The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-03-27
Nv RoBERT EDGREN

Miss America is being built to 30
after the Harnsworth Trophy which
was carried back to England in 1912 by
Maple Leaf n, the fastest speed boat
ever turned out In a British yard.
The date of the international race has
not yet been announced. but it will he
some time during the summer Of 1919.
Now that the war is over. there is
now and tremendous interest in sport.
especially in competetio between coun-
tries. Sir Thomas Upton is planning
to send new challenger after the
Americas cup and American motorooat
enthusiasts are getting ready. to invade
England.
The Harmsworth cup race Is one OF
the worlds greatest sporting events
At least four countrieS-EnEland, the
United States. France and Italy-Wlll
have speed boats entered, and the i'm
provements made during war time Will
guarantee some amazing records. Under
the conditions of the race the country
winning two heats wins tho cup. One
rae. Is to be won daily until the event
is won. 4 boat that fails to finish in
any race is out of the competition for
good. and is barred from the succeeding
trials.
Gar Wood. the famous Detroit ANA
teur sportsman. whose boats have twice
won the Gold Challenge Cup Race and
Championship Of America. and estao-
lished new records at nearly every dis
tancc up to thirty-tive miles. Is the
owner OF the new challenger. Gar
Wood isn't satisfied with merely owning
his racers. He drives them himself and
there is no more daring helmsnan IN
the country. He plans to drive the new
Miss America in England and az the
race IS in the open sea he expects some
rough going.
But Gar Wood is used to that. In
one Of the trials Of tho recent gold cup
race. run In rough wnter. Miss Detroit
III Jumped 80 hard that Mr.. Wood WAS
thrown from his scat behind the steer
ing wheel landing on top Of the roaring
and nearly red hot motors. He was
badly burned and bruised. but came out
for his race next day and ran at a rec
ord breaking clip.
ct expect Miss America to be at least
ten miles an hour faster than any other
boat ever built Mr.. Wood told me
few days ago.
"She il being laid down by Chris Smith
Of Algonac. who has built all the Gold
Challenge Cup winners during the past
five years and who is so far ahead or
-
that they call him the Wizard Jay
Smith who handles the motors in all OF
nv races, has just started work on the
hull. All winter we have studied and
planned and talked the boat over. and
Jaw and Chris have been constructing
Miss America over and over again IN
their heads When ne time came to
start building they hardly needed a
drawn plan Jay Just laid the boat out
on the floor Of the workshop, We feel
sure we will have the fastest hun the
Wizard ever designed and to drive 1t
we are going to have far more powerful
motors than we ever had before. There
can be no slip up when we go to Eng
land. We're going to come back with
that Harmsworth Cup or sink IN the
attempt"
Miss Detroit III is the fastest boat
ever built anywhere In the world. Miss
Detroit III. Is only twenty feet long.
like all OF Chris Smiths former sup
winners, She was powered with V
| type Curtiss airplane motor y cylin-
| ders, SKI inches. On one Of our trials
we came close 70 doing seventy miles
an hour over short stretches. and we
| had very little engine trouble. Lots OF
| racing experts claim that an atrplane
engine can't stand UP under the ter
| rife stress Of speed boats racing IN
| rough water. The trouble is that the
boat leaps whom they strike waves. so
that the propeller Is continually COM
ally coming out Of the water when the
engine races. Then there Is fierce jar
when the propeller strikes the water
again. have had the toughest bronze
and steel propellcrs curl up like leaves
from the shock Of striking tho water
| with the engine racing. and the strain
on the motor is terrific.
often in Miss Detroit I'LL. when She
leaped clear out Of the water. I've
j heard the engine speed up until the