New-York tribune., 1901-02-17
BOTH WANT BILLMAN.
THE RIGGER's SERVICES ARE DESIRED
BY HERREsHOFF AND LAWSON.

To the uninitiated the recent trouble over Bill
man. the rigser. has seemed TO have been noticed
| too much. because to them the different grades
among riggers are unknown. and there are other
things 10 be considered besides excellence OF work
Biman has been I'm the habit Of sailing on al the
Cup defenders which he rugged for the final con-
tests and ne thus could keep an eye on every
part OF his work and be ready to remedy any ue-
fects from stretching or other cause IL was nanny
| have him on board because he has a lifetime ae-
quaintance with quick ways OF repairing sudden
breskages OF almost any kind and he knows the
tensile strength Of many different materials which
may be used IN hurry 20 patch a break
Billman has been of the important prevent
ives which remain in the background in Cup races
and are not heard OF. and which American man
ayers Of Cup defenders pay for merely 10 nave
ready; and. curiously enough, HIS services AT Cup
unlike all other services IN that they are
paid for most gladly when he does nothing. This
means that his previous work has been perfect.
and that nothing has carried away Although ne
has spun the steel spider webs about a great many
Cup defenders. there is record OF his work
proving faulty. According the reports Herreshor
has made a fuss about Billman rigging the Boston
boat. Herreshoff wanted his services solely, and
allowed TO have the Bristol work If he rugged the
Lawson craft The rtggers pecuniary interests un-
were with the home boat tie went 70 see HERE
shon. and has worried himself into sick bed Last
boat and let Herreshon go. IL was also reported
the other way and the pecuiariy OF the situa tion
Is that neither boat can AFFORD 10 lose him Yachts
men are a unit in saying that ne ought TO be al
lowed to nj out both craft
The managers are reported 10 be preparing yellow
pine the deck planking. butteruut wood for the
bulkheads and mahogany for the matches and sky
lights OF the HerTeShOn boat. the intention being
10 have little more TO do on the boat after sne Is
launched. -Four riggerS are expected from Boston
week il Is thought that some OF the spars
Will be enough advanced for them 10 WORK
upon. Except the duplicate steel mast. the spars
which will be used after the launch are in an al
most completed condition. and the steel wire stand
ing rigging will he attached soon as the mast IS
readv and when the big steel cylinder is stepped
the rigging will go up with il. MIR. Duncan. the
manager for the craft. present has no idea what
the syndicate OF owners will call the boat
The following officers have been elected for the
ensuing wear in the BROOKLYN Yacht club: COmmo-
dore Cornelius Ferguson: vice-cOmmodore. G IL
Humphies: rear-cOmmOdore. ]. r. Havtland
measurer. Robert g. Hopkins. treasurer Willard
Graham. and secretary. q. H. Parsons Members
Of the Board OF Trustees class or 1ani. r. II.
Avery. n. r. NJ. Cook and Sidney Grant: class of
ial3 Charles A. Kelly: class OF iAe. Edward salt
Regatta Committee. p n. JeanOtt. chairman: W.
a Sandsbury and II. &. Hopkins; Membership Com
mittee Nathaniel T. Corey, chairman; A. =
RischOffer and Joseph NJ. Cans Nominating Com
mittee F. H. Converse chairman; James Matthias
and J. r. Haviland.