Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 October 1899 — THIRD ATTEMPT A FLUKE. [ARTICLE]

THIRD ATTEMPT A FLUKE.

Yacht Race Fails Saturday Because of f Lock of Wind. The third fiuke of the Columbia and Shamrock Saturday disgusted those interested in yachting. It was a little too much for public patience to bear. This was shown in the fact that the attendance on the excursion boat** going down to the course decreased from 50,000 on Tuesday to less than 20,000 Saturday. Boat rates were $5 a person Tuesday;, they were $1 Saturday. The wind for the third time failed the yachts. When they came down to the starting line, the: Columbia in fine position and taking the lead, a stiff gale was blowing. In lesa> than an hour this diminished to four knots, and by mid-afternoon it was most a dead calm. The yachts rounded th" stake boat, which was more than they did Thursday, and the Columbia cut down a long load of the Shamrock and took the front, but it was not real racing. It was drifting. Some years ago the International race was seventeen days in progress before either challenger or defender scored a victory. As a rule the steamboat captains gave the yachts a wider range than on the previous days, and even the White Ladye promptly got out of range of the patßff~J boats when signaled to by the revenue officer aboard a tug. There was perhaps more discussion on the excursion boats as to whether the course could be covered: within the time limit than there was about the merits of the two yachts, and bets were made on this score. An hour before the limit the situation became exciting, and the racers shot through the waves at a lively clip, but aa they got under the lee of the highlands and slackened their gait it became evident that the boats could not make it in time, and the odds changed heavily in ' favor of “no race,” with no takers on the other side. Two of the most interesting sights in the race Were the former enp defenders, the America and the VigiiantThe former did not follow the run, but ' cruised around and was just outside the Hook, and was within range of the returuiag fleet, receiving many complimentary remarks from yachting experts. From the bridge of the revenue cutter v Manning. Captain Robley D. Evans di- ; reeled the movement of the fleet guarding the eourse of the races, and when the day was done he was obliged to report only one steamer, the Block Island, for infraction of the rules.