Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-07-15

challenged for the Americas cup. The
Columbia sailed like a witch in those
days, but if there was a sandbar or other
obstruction within hailing distance she
| was sure to cultivate it's acquaintance.
Racing sailor gave her a wide berth and
predicted a sudden and possibly unpro-
vided death for her crew when she finally
was chosen to meet the Livonia for the
blue ribbon of the sea. The Columbia
won the first two races with ease. but on
the third became disabled and had to fin
ish under head sails, the Livonia winning.
The Sappho, which was owned by w. p.
Douglass, stepped in, it being impossible
to repalr the Columbia in time and made
even shorter work of the Englishman
than Osgood's schooner had done. Lester
Wallack acquired the Columbia after
that and sailed her for Is consecutive
years without paying marine doctors a
penny for any ~"unlucky" exploits.
In the merchant marine, as well as war
ships and yachts, the galley yarn of 'un
lucky at birth, unlucky at DEATH" has
been knocked in the head. The White
Star Line steamer Britannia has no rival
in the world at money making, unless it
he her sister boat, the Germanlc, n yet
the Britannia was in trouble at her
launching. She had an encounter with
her mate, the Celtic, since known as the
Amerika, of the Thingvalla Line, in May,
1857, when they came together in a dense
fog $50 miles east of Sandy Hook, but she
made up for that in towing the Celtic,
badly disabled, into port, and during her
time the Britannia has made 500 where
more lucky" ships have not realized 81.
On January 13, 1898, a story was printed
showing the Britannia to be a wonderful
ship, and an examination of this article
shows that up to that time she had car
ried a total of 57,4SO saloon and 165, 800
steerage passengers and LOCO, 900 tons of
freight, with a total in earnings of more
than STA. 900, 900.
The Britannia commenced running in
the Liverpool and New York service OF
the company in 1874, and Travelled 1.750,-
600 miles without a renewal of engines or
boilers; was under steam ia, 900 hours
and under way LOG, 500 hours; burned 513,-
Geo tons of coal, and her engines up to
that time had made $50, 900, 900 revolu-
tons. Pretty good for a ship originally
pronounced unlucky, and SO good that the
record has never been equalled. The luck
of a ship, good or bad, depends more or
less on those who are running her.
The Daphne was slated as another I'M
lucky boat and sailors wouldn't go in her
for a time. She was an English steamer,
and capsiZed the day of her launch,
drowning 1874 persons. She could not have
done much worse if she went down in the
middle of the ocean: but she was raised,
and is now known as the Elem. She is as
3D. Ni'' ann AZ q al Nv "
day, and hasn't met with an accident in
years.
The pilot boat Sommers N. Smith was
considered another hoodoo, because at
her launch she mishehaved, on Memorial
Day., 1896. Mrs. Margaret Plant, widow
of the steamship man, was chosen to
chlisten the vessel. then on the ways of
the Newport News Shipbuilding COM
pany. The boat listed to port in going
overheard, and the water poured into
her. There We're % persons on her deck,
and many jumped overheard in fright
when the craft careened. Two persons
were drowned. 1t was the first and last
mishap to the boat, which has been earn
ing money ever since.
The launching of the 1850 ton English
battle ship at Blackwell on June u of
last year was attended with the drown
ing of u spectators, who were swept
away by he back water that surged
against the so feet of staging on which
they We're standing.
So it is in any number Of other cases.