The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1904-07-28

Race.
Three Gloucester (Mass.) shippers
will race their fishing schooners 700
miles for glory and a three dollar hat
says a Boston dispatch to the New
York Herald The course is from
Gloucester to Fox Bay, Cape Gaspe,
Quebec.
Captain Henry NJ. Atwood of the
Fannie Belle Atwood, Captain William
Thomas of the Elmer e. Gray and
Captain Henry Curtis Of the Mary F..
Curtis are the captains who have
agreed to try the speed of their craft
In this novel race.
The schoOuers are the newest and
speediest craft of their type ahoat, and
the question as to which is the fastest
can only be determined by long race
under equal conditions.
The competing boats are fast, but
within limits. Built to carry a goodly
cargo of fish they were designed with
an eye to speed, and many valuable
hour have they clipped off in their
runs home to port with their loads Of
| fish Older boats have been left be-
hind, and, although these schooners
were only launched in September, they
are already we'll known throughout the
fishing region of the north Atlantic.
Naturally the rivalry soon expressed
itself, but it was friendly rivalry and
hurt no one. The captains all bail
from Gloucester, and whenever the luck
Of the game has allowed two Of the
three to meet there has been a lively
discussion as to the merits of the boats.
1t was only a few days ago that the
three shippers met all together. Then
the question of race was talked over
In earnest and it took but a short time
| for the three to come to terms.
What about a prize to the winner?
Deeds, not tokens, are the big things
| In the lives of these men, And so
when it comes to q 700 mile race for the
championship Of the fishing feet the
rivals decided mat three dollar hat
would be q sufficient reminder of the
event
The course was easy to decide. The
three vessels are in the habit of going
to Fortune Bay, n. F., for their frozen
herring during the winter, while during
the summer they go for bait to the
Magdalen islands or Fox Bay, Cape
Gaspe
So it was determined that the course
should be to Fox Bay, for thus the race
would be on trip which they would
make in the way of business.
Leaving Gloucester they will set a
course past Cape Sable and along the
coast of Nova Scotia, each taking adj
vantage of every puff of wind to reach
! Cape Canso first
Then comes the passage of the mar
row strait of Canso, between Nova
Scotia and Cape Breton island Out in
! to the open again the schooners will
ware off Cape Fast on the end Of
Prince Edward island, and then head
straight for Cape Gaspe, with the Mag
dalen islands on their starboard
Rounding the cape they are all but in
Fox Bay, and at anchor at the fishing
| line, Anticosta island
All three vessels are now at sea, but
they are expected back to port within
week. Before the captains return
they will make arrangements at the
Anticosta island for officials to decide
the finish Of their race. That will not
take long, for it is not to be expected
that it will be hard to pick the winner
1t is hardly possible that the three
boats will finish within few minutes
Of each other. 1t Is we'll within the
bounds of probability, however, that
the three will anchor at their destina-
ton within a few hours of each other
The only other officials will be those
who superintend the firing of the start
ing gun at Gloucester. Measurers, Off
cial timekeepers and other familiar
terms to the yachting man will not be
heard of in connection with this race.
Gloucester will turn out in force to see
the schooners weigh anchor and set
sail on their unique race But there
will not be many to view the finish
The Atwood, the Gray and the Curtis
were built at Essex. Each is Of 100
tons, estimated according to the new
government regulations. The Fannie
Belle Atwood is named after the skip
per's wife. and is largely owned by e.
4. Rich & Co., of I wharf, Boston. The
Elmer e. Gray is named after one OF
her principal owners. The Mary f.
Curtis is named after the captains
wife, and is owned by John Pew &
! Son Of Gloucester.
Those not acquainted with the
Gloucester fishermen hardly realize that
the seamen are as fond of a good race
as is the most enthusiastic yachtsman
| The races for the Lawson prize in 1901
showed what sportsmen the fishermen
can be. The trouble is that they get
few opportunities to indulge their
! fondness.
In the race for the Lawson prize
Boston boat, the Benjamin F. Phillips,
beat out Gloucester boat, the Priscil-
la Smith, by six minutes and fifty-eight
seconds. That was close work, even
for TIE short course which the boats