Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-06-05
BUT FORIY:F SECONDS
SEPARATED THE RACES.
MOO EVENLY MATCHED IN
THEIR GREAT RACE.
23-MILE AN HOUR RATE.
THE CONDITIONS WE'RE PERFECT
FOR THE RACE, AND THE IN
TEREST THROUGHOUT IN
TENSE,

CLEVELAND, Ohio, June 4-The
hundred mile race from Cleveland to
Erie to-day, between the Cleveland pas
senger steamer City of Erie, owned by
the Cleveland & Buffalo Transit Com
pany, and the Tashmoo, Detroit's crack
passenger boat, owned by the White
Star Company, was in many respects
the most noteworthy race ever sailed
on fresh water.
The Erie covered the distance in A
hours, 10 minutes and 9 seconds, pass
ing the stake boat at Erie minute and
80 seconds ahead of the Tashmoo, beat
ing the latter by As seconds elapsed
time. Fifty-three seconds of lead at
start at Cleveland is deducted from the
l minute and 80 seconds, making ac-
tual gain of City of Erie "a seconds.
1t was pronounced by old vessel
men to be the prettiest race ever wit
messed. Aside from winning the speed
championship of the great lakes, the
Erie won about one hundred thousand
dollars for those who bet on her.
The conditions under which the race
was sailed were ideal. There was a
fair sky and sea as calm as a mill
pond. These conditions were more es-
sential to the Tashmoo, as she is light
draught river boat and would have been
severely hampered by wind and sea,
while the Erie was made to travel fast
under all conditions. The course was
lined from start to finish with excur-
were crowded at points with people,
the noisy departure of the racers at
Cleveland was duplicated at the finish
Whistles footed and people cheered
both victor and vanquished. 1t was the
prettiest race ever seen on the great
lakes. Both boats were stripped to
fighting trim. The decks were cleared
of everything that would catch the wind
on board the Erie, even the life boats
had been slowed away between decks
The limited number of spectators car
ried on each boat were confined to the
cabins and none were allowed on the
decks. Both racers were made "a light
as possible
The Erie made no preparations for
the race except to unload her freight
after coming in from ner Buffalo run
in the morning. The Tashmoo had
been scraped thoroughly and everything
done to facilitate her speed From the
start the result was in doubt until
within few miles of the finish. The
race demonstrated that the boats were
evenly matched. Each was surprised
at the speed of the other. The boats
approximately made nearly % miles an
hour. 1t was neck and neck from the
starting point until just about Fairport,
where the Erie encountered shoal water
and fell three lengths behind her rival.
From Fairport to Ashtabula she made
no perceptiole gain, but finally picked
up and passed her rival The Tashmoo
sailed by spurts, getting ahead for a
while then falling back, while the Erie
maintained a steady gait When the
victorious craft entered the Cleveland
harbor this evening on her return from
the race, she was greeted with a ire
mendous ovation Hundreds of steam
whistles along the lake front and river
blew continuously for nearly half an
hour, while thousands of people crowd
ed along the docks wildly cheering.