Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-09
The Races on the River.

The Labor day races did not settle the
mooted question of whether the ellison ol
the Harrington boat is the faster. Tho
ellison boat did not race ard the ttar-
rington boat was unable to complete the
course the second heat on account OF
trouble with her machinery. The gener-
al opinion, however. is that with the time
allowance that would be given her in d
handicap race Gilsons boat would be
pretty apt to win, but starting on the
scratch the Harrington boat would be
most likely the victor
Much disappointment was expressed by
the big crowd of spectators who lined
the bridge and wharveS that the Gather
inc g. was not to be in the race to com
pete with the Ralph II. Eden z. Smith
and Bion II. Buzzell of the committee on
the river sports stated to the Journal re-
porter that Gibson had agreed to race OH
an even footing with the Harrington boat
that of Rice Bros, and DR.. Roberts, il
they entered, while other small boats that
might come in were to be given their
proper handicap. When Ernest F. i<el-
icy, the official Handicapped from Bath
who measures nearly all the motor boats
in this part of the State for races. ar
rived upon the scene oMnday forenoon
Mr.. ellison insisted that his boat should
be given a time allowance over HarrIng-
tons boat of a half minute to the mile
This the committee was unwilling to do
as they claimed that it was expressly
understood that the two boats were to
race on an even footing. Words followed
between MI Buzzell and Mr.. ellison. and
during the argument it is alleged that Mr.
ellison accused Mr.. Buzzell of being a de-
liherate falsifier and that an encounter
followed in which Mr. Gibson received a
choking
Saturday evening the Harrington boat
was disabled and it was feared at one
time that the boat might not be in the
nj, IL
the wharf at HallOwell twisting the
wheel. sprinSing the shaft and breaking
the strut" the bearing which holds the
shaft just in front of the wheel. Fortu-
nately IT happened that George Gilmore
of the kenncbec gas engine works at
Bath. who formerly worked for Cross &,
Robinson of this city. was in town that
night and offered to make the repairs to
the strut SO that the boat might race
Monday He worked the greater part OF
Sunday making a new one by hand The
other repairs were made and the parts
put in place and Monday morning the
boat was tried out and worked all right
AS there were no entries for the canoe
and tub races the event of the afternoon
on the. river was the motor boat race.
The prizes were $50. SIS and S. The Off
timers. and Ernest F. Kelley of Bath Of
fetal Handicapped. The members of the
committee were Bion H. Buzzell, Eden
p. Smith. S. Danforth. a. S. Turner and
IL <SNtlN. dHu l0tN aCteO as 1uQSeS.
The course was eight miles. from the
bridge three miles down river back up
river. one mile above the bridge, and back
to the starting point, the best two heats
in three to win. The boats entered were
the Agnes B.. formerly the Skidoo now
owned by p. NJ. Lawrence of Augusta but
formerly belonging to the Goodwin broth
ers of this city; the Ralph H., owned by
w. -. harrington the Eleanor II, owned
by Rice Bros. of East Boothbay and the
Florence NJ, owned by Leonard Mckay
The Agnes r. was given Il time allowance
of minutes and q seconds and the Flor
erce NJ. a time allowance of 6 minutes and
II seconds. The two big boats started on
the scratch. The time allowance was
made urc1 a course of seven nautical
miles. The Goodwin brothers took turns
In sailing their old boat.
1t was 20 when the motor boats start
I'd away on the first heat. The boats went
down the stream. the Eleanor in lead of
the Ralph II. and the other two boats
slightly behind. On the return the
Eleanor was still in the lead. but as the
boats passed the judges float she COM
nenced to have trouble with the engine
and the Ralph H. passed her with a COM
Portable lead and crossed the line first
1T the finish. But with her time allow
ance of minutes and q seconds the Ag-
les b won the first heat.
The. boats were on tho course for the
ac"nd heat at 800. Tie Florence NJ
Popped oft i'm tits heat TIE Ralph H |
IMPAIRED to h" irl trouble when the start
raS made and did not go the whole of
he way over the course. The Eleanor II