The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-06-19
CONSTITUTION D|SMASTED
Breaking Of the Starboard Spreader
Leaves a Mass Of Wreckage.
CRASH CAME WITHOUT WARNING

Accident Occurs Three Miles From Bren-
toms Reef Lightship-Topmast Breaks
or Where It Telescopes and Main
mast is Bent Over Like An Inverted
v-n1ate Swept Overheard, But Rescued
Newport, R. I.-Off Brenton's Reef
Lightship on Tuesday serious acci-
dent happened to the cup defender
yacht Constitution. The boat was
bounding along in a whole-sail breeze,
with its three lower sails set, when,
without warning, the starboard lower
spreader, over the end of which ran
two of the masthead shrouds, made of
inch steel wire rope, collapsed or broke
off at the mast. This brought the
strain on the three remaining steel
shrouds, which gave way, and almost
at the same instant the big steel mast
began to fall over the port. It went
over so gradually that all on deck saw
it coming in time to get to windward,
except Second Mate Nelson. who was
caught in some rigging and knocked
overheard under the big mainsail. For
tunately, the crew saw his predica-
ment, and by quick work he was
hauled aboard.
The mast broke about three-fifths of
the way above the deck, or few feet
below the lower spreaders. AS 1t went
over the topmast shrouds broke the
wooden spar in two pieces short off
at its foot where it enters the top Of
the mast, and again well up the pole
toward the top. Part of the topmast
was saved, but some ten feet Of 1t went
down, shorn Of its topmast, it was
seen that it would not strike the deck,
and as the boom sagged into the port
rail quite gently, the hull was not in
jured in the slightest degree. Both
head sails, Of course, were swept into
the water, but the bowsprit remained
intact. Both the upper spreaders were
broken short off when the mast went
down, but the topmast shrouds. which
lead over them, held we'll, and in
doing so smashed the big wooden pole
which they were intended to hold in
place.
Some of the shrouds when the upper
part Of the mast was fairly down were
carried over the stump and remained
there when the yacht was taken into
the harbor. None Of the. sails was
torn, and I'll can be used again. For
tunately three seamen had just come
down from the masthead after taking
In the club topsail.
Every one on board took the acci-
dent very coolly. The yacht, in tow
Of the Eugenia, was taken back into
the harbor. Except for the two mast
head shrouds which 60 over the
spreader, practically all the wire rig
ging on the boat was uninjured.
At the time of the accident Mr.. Dun
can had the wheel, as Captain Rhodes
had just gone forward to look at the
headsails. Captain Rhodes was quite
near the mast when it gave way, but
escaped with one or two slight
scratches on the face.
The designer, Nat Herreshoff, was on
the deck also when the mast collapsed,
and with him were William E. Iselin.
Rear Commodore G. l.. F. Robinson, of
the New York Yacht Club and New
bury Thorne.
Although the accident to the Consti-
tuition resembled that which overlook
the Columbia while the latter was rae
ing the Defender in July, 1899, only a
few miles further off shore, the wind
on Tuesday was far stronger-in fact,
fully as stiff as any breeze that the
1899 defender ever encountered.
The crew came ashore apparently in
happy frame of mind over their es-
cape from a more serious accident. One
or two Of them did not hesitate to say
that they had never felt quite safe
while the yacht was under a press of
sail, but that each trial had given them
more and more confidence in the
strength Of the spars and rigging.