Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-10-21


! boom lower. The Yankee trick. how,
ever, did its work, lifting the head of
the Columbia out of the water until she
seemed to be skimming over the sur
lace. The excursion feet training down
on each side were chasing after the
yachts as fast as their steam would car,
ry them. But the big sloops set so hot
a pace that they left half the tug boats
and some OF the steam yachts astern.
lhey were going at a 13-knot clip, the
YANKEE slowly, but surely, inch by inca
overhaullng her adversary. Closer she
drew, dead astern of the challenger,
hoping with her mountain of canvas to
smut Off her rivals wind. When the CO.
lumbia had crept up to within striking
distance the green boat crowded on a
little more canvas, setting a baby jip
topsail and for ten minutes she seemed
to hold he American even. Both were
going
LIKE SCARED DEER.
A stern chase is a long one, but as the
yachts approached the outer mark the
patriots with high bounding pulses saw
that the Columbia was again picking
up on the enemy. At 1910 o'clock, half
a mile from the mark, the Bristol boat
got along side the challenger and neck
and neck, like a span of race horses,
they bowled down for the float. Three
minutes later, when they took in their
splnnakers preparatory to gybing, the
Columbia was a length in the lead and
footing like mad. The yachts swept
around the mark, the Columbia II sec-
onds ahead, but so close that one chorus
from the fleet answered for both. The
Columbia had gained a minute and IS
seconds in the fifteen mile run. AS they
leaned away on the starboard tack for
the beat home, the white flyer was TO
windward and about a length ahead.
With their sheets trimmed fat aft they
surged into the head seas, sending the
brine smoking as high as the s~preaders.
They careened until their lee rails were
aWash in the swirling driving waves.
Oceans of spray came over, and occa-
s~ionally both shipped solid crests OF
green water forward. Their wakes was
a smothered foam. Everything aboard
was wet and dripping. Seldom has
there been such a smashing sea under
the bows of cup contestants. The wa
ter spurted twenty feet into the air. The
green boat labored more thar the Yam,
kee. Once or twice she buried her bow
spirit in the seas, wetting her head sails.
1t was a grand sight.
The Columbia pointed almost a point
higher than her rival and footed just as
fast. The Columbia had housed her
working topsail before they turned the
mark, but the Shamrock held on until
in the constantly freshening wind she
decided that
1T WAS DANGEROUS
to carry it. Longer, and a sailor was
sent aloft to lower it. It was a deli
cate job with the big ninety footer.
bucking into the jumping sea like q
broncho. Blu after five minutes of hard
work it was successfully accomplished.
On every tack Of the thresh to wind
ward, the Yankee increased her lead,
sailing so close that the old salts said
she could wipe the eye of the wind"
At Las the Columbia was leading by a
quarter of a mile. The situation for The
Shamrock was desperate and reckless
of the consequences, the British skipper
decided to crowd on more canvas
Fearlessly he sent up and after a deal
of trouble he succeeded in setting a
small club topsail. The Columbia had
the race well in hand and did not need
to risk a broken spar. She kept on
under mainsail, stay and jib. Forum
ately the challenger's topmast did not
carry away, though she leaned over
under the press Of canvas until her
slippery decks were tilted at an angle
OF thirty degrees. Her speed was I'M
doubtedly increased. but her inability
to point lost her almost as much as she
gained in footing. Then she resorted
to splitting lacks, once running close
in shore under the Navesink High
lands. A slight can't in the wind IA
vored her al this time and she man
aged to close up the gap until little
more than half a mile separated. her
from the Columbia. The patriots began
to feel nervous, but with the finishing
line two miles away there was little
danger. Soon after the wind slackened
a little, and thereafter the Shamrock
lost rather than gained ground. All
the excursion boats at this time were
bucking
INTO THE HEAD SEAS
for home as fast as their screws could
churn. The tug boats were flooded.
But. as on the run down, the pace was
too not. and not half the feet was in
at the finish. The rush of the yachts
through the sea on the final tack was
magnificent. Geysers spurted from the
bow and drenched the sailors lying
piled up against the weather rail. As