorinEB in the Horse
shoe, back OF Sandy Hook.
When the committee boat arrived
in Sandy Hook bay the regatta conf
mittee found that the Shamrock had
been towed to Erie basin, whore she
iR to be fitted with a new top mast and