The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-08-03
Will Have To Be Rugged
Over.
Difficult To Explain Cause of
the Accident.

Newport, August "A most upfortu-
nate accident to the Columbia today,
marrsd the pleasure Of what promised to
be q thorough test of the relative speeds
of that boat and Defender in nice top
sail breeze and late this afternoon the
new loot was towed up to her builders
works at Bristol. total wreck above
decks. Her new steel mast was bent
double. just about half way between the
deck and the masthead, aud all that re-
mained of her magnificent spread Of can
Vas and specially made rigging, was piled
In heap about the stump of the mast. a
tangled mass Of wire shrouds, metal turn
buckles, blocks and ropes. Practically
all that remained whole Was the steel
boom and gaft and bowsprit and even the
gaff was damaged trifie at the jaws.
The aisn,asting of the Columbia occurred
less than an half hour after the new aud
old cup defender started on the beat out
to flag hoat OF the north end of Block
islanu, when the two contestants had
covered about half the dlrtance Columbia
wa leedsrg at the tine-ana was steadily
drawing away from her rival, Captain.
Barr afving her sails coed full, pre-
ferri ng TO hold along at an increased rate
of speed rather than outpoint the Defend
er as he had previously done.
The two boats were holding along on a
port tack and into the Point Judith
channel, about three miles of the point,
the new boat having the weather position
and fairly tearing through the water,
when there was sound Of breaking spars
crashing down to leeward carrying with
| IL the tine pew club topsail and small jib-
topsail u seemed to the eye witnesses
| but brief part OF a second when the
steel mainmast buckIed In the middle ard
| down came the upper end of the spar and
the huge mainsnii dropped into the water
ON the starboard side. For an instan.
everyone on Columbia held their breath
and then was heard Mr.. Iselin's voice
inquiring whether anyone had been hurt
or swept overheard, but fortunately all
hands escaped injury. MIR. Iselin and
Mats Allen had the closest call of all
They were down on the leeward side of
the craft watching the trim OF her head
sails and hearing the noise aloft
scrambled up to windward and were bare
ly In time. for the mainmast dropped to the
deck, the steel spar brushing Aliens hat
overheard.
Mrs. Ise,in was below at ths time, but
she came ON deck Immediately after the
accident and when the Associated Press
tug rang alongside a few minutes later,
she was calmly taking snapshots of the
wreckaee
The discipline was excellent, not o man
leaving his place until Captain Barr gave
orders to clear away the wreckage and
get the canvas aboard, and then the crew
went to work with a will, clearing up
the tangle, the Columbia drifting with
the waves, a dismantled and sad looking
craft.
As soon as the accident occurred, the
Defender, which was the nearest yacht to
Columbia, lowered her lib topsail and,
ranging up alongside her unfortunate RI
val, MIR. Duncan inquired anxiously II
any one had eeen hurt, and upon receiv-
Ing q reassuring answer. stood by for
time, and then went on little jaunt out
to sel. The steam craft near at hant
raced up to the disabled Columbia at full
speed. the torpedo boat Dupont reaching
her first ami Offering medical assist ,nce
| II IL was needed All kinds of yachts
suon reached the boat, and foremost
| among them was the steam yacht Angus
ia, with John b. Herreshoff and party
Of ladies aboard. MIR. Herreshoff was
deeply grieved when Informed Of the acci-
dent but was pleased to learn that no one
had been hurt. Many of the yachts
offered to tow the Columbia back into
Newport, but as MIR. Iselin had previously
| accepted the offer made from the Associa-
| ted Press ting >. Z. Hart, to standby and
take Columbia In tow, be was Obliged to
decline the offers, with thanks.
| For some time none knew what had
been the cause Of the accident. for there
| certainly was not strong enough breeze
| blowing to cause 1t. but 1t was later SO en-
that the port sPreader had broken upward
by the strain of the topmast shroud,
causing the topmast to break of The
| sudden force OF the spar, the weight OF
| the topsail and clubs coming against
| the starboard masthead shrouds was too
much for the steel was., end Il col
/ iapsed. The expense Of Is-riqging Colnm-
bia viii bs heaYy, apd alsho igh moss OF
| the vile shrouds and stays can be used
again, they.will necessarily have to under
| 90 severe test as to their strength. lho
| hull of the. boat wes not seriously dam
aged, the only percaptible iuiury being 4
large. dent In one of the metal plates IN
the sfarhoard Side. just abaft of the mast.
| The damaged plate can easily be bent
/ into shape aud te.lg SO far aboye the
/ waterline, cannot interfere serionaIg
| with the boats speed.
Admiral W. L. Sampson, his flag liau.
tenant, Lieutsnant Commander Winslov
and Captain Chadwick Of the New York