The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-04
The Columbia Wins on Time
Allowance.
Shamrock Crossed Finish Line a
Trifie First.
HAIR RAISING CONTEST
Was a Neck and Neck Flight All
the Way.
English Boat Worthy FOeman
of Defender.
Series LIS Closed and Cup VIII
Remain.
HAIR RAISING CONTEST

Shamrock crosses the line first Co
lumbia wins by time allow
ance.
1886 D. m.-Shamrock apparently
crossed the line at 3:35:35; Columbia
3:35:3S.
3:37 p. m--The boats crossed almost
as one, Columbia has won
on time allowance
New York. Oct. 4.-The same north
wester which yesterday blew the Col
umbia TO victory. prevailed this morn
ing. A smashing wind scurried across
lower New York bay, kicking up white
caps in every direction 1t blew out the
flags and pennants on board the fleet
anchored inside the hook as straight as
boards and out to sea sent lot OF
coasters down the Jersey coast at
lively rate. AS was the case on yeSter-
day it increased steadily after sunrise
and at o'clock. was blowing from is
to 20 knots. In fact it seems to have
more power than at the same time
yesterday, due perhaps to reported
storm near the Bermudas. Nearly all
the pilot boats on the station, off Sandy
Hook were well reefed down and only
the heavy laden coasting schooners
were able to carry all sail
There was an added touch of frost in
the air, but overhead brilliant sun
shone from a clear autumn sky, and
wind and weather We're absolutely per-
feet for today's contest. Under the
rules today's race was 10 miles to wind
ward, or leeward and return and il
was a foregone conclusion that the
course would be a dead run before the
wind to the first mark and if the wind
held true a long beat back to the fin
a
that two years ago the Columbia gave
the Shamrock I, decisive beating of
over six minutes.
It was again Shamrock weather, or ct
least what the golden yacht people have
been asking for.
The yachting experts looked forward
with keen interest to the splendid run
before the wind today. promising a
fair test of the Shamrock's ability in
that direction. Yesterday the American
demonstrated her superiority on both
the close reach. the broad reach and
the windward work, but as yet the two
racers have not met under good condi-
tions In a run square before the wind.
While Saturdays race was of this de-
scr1ption, the wind was so light and
uncertain that none of the sharps con-
sidered IL as decisive
The crews of both yachts spent the
early morning hours in a final and
thorough inspection of rigging and sails
sprained, or weakened in yesterdays
strong wind.
Both yachts got away from their
moortngs earlier than usual this morn
ing, the Shamrock instead of waiting
until she got outside hosting her main
sail inside the hook
The Columbia, however, went out un-
der tow with bare poles and before
O'Clock. both the flyers had passed out
side Sandy Hook The splendid breeze
still held true and strong and way out
beyond the lightship was kicking the
blue water into whitecaps
The N mainsail run up on the Sham
rock is one not before used in her races
here. 1t wrinkled badly at first but bv
the time the lightship was reached it
was setting splendidIy
The committee boat passed out at
9:Zb a. m, followed shortly by the guard
boats and the first boats of the excur-
sion fleet soon after passed through the
Narrows. Shortly before 10 o'clock the
Columbia hoisted her mainsail and soon
after dropped her tow.
BY a quarter past 10 o'clock both
boats were standing Off and on and
around the light ship with mainsails
and club topsafls up. The wind was
stu going merr1ly when the commit
tee boat took up her position to the
south Of the lightship and hoisted a
signal. the letter C. indicating that
the course would be fifteen miles south
Neither Capt. Barr nor Capt. Syca-
more seemed to fear the wind, for both
set their No. l, or largest club topsafls
though yesterday Capt Sycamore in a
wind of the same strength had invited
some criticism because he did not an
Parently make the best use of the cloth
at his disposal. He used a No. 2 lib
topsail, while 6arr was using his No /.
and distinctly lost ground in the sec
cnd leg.
The excursion fleet had by this time
begun to gather back of the line. and if
was fully as large as any of the pre-
ceding days.
When the preparatory gun was fired
at 10;46 both boats We're to the wind
ward OF the line and holding away from
IL, as neither skipper wanted to cross
first The windward position was the
coveted one. as it gave the stern boat
an opportunity of blanketing the other
There was some pretty jOckeyfne for
this berth, and ten minutes later when
the warning gun sounded both were
still holding away from the line as if il
were reef or q sand bar. Two min
utes before the starting gun was fired
the boats continued to hold awav. and
IL seemed impossible that they could
cross the line before the firing of the
handicap gun. Both shippers held
stubbornly to their determination moi
to cross first. but at last Can't Barr
sent the Columbia forward Shamrock
coming right behind him and breaking
cut her spinnaker to StarbOard
An instant later the Colunabfa,s e-rea.
sptnnaker doomed out to starboard ard
IS they crossed, each broke out balloon
51b topstatls- II was now evident that
the handicap gun had fred before Col
uneia- few seconds In the lead, went