Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-08-23
Some Motors Sing,
While Others "Bing'';;
Some Hit the Gait;
Some Merely Wait
The Ladies Race with
Winsome Grace, and
on the Wave Their
Ships Behave

| Cobbosseecontee, Me-, Aug. 22.-(Spe-
| ciaD.-Fine weather. fine crowd and
| fine races were the three elements that
made the 18th annual motor boat races
| Of the Cobbosseecontee Yacht Club
held Saturday at Island park. one of
| the most successful races for several
| years. The weather though a bit windy
| for the racers, was very refreshing to
| the large crowd that assembled on the
veranda of Island Park Inn, and along
the shore front
The most interesting races between
the larger speed boats were in the La
dies race and the Sweepstakes" race;
| in the former race there was a close
! finish between DR.. Moore's boat, run
by Miss Maria, and Judge Beane's
boat piloted by Miss Norma Bryant
who finished scarcely length ahead of
the former. In the sweepstakes race
there was another close duel between
Ralph Smith and Ed. Thorne. For two
laps, with Thorne leading by about
three lengths, these two rivals fought
splendid race, neither boat being
able to shorten or lengthen the inter-
vening distance between them; but on
the third and final lap Thornes engine
began to work badly and before it set
tied down again Smith forged ahead
and took the three lengths lead just
lost by his rival. All the way down
the last stretch Thorne, coaxing and
nursing along his kinky motor, crept
up inch by inch upon Smith, until as
the two boats neared the finish it
looked to the crowd as If rhorne might
dash across the line ahead. but the dis
lance was too great and Smith shot
across the finish barely half-boat's
length ahead of Thorne.
u. w. Penneman, who won the
sweepstakes" race, had very speedy
boat, one of the fastest ever seen on
the lake. and gave a very pretty exhi-
btion Of what his boat could do by
finishing minutes and seconds ahead
or his nearest competitor. Much disap-
polntment. was expressed by the lake
people that Conroy was not present, as
1t was thought that he would have
pressed Penneman closely for first
place. The night before the race Con-
roy burnt out bearing and though he
mad machinists working all day Satur-
DAY on his engine, he failed to get his
boat working in time for the race.
In the Automatic Handicap or Bang
and-Go' race there was a fine field. of
10 starters but much to the surprise
and amusement of the crowd, at the
announcement Of the result it was
learned that all but four had been dis
qualified for "jockeying."
The rules of the race were that all
the boats should start on a line and
steer for flag boat north of Cuba,
and when the first boat reached the
nag boat all should turn and put back
for the starting point and that the
first boat across the line should win
but with the condition that-"Any
boat that makes the return run more
than five per cent faster than the run
out will be disqualified. When the
judges had reckoned out the times Of
the boats it was found that nine had
made the return more than five per
cent faster than the run out.
Those "Put. Putters"
The most exciting if not to say
spectacular race on the whole pro-
gram was the much heralded Out.
board Motors" race, the anticipation
of which has called forth those nu-
merous masterpieces Of poetic art,
not to mention those splendid. stirring
paintings. the cuts of which have
been depicted in the past weeks num-
bers of the Journal. 1t was the Or
lginal plan of the race to have all
the "outboards" line up for the start
with motors dead then at a given sig
nal. all were to be started, OF attempt
ed to be started. and then the race
| would be on. But the wind was too
| strong for the various frolicsome
craft, and after numerous vain at
tempts to carry out the above rule
attempts which did not end until
smith Cooper tried to submarine his
nearest rival Frank Smith, by run
ming the Prov of his prancing bark
right into the vital works of the lat
ter's motor-not till then was the
above plan abandoned as quite impos-
slole, let alone as too dangerous and
6ermanesque. Then the judges de-
cided to take the times of all as they
got away but when this point had
been settled it was found that the
cupboard" fleet had seemingly van
ished from the surface Of the water
But it was soon discovered that the
racers had just retired to the quiet
waters of the nearby cove, to take an
account OF stock; that is, to see they
still possessed all the necessary or
unnecessary parts of their complicat-
ed combinations Of machinery, if their
boats still had the same number Of
pianks. amount of paint, etc, etc. At
last after much coaxing from starter
Dwight" higgins, and numerous sa-
lutes from Chief Gunner "Jigger''
Partridge the feet with the noise Of
German British French Rus a n.
Japanese naval engagement raced
across the starting line and the long
wished for race was on. In the ex-
citement of the race Lewis Cleaves
seeking more room ran into Capt