davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1899-10-17

by mist, rain or distance from the re-
ceivins station at the Highlands. Pas
sengers on the Grand Duchesse, who had
watched the operation of wireless teleg-
raphy on clear days, agreed that 1t re-
quired fog to emphasize its value Bet
ter conditions than those of to-day for
a demonstration of its practiCability and
usefulness are not possible.
The fog gave a horizon of about four
miles, making it impossible for the yachts
to be seen except from the boats that fol-
This was done by the Grand DuChesse,
and Marconi could at all times keep the
yachts was fully described in the bulletins
to the Herald and The Call. When the
Columbia and Shamrock engaged in a luff-
ing match, one following the others lead
between at times, the maneuver was
known in San Francisco before it had
been repeated. Those on board the Grand
Duchesse were all wide awake to what
was going on, and when word was passed
from the shore that the Marconi bull
letins We're the only ones promptly Civ
ing events OF the race hearty cheer was
given by the excursionists for the invent
or of wireless telegraphy. 1t at once be-
came apparent that all other agencies for
reporting the race would prove unable to
cope with weather conditions which pro-
vide both wind and fog. No glass was
powerful enough to pierce the mist which
every now and then dropped close to the
water
The, Grand Duchesse took it's position
outside the western patrol line and as
nearly as was possible on line with the
leading yacht. Signor Marconi, imbued
with the enthusiasm of the occasion and
convinced that in a way he had the world
at his mercy, pushed his assistants aside
and himself stood by the sending ap-
paratus ready to catch the bulletins as
they were handed him and flash them
through the fog to the receiving station
on the Jersey coast. 1t was seen that the
Columbia, in tacking to port at II minutes
after II o'clock had taken a slight lead,
which the Shamrock was valiantly striv-
ing to overcome. This was known TO the
operators in the Herald office just one
minutes and twenty seconds from the
time it was noted by the watchers on the
bridge of the Grand Duchesse.
The first four miles of the race carried
the yachts SO far from the land telegraph
stations that it was impossible for any
of the news agencies to even make a rea-
sOnable conjecture as to what was going
on. In the meantime Marconi had in
formed the public that the Columbia was
still outpointing the Shamrock and had
made gain of nearly half a mile in
windward work. Each successive gain
made by the Columbia was reported and
the relative positions Of the yachts were
given from time to time. When the mark
boat placed the buoy for the turn at the
The San Francisco call., 1899-10-17

pears to be-" Just TO show what is
meant by this, read a few samples Of the
bulletins posted by %he yellow fellow.
Here they are taken verbatim from his
bulletin board quotations calling atten-
tiou to the perhapses:
n. Y. noon-Shamrock gains a little CAL
most impossible to see boats through heavy
fog
N y. 1924 p m.-Columbia still gaining.
though Shamrock appears to be pointing
higher
Y. Y. mo time)-Coumbfa to windward and
seems TO be half mile ahead
Long Branch, 1926 p. ma signal from the
Associated Press dispatch boat Wanda, now
off this shore, says the Columbia was leading
SO long she could distinguish the two yachts.
Far Rockaway, 2:0l r. m.-Short beach life
saving station reports that they have heard
two whistles, minutes apart, and they sup
pose that the yachts have turned the stake
boat at about those intervals.
1t would appear from the date lines of
these Examiner yellow kid bulletins that
he is caught in another lie. With a great
blowing of tin whistles he fingered lot
for several days on the announcement
that the Mackay-Bennett cable-boat
would follow the yachts over the course
and send out bulletins in the good old
fashioned way No experiments for the
yellow Kid; no, Stree. If he was telling
the truth, then. the MaCkay Bennett boat
is as wonderful as the Irishman's flea
with its faculty of being in two or more
places ITO wanst''-at New York, Fort
Rockaway and Long Branch at the same
time.
There was no perhaps about The Call
bulletins and there was no experiment
about the Marconi MESA ges. or delay in
their transmission. They came along
without padding, to tell the running story
of the great yacht race to the waiting
crowds in front of the business office Of
this paper. They were posted far and
away ahead of any time made by the yell
low kid.
At S:l4. San Francisco time. The Can
posted Marcon's bulletin. They are off. "
Nineteen minutes afterward-or, more
precisely, at S:33 San Francisco time-the
Examiner posted bulletin, Race is on"
and began footing on the tin whistle
At SAC, San Francisco time. The Call
posted "11:47 a. m.-First four miles
Columbia has gained half mile. Columbia
outpOints Shamrock every way"
AT 9:12. San Francisco time Just twenty
three minutes later, the Examiner yellow
kid put out this one: lilo a. m.-Co>
Iumh,a leads by half a mile Four miles
have been covered" At the same time
the kid took long stick and. reaching to
the cornice, poked Shamrock ahead with
The San Francisco call., 1899-10-17

it. Then he turned and reading
one of his own misleading bulletins, began
prodding up Columbia SO that the racers
were neck and neck How he had the
heart to give the Columbia the worst of 1t
for half a mile is hard to explain when
he fiaunts a sign that he is ''an American
paper for the American people"
And so it went. Those reading The Call
bulletins were kept fully informed of the
movements of the racers; those forced to
depend on the yellow kid got an insight
into the old but interesting game of per-
haps. A MarConi bulletin on The Calls
board announced the turning Of the stake
boat by Columbia seven minutes before
the Examiner posted that event. That
was pretty good for MarcOni and pretty
bad for the yellow kid but it was nothing
to the finish.
At 1855 p. m. San Francisco time, the
Examiner posted this bulletin:
NEW YORK, 3:15 p. m.-Colum-
bia more than half way home.
Shamrock gaining, but Columbia
still leads by mile. Delayed in
transmission.)
ment, like wireless telegraphy," mind
you; only delayed in transmission. How
much, do you think? Let the next two
bulletins tell.
Less than ten seconds later The Call
threw the stars and stripes to the breeze
and posted:
Columbia Wins.
The big crowd in front of The Call
board gave one great yell and started to
separate. A number of people who all
morning had been comparing the Marconi
messages with the perhaps system
turned to the Examiner board to read
that delayed in transmission bulletin
announcing that the Columbia was more
than half way home.
Get a move on you there" some one
shouted to the yellow kids bulletin COM
missioner, What's the matter with
the race is over? Columbia wins"
For four awful minutes the poor fellow
stood the iibes, then he caved in. 1t was
too much for mortal man to stand. Some
body ran 10 him out of the crowd and
spoke. Grabbing his brush. without hav-
ing received any message from the yellow
kids other agents, he wrote Columbia
wins" a minute later the little yellow
boy blew his tin whistle
Delayed in transmission! Worse than
that kilograms received by The Call
during the progress of the race tell why.
Here are three of them from its New
York correspondent:
N Y, p. m.-Nothing cln b ee from
shore. other papers are copying Marconi Jul
letirs
y. Y. 1:oS p m.-Herald wires Grand Ouch
The San Francisco call., 1899-10-17

NEW YORK, Oct. 16-When a cor
respondent visited the st. Michaels after
the race c. Oliver Iselin, with Mrs. Iselin
and a party of friends, had just arrived
from the Columbia and were gathered
aft of the little pilot house. There was
no particular sign of exultation on the
face of the managing owner of the cup
defender, though he did look extremely
well satisfied.
II do not know" he said, that 1 have
any particular comment to make. We
won to-day because we had the better
boat. I have felt that all along. Now
otherss 1 think, will admit it. We are
ready to race tomorrow, and with a fair
wind and sea we are prepared to take our
chances with both. The boats sailed
well to-day. During the race we did not
have a hitch or accident of any sort.
Everything stood the strain in perfect
manner"
The crew of the Columbia were board
ing the tender for supper as the cor
respondent drew away. Their enthu-
siasm was a little more apparent than
that of the Iselin group, and Captain
Barr, who sat in the stern of his boat,
smiled in his own quiet way.
The San Francisco call., 1899-10-17

ahead. The elapsed time of the Columbia
for the fifteen miles was 2;47:13; of the
Shamrock, 2:57:05 showing the Columbia s
gain from the actual start had been 1853
This was great victory for the Co
lumbia for both yachts had covered the
distance in steady breeze, and at no
mt by any puffs of wind.
The Columbia's balloon jib topsail was
set Immediately after the spinnaker, and
the headsails hauled down She began
her fifteen mile run to the finish at about
eight knots an hour. The Shamrock's
balloon jib topsail was set seven minutes
after rounding the outer mark, and for
time 1t seemed as though she was over
hauling the Columbia. At the time that
appeared to be reasonable conclusion,
because She being the stern boat. was
squalls that might come along. It soon
became evident however, that her ap-
parent gain was only imaginary, and that
own, but, as the figures showed later, she
was really gaining.
The finish line, marked by the commit
tee boat and the Sandy Hook light, was
not visible until the yachts were within
a couple of miles of it. Then there was
a rush of steamers to reach the goal
ahead of the yachts
1t could not be called an exciting finish.
nor was 1t tame one altogether. So few
poats were present to witness it and the
weather was 50 depressing that as spec
ttacle the finish might be called a poor one
time and distance the yachts were so far
apart that IT was rather poor finish from
a sportsmans view.
When the Columbia, her great yellow
Inalnsall abroad off to Starboard, swept
across the finish line the Shamrock was
scarcely visible astern, only the outlines
OF her sails being seen. Ten minutes and
eleven seconds in time elapsed between
the finishing of the Columbia and the
shamrock, which means In distance about
mile and a half.
The official time was: Columbia, 1854 SO;
Shamrock, 4:05 10
ELAPSED time; Columbia, 4:53:5S; Sham
rock. 5:04:07.
Corrected time: Columbia, 453:53; Sham
rock. 5:04:01
Thus the Columbia wins by 10 minutes
IA seconds actual and 10 minutes seconds
corrected time.
The elapsed time of the Columbia from
the outer mark to the finish was hours
minutes 40 seconds; Shamrock hours
I minutes seconds, showing that in the
nfteen miles before the wind the Columbia
had gained % seconds.
After the race while the yachts were be-
ing toWed back to their moorings Sir
1homas Lipton's yacht Erin ranged up
alongside the Columbia The Erin's Off
GERS and men, led by Sir Thomas, gave
three hearty cheers. They were quickly
responded TO with cheers from the CO.
lumbia's men. led by c. oliver Iselin.
number of yachts fired guns as salutes
to both yachts at the finish. The flagship
Corsair was among them, and as soon as
the American yacht had crossed the line
The San Francisco call., 1899-10-17

end of the fifteen-mile beat it was
promptly announced and the fact that
the Columbia led by mile and a half as
ashore when the thick fog made it impQs-
sible for the news to be communicated to
the waiting thousands in any other way.
When the Columbia swept down toward
the lightship under a mountain of can
vas and crossed the finish line, winning
the first race of the series for the Amer
ica'S cup, Marconi alone was enabled to
announce the result before the smoke of
the gun of the committee boat had disap-
peared.
from the attendant excursion boats and
yachts was reported and the fact that
she dropped her head sails and took
line from her tugboat before the sham
rock finished was given. At the time OF
the finish the fog shut in the yachts and
excursion boats so that no glimpse of them
could be seen from the land, and the
quickest time in which the result of the
race could be taken ashore and delivered
at a telegraph office by any tug was at
least an hour. Marconi cabled abroad and
wired to San Francisco the news of the
Columbia's defeat of the Shamrock.
In Herald square was big crowd before
the bulletin board. Although Marconis
messages showed that the Columbia soon
after noon was a mile ahead of her rival,
one newspaper was announcing that up to
that time the race had been 'marVelously
even" and that the Columbia could not
be said to have any considerable lead over
the Shamrock" Herald square resOunded
with cheering when at four minutes of 4
Signor Marconi sent a message announc-
ing that the Columbia had crossed the
line a winner at 3: 5:15. This was the only
reliable news of the result received for
several minutes and the crowd became
highly enthusiastic. From Signor Mar
conf they learned a moment later point
about which they were next most anX-
ious. that was the extent of the Colum-
bias lead. Within a minute from the time
the Columbia's victory was announced
there came by wireless telegraphy the
news that the Shamrock was nearly
mile behind when the Columbia crossed
the line. To this was added the news that
the excursion fleet was cheering the vic
tor and that the whistles on all the boats
were screeching in joy over the cup de-
tenders success The enthusiasm Of those
ashore Immediately joined that of those
who had witnessed the race.
Five minutes after the result had been
announced through messages from Mar
conf the bulletin was posted ty other
papers It was their first actual news of
the result, although dummy" editions Of
the Journal and the World had then been
on the streets more than thirty minutes
announcing the victory of the Columbia
These dummy" editions, bearing in red
and blue ink the announcement "Colum-
bia wins" were on sale in the streets at
The San Francisco call., 1899-10-17

esse: I'VE are all alone with bulletins; other
N. Y, loo p. m-other papers copying or
guessing.
In the fact of this severe lesson will
the yellow Examiner kid still continue to
fake and guess and play perhaps? VIII
he ever become a little gentleman, admit
his mistake and apologize to Marconi and
The Call and admit what shameless
little liar he has been? Or will he brazen
it out, with his tongue in his cheek, and
his thumb and fingers distended and eX-
tended from his nose, and try. to make
the people of San Francisco believe that
black is white, that fakes are news? Who
knows? Probably! To-day he, will, may
be, have another try at perhaps: The
Call is prepared for him and promises, in
addition. to give the readers Of its elHi bul, /
letins the best story of the race fresh
from the air waves generated by Marconi.
There IS every prospect for the race,
which will be over the triangular course
To illustrate it clearly The Call has has bull built
a triangular course in front of its busi-
ness office, and over this the yachts Will
be moved in the relative manner they
move over the real course. You cannot
afford to miss it. The yellow kid will be
tanned as a side show in full view OF the
aO
The San Francisco call., 1899-10-17
ISELIN AND Upton TELL
HOW IT WAS DONE,

NEW YORK, Oct 16-Sir Thomas
Upton took his defeat with the spirit of
a true sportsman. 1T was a fair and
square race" said he, when interviewed
on board the Erin. I'VE were beaten
fairly. No two boats ever sailed a better
race and they were equally well handled,
as far as l could see -
Speaking of the Columbia he said: She
is a fine. fast boat and she was splendidly
sailed We gave her three rousing cheers
and her people responded right heartily.
Mr., Iselin and those associated with him
on board are honorable gentlemen, and l
wish to say. that it is pleasure to sail
against such competitors
Asked if he wished to say something
about the Shamrock, Sir Thomas said:
MY beat was we'll sailed and the sails
were well handled. have no complaint
to make at all AS l said before, it was a
square race and we We're fairly beaten.
We shall have another race tomorrow.
hope. and | think that there will be
plenty of wind for both yachts"
All those on board the Erin who saw
the race agreed that there were no
flu<es, but both yachts were sailed on
their merits.
The San Francisco call., 1899-10-17
MARCONPS MARVELLOUS
WORK IN SENDING NEWS

NEW YORK. Oct. LETT was race IN
a fog, and Signor Marconi rose to the
occasion as did the gallant Columbia.
Standing calmly at the key of his in
strument on board the Grand Duchesse,
the inventor of the wireless telegraphy
system flashed the news of the Ameri-
can victory to a waiting world, while all
other agencies were silent. The elements
themselves seemed to have conspired to
defeat the old methods of reporting yacht
races.
The course was from the Sandy Hook
lightship straight out to sea, taking the
contesting yachts many miles away from
Navesink Highlands and other observa-
ton points on the Jersey shore. From
the moment the yachts left their anchor
age and moved outside the Hook, they
were lost to vision from the land. Car
rier pigeons released from the excursion
boats that followed the yachts refused to
fly through the haze and perched on
other boats. Balloons sent aloft from
tugs within view of the racers could not
be distinguished two miles away, and
they were useless signals.
With all other systems failing, Marco
mis- wonderful invention was unaffected
The San Francisco call., 1899-10-17

ERHE Examiner Yellow Kid was
compelled yesterday to take another
(1ose OF Marconi medicine, war
-anted to cure chronic jaundce and
stiffness of joints in the most de-
generate journalism. All San Francisco
looked on at the discontinue OF the
graceless brat. He squirmed and rebeled
at first, but a continuous application of
The Calrs bulletin board to that part Of
his anatomy whereon bIisters grow most
rapidly brought him to his senses and he
submitted, trucuently, as might be ex-
pected under the circumstances.
All of last week the yellow kid hung
around the corner of Third and Market
streets clustering and telling what ne in
tended to do to dat dago Macaroni," rs
he called the great Italian inventor, when
that yacht race was sailed. He behaved
like the little boodlum that he is. He re
sorted TO lies to back up his boasts and
every morning came out with q new one.
He handled these falsehoods with such
impunity that he began TO believe none of
them were loaded. He knows better
now. He knows:
The time has come, the walrus said
ITO talk of mary things:
OF shoes and ships, and sealing wax.
OF cahbages and kings,
And why the sea is boiling hot
And whether pigs have wings"
The time has come when the yellow
Examiner kid IS willing to talk OF any,
thing but wireless telegraphy That is
taboo in his hearing.
He knows now that he deliberately told
a whopper when he published that story
to the effect that under the Marconi sys-
tenn of wireless telegraphy not more than
fifty words an hour could be sent. The
Call disproved that statement long ago
with its bulletins and could have had fig
ures from the Western Union Telegraph
Company to disprove it, but it bided ill
yesterday. Thousands of people saw the
result. The Cali received and posted on
its bulletin board during the progress Of
the first decisive contest between the Co
lumbia and Shamrock. just eighty bull
letins of the race; the yellow Examiner
kid posted exactly thirty-nine. less than
half that number, and some of these he
garbled from The Call.
In the eighty bulletins displayed by this
paper there were just 1865 words Of de-
scription in the thirty-nine posted by the
Examiner yellow kid there We're 400,
mostly guess" and perhaps" and "ap-
The San Francisco call., 1899-10-17
COLUMBIA AGAIN
FAV0RITE IN BETTING

NEW YORK, Oct. 16.-Betting on the
races again changed tonight. Money had
been even when the excursion boats
steamed down the bay through the fog.
1t had been 10 to in favor of the Co
lumbia when the racers began their
course of failures. Then Only even money
was given. Now betting again favors the
Columbia. Several bets tonight were
made on the cup defender at odds of 10
to s. A party of Wall street brokers who
had placed a combination wager of $1,000
when betting was even made merry over
The San Francisco call., 1899-10-17

their foresight at one of the larger hotels.
that a prominent member Of Sir Thomas
Lipton's party had sold a bet for $1100
on the Shamrock for $50 just before the
race this morning.
Several hackers of the Columbia at the
hotels announced tonight that their side
bets on the first race would clear all their
expenses. In several cases their winnings
amounted to more than $1,000
The San Francisco call., 1899-10-17
LIBEL SUIT AGAINST
MRS. EDDY HEARD

BOSTON, Oct. 16-The suit of Josephine
Woodbury. against Mrs. Mary Baker Ed
dy, head of the Christian Science Church.
in which the plaintiff seeks to recover
s150000 for alleged libel, came up in the
equity session of the Superior Court to-
day, the hearing being upon a demurrer to
the plaintiffs declaration. After discus
sion by the counsel the court took the pa
pers under consideration
The San Francisco call., 1899-10-17

Like the true sportsman that ne is. Sir
Thomas Upton, after the race had been
won and lost, admitted that he had been
fairly and squarely beaten. He had no
apologies to make for his yacht, no ex-
cuses TO offer, but he has no thought of
surrendering until the series is run.
The San Francisco call., 1899-10-17

Commodore ]. Pierpont Morgan ordered
the American ensigns to be hoisted at
each masthead.
Every steamer saluted with her whistle
and the Shamrock's welcome was quite as
noisy as the Coumbia's. The yachts and
the excursion fleet soon vanished in the
mist, homeward bound.
The San Francisco call., 1899-10-17
At Our SaleSrOOm, 63S Market Street.

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east Of Kearny; 2-story brick and iron building
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AsHBURY HEIGHTS FLATS.
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25x116:6.
SOUTH -OFMARKET INVESTMENT
South side CIos. 6s1, SSH, 6S11k) Clementins
rooms; rents sci; near new Postoffce.
GUARDIANSHIP SALE
South side CNos. 427 to 4SD O'Farrsu s+
1885, west of TayloE large. elegant houses of
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PAGE E-sTREET RESIDENCE.
:, south SIDE NO. lV1l9 Page St, 1875 east Of
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WESTERN ADDITION BUILDING LOT.
Southeast corner Of Laguna st and MYRTLE
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PRESIDE HEIGHTS RESIDENCE
North side (No. 334O Clay ST 1Os.2 east ~
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HAIGHT- STREET LOT.
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EASTON, ELDRIDGE & co,
Auctioneers. 63S Market ST.
The San Francisco call., 1899-10-17

half-past 8 o'clock. twenty-five minutes
before the American boat crossed the fin
ish line. Not until forty minutes after
sale was the announcement that the Co
iumola was winner posted on the bull
letin boards of those newspapers
WhlIe these sensational papers at half
past o clock were announcing in large
type that the Columbia had won their
latest news from the race bore the time
mark mark of LAB and was an announcement
that a returning boat had told that at
1:35 o'clock the Columbia was three
quarters of a mile ahead.