The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-03-01
AN AUTO-BOAT RACE.
CURIOUS CRAFT SEEM ALMOST
TO HAVE LIFE.
Launches Shoot Through the Water
at Furious PSce-Accidents
That Happen to the
Motors.

1t is an exciting scene 10 wa'cn ha,f
a dozen OF these racing muCnIrs IA a
contest There are usually Two mcn in
each boat. One handles The steering
wheel while tie other watches the mo-
tor. 1leAe men arc clad in oilskins.
In one boat, the Mercedes. say Pear
sons Magazine, tae crew, as tney are
called. usually haze inc preservers
around J.eir noc..a. aud underneath the
oiislSins are Oniy Dathlng suits, so that
In CaHe Ol an accident their chances
of drowning atr considerably lcssened.
These Oilsiuns ht tightly around tue
neck and wrists to keep out the water
that "smilhcfs' over all as the boat
rushes along. The men crouch down
to offer as little resistance to the wind
as possible.
The boats are built SO low that not
more than two feet of the huh is above
the surface of the water. Putting and
snorting, "chunking' and "chooting." "
they seem almost to have life as they
squirm and twist, answering to the
slightest turn of the wheel in the
hands of the solitary figure standing
at the forward part OF the boat.
AS the time for the start draws near
they approach the line which marks
the beginning of the race. Each helms
man has placed his boat in as favora-
bic position as possible The prows
of the boats are cutting the water
cleanly and on each side a wave curls
in the air and, turning over, tumbles
In a graceful cascade on each side of
the racing machine. Then the starting
signal sounds and they are off. rhe
man al the motor gives II little more
life. ana the tiny craft seem fairly to
fly on toward the next mark. Spray is
thrown high. Some OF this falls on
board, but the launches are moving so
fast that most reaches the water again
only after the boats have passed by.
Now one shoots head, but only for a
moment, and then another has over
come thar advantage and passed the
aspirant for the lead. The hclmsmen
are crouching over their wheels. Spray
is binding their eyes, but they are
straining their sight TO catch glimpse
OF the mark for which they are steer
ing. The water is whipped into a thick
creamy foam, and as the boats dart
along IL dances and boils, seeming an
cry that II has been disturbed, and 1t
lashcs itself into fury, soon to quiet
down again to the soothing smooth
ness that marks the summer sea.
The leaders In the contest are in the
best position and those astern are bat
ting with the waves that those in
front have left behind TO mark their
course. Suddenly a wave smothers
over one of the racers. It dashes over
the motor, and the next moment the
boat Is hopelessly out OF the contest.
The motor has become swamped. IL
mas uTaWn water lntO the cyllnder, IN
stead of air with the explosive gaso-
line, and before the trouble can be
remedied the others are too far ahead
to make II worth while TO follow in
pursuit. Then another stops sudden
ly. An accident has happened To the
motor; some delicate part has snapped
and the boat is out OF the race. And
so 1t goes all over the course. The sue
cessful boat at the end dashes across
the line winner. II has travelled al
the rate of better than 20 miles an
hour. Its owner is pleased and he
rests, looking forward to another con-
test when he may win more laurels or
may have to lower his pennant to some
other boat.