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- - VOT. XXXIV. NO. 79. WXLMENTGTON, N. G., TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1901. S1.00 PER TEAR rs it 11-- '. J Tr v r 'v. C0LUMB1 A SGOBB She Defeats the Shamrock in One of the Most Exciting Races Ever Sailed. She Passes Finishing Line Thirty-nine ; Seconds Ahead of the Britisher Brll- ; ' Hant Maneuvering at the Start Cap- . tain Jiarr Out Generaled for Once. : Shamrock Gets the Windward and : Keeps It to the Tnrn, which She Passes Four Hundred Feet lu the ; Lead-Columbia Pulls Up With Her '. Running Before the Wind-Neck and Neck lor a While-Columbia Takes the LeadTheu Conies Near Losing It. . New York, September 25. In the clos est and most soul stirring race ever sailed for J the old America's cup ihe white flyer Columbia today beat the British challenger over a windward and leeward course of thirty nautical miles by the narrow, heart breaking margin of S3 seconds. As Lipton's latest as pirant for cup honors must allow the defender 43 seconds on account of the extra 833 square feet of canvass in her sail area, the official record, under the rules gives her the victory by one min uute and twenty-two seconds. As a spectacle the contest was su perb. From the time the two sky scraping racers crossed the starting line until they fled across the finish line four and a half hours later the result was in doubt and the excitement aboard the excursion fleet increased until me-i became frenzied and women almost hysterical. So evenly matched were these two scientific racing machines that never after they started were the rival skippers out of each other's hail, and more than three quarters of the time they were so close that Charlie Barr. who had the tiller aboard the American, could have tossed a biscuit to Captain Sycamore on the Shamrock. For miles as they beat their way to the outer mark the black shadow of Sham rock's huge club topsail was painted on the big mainsail of the Columbia, and for an hour on the run. home, with the two yachts flying like scared deer in the following wind, they ran almost beam to beam as if they had been har nessed together. As a result of today's race, though faith in the Columbia still remains in the herats of the patriots, all the ex perts admit that the British boat is the ablest sloop ever sent to these waters to lift the 100 guinea cup which the old schooner America brought across the Atlantic fifty years ago, and that the superiority of American seamanship and American naval architecture, as represented by the Defender, remains to be established. The quality of a sailing ship is meas ured by her ability to carve her way into an adverse wind, and in the fifteen mile thresh to windward today the golden challenger gained 39 second3, while on the run home her lead was eaten up and the Columbia crossed the finish line exactly 37 seconds before the Shamrock. It must be remembered, however, that the challenger had the weather gauge in the beat to wind ward, no mean advantage, and the nautical experts said after the race that during the outward journey she had been sailed to absolute perfection, while before the wind the American yacht not only showed a fleeter pair pf heels, but in the opinion of the shares was better handled. Disappointed by the fluke of Thurs day the crowd which sailed down to Sanday Hook lightship today wj3 somewhat smaller tvfu on the opening day. but, even soothe colony of steam ers, steam yachts, tug boats, sailing vessels and excursion craft of every de scription formed an angle at the start ing line miles long. It was an ideal day for a race- BARR OUTWITTED. Again today the course, east by south, carried the yachts along the Long Is land shore straight ' out to sea. The start was thrilling. The yachts bound ed away across the line like a couple of runaway horses, the challenger a halt length a head and to windward. In the maneuvering bef or the start, Cap tahj? Sycamore had given the wily Yan kee skipper a genuine surprise, return ing a Roland for the Oliver he received on Thursday. Just when Barr thought he had him under his lee the English man deadened his headway and then luffed under the Columbia's stern Into the weather berth. This victory for the Shamrock at the very inception of the race the Columbia could not overcome in the big beat to windward. The two yachts were an inspiring sight to the spectators as they plunged seaward, pounding great fountains of spray from their bows and drenching the crews lined up along' the weather rail. They heeled to the wind until their lee rails were awash in the seas IE and from the windward side they show ed yards of their bronze underbodie3. NECK AND NECK. Neck and Neck, tack and tack, they raced like a team or horses. Dismay began to be written on the faces of the patriots as Barr tried once, twice and finally a third time to cross the bow cf the foreigner, only to be forced around each time by the lean golden muzzle of the Britisher. On they flew and the Columbia seemingly falling back rather than gaining. The hearts of the patri ots sank lower and lower. As the yachts got farther out the swells lengthened and the white flyer seemad to labor more heavily in the long waves. Just after passing Long Beach hotel, with its verandas and windows filled with people the old City of Paris, now the Philadelphia of the American Line, came foaming in from the east with a bone in her teeth. She headed slightly northward between the racers and the shore in order not to impede them with her wash and went by like an express train, dipping her flag in salute. The excursion vessels formed a cres cent about the stake boat as the yachts rounded the outer mark, but it was a doleful fleet. THE ERIN SALUTES THE SHAM ROCK. As the Shamrock wore around with her spinnaker pole poised to starboard like a lance in rest the big steam yacht Erin opened her whistle long and loud It was the-first time Sir Thomas had felt the joy of victory and he and his party probably enjoyed it to the full The Yankee skippers were too polite not to pull their whistle cords, but the toots were not loud nor long; but when the white flyer Columbia began to eat the green water between her self and the challenger, drooping spirits began to rise and when the yachts got on even terms about half way home the bands began to play and the people raised a cheer. NEARING THE END. As they approached the finish line, the Columbia leading by half a dozen lengths.all the pent up enthusiasm burst forth. About a quarter of a mile before they reached the line the golden boat blanketed the white one and for a mo ment she ran up a longside and it look ed as if she would be first home Cheers died in patriotic throats. Sud denly, as the Columbia luffed off and got her wind clear she forged ahead and came tearing down like mad. As she crossed three lengths ahead, the en thusiasm broke out again with re doubled energy. THE FINISH. Every yankee skipper grabbed his whistle cord and made terrific noise and din. Sirens wailed and the white steam jets made" it look as if every ship had broken her steam chest. Every body cheered. Men and women jumped up and down for very joy. Not a few hats tossed in the air fell overboard, but their owners cared not. The Corsair, J. p. Morgan's yacht, set American flags at both peaks, gaffs and taffrail. Soon the whole fleet blossomed in the national colors. The Corsair went along side the defender and her crew gave three cheers, which the Yankee tars aboard the Columbia answered with bared heads. The whole fleet seemed anxious to escort the Cor lumbia to her anchorage. Meantime the Shamrock had taken a tow from her tender and had drawn out of the ruck of the steamers. Escorted by the Erin, which showed a big hole that the revenue cutter Gresham had stove In her portquarter, she headed for her berth behind the Hook. Some of the excursion boats dropped back to salute the popular sportsman who has been game enough to make a second effort to lift the cup and then the whole fleet moved on in mad race for home, many of the skippers keep ing their whistles going until they reached th eNarrows at the entrance of the upper bay. LIPTON NOT DISCOURAGED. When it was all over, Sir Thomas Lipton showed himself the thorough sportsman he is: "Well," he said, as he stood on the deck of the Erin, "that's one against us; but in my heart I am Just as hopeful as I was this morning, for I fell that if I only have a wind I'm all right. It was a fair and square race, no fluke, but it was not the Shamrock's day. We want a breeze that will put that deck six inches under water and then you'll see a race, but be sure of one thing I was licked fairly today." Captain Bob Wring, who was on board the Erin at Sir Thomas elbow said: "If .we get a fresh breeze we will lift the cup yet A nine to twelve knot breeze is what we want.' E. P. Morgan, while highly pleased over the result of the race, had little comment to make: "We beat fa-rly." he said. "Although the wind condtions were not all that could have bed de sired, after turning the outer maW we were confident of bringing the Colum bia home a winner. I will ventre no predictions as to the outcome b? the future races. We have carefully void ed boasting, but shall put forth our best endeavors to keep the America's cup on this side of the Atlantic. Captain Barr also was much gratified over the victory. J'lt was a close race, but a clean one," he said. jWind conditions were perhaps not all that could have been desired, but as they were our boat was never in danger, I believe, at any point." HOW THE RACE WAS SAILSD. When the two yachts were towel out to Sandy light ship there was b fine strong breeze blowing nine knots from a little 'south of east, with a possible promise of becoming more southerly as the day progressed. The long greasy swell, always a forerunner of a g'.orm, came in with considerable force an! the roll of the sea from southward caused by the disturbance down the t coast made it unpleasant for those not ac customed to ocean waves. j The wind had freshened a bit! when the tug Navigator with the regatta committee aboard anchored at the southeasterly end of the line with San dy Hook lightship forming the ! other extremity. Soon af terwads signals were hoisted on the committee tug denoting that the course would be east by south. fifteen miles to windward and return. The preparatory gun was fired at 10:45. The Columbia had secured meanwhile a berth to windward of the leeward. Captain Sycamore was at the tiller down on the leeward side as usual. On the Columbia Skipper Barr was at the wheel. The force of the wind was now fully nine knots an hour. It was sometimes puffy and occasionally reached tfce dl mensions of a scupper breeze when the yachts heeled to its strength. The warning gun was fired at 10:55 and at that time both yachts had work ed to windward of the line with the Shamrock now in the weather position. At the warning signal both yachts bore down and came to leeward. THE START. At 10:5S the Columbia went oil the starboard tack, this manoeuvre being repeated by her rival. The Shamrock luffed up to windward of the Columbia and when the starting gun came had a splendid position and went over the line two second ahead of her rival and well placed in the windward berth. For once the doughty Charlie Barr had met his equal in the starting trick. The Columbia tried in vain to work out through the lee of her opponent. Sev eral short tacks were taken, but, in spite of all efforts, she could not gt clear. SHAMROCK S00 YARDS AHEAD. At 10:40 the Shamrock had a good lead of nearly 300 yards. When the vessels were on the port tack they en countered a pretty hard head sea. While on the starboard tack the sea smote them abeam. The Shamrock ap peared to splash more against the nose enders than the Columbia, but the splashing did not retard her speed m the least. Not a tremor could be de tected in the luffs of the sails of either racer. Both were handled to perfection and were given a good clean full, not the least quiver being allowed to make itself manifested in a single cloth. At 12:54 both boats on the port tack were heading for the outer mark, wh'ch on this occasion was the tug Edgar F. Luckenbach, the raft which she carried having failed to right itself when put overboard. The wind now was the freshest of the day. SHAMROCK LEADS AT THE TURN. The Shamrock had a lead of at least 400 yards, and as she approached the mark it was seen that she had handily beaten the old defender in the wind ward work. She turned in excellent style and with main boom square off to port, the spinnaker boom was lower ed to starboard. The Columbia made an equally good turn. The official time at the mark was as follows: Sham rock 1:25:12. Columbia 1:25:53. The Shamrock in the beat to windward hcd thus gained 39 seconds. She had beaten the Columbia boat for boat, but had not overcome the handicap of 43 seconds time allowance which, under the rules of the New York Yacht Club, she was compelled to concede. There was considerable delay in set ting spinnakers. The Shamrock waited apparently for the Columbia and luff ing out In order to prevent a blanket. Finally at 1:32 the Columbia broke out her spinnaker and at the same time a tremendous balloon jib. The Shamrock smartly followed suit. In .the heavy roll of the sea which was now on the port quarter on the two boats the main booms trained in the water as they lurched to leeward. These were tauted up clear of the saa, thereby spoiling somewhat the set of the mainsails. COLUMBIA TAKES THE LEAD. The stern chase Is a long chase, but slowly the old Columbia crawled up on the new Shamrock. At 2:10 she was abeam and half a minute later was the leading boat. Slowly she crept, and at 2:14 was all of half a length ahead. From that time on to the finish line she kept in the lead. The wind was now dropping, but, in spite of her much larger sail plan, the Shamrock could not prevent the steady, though slow. gain of the Columbia. SHAMROCK NEARLY CATCHES UP. For nearly an hour the race contin ued without further event. Then at 3:15 the wind freshened slightly, filling out the immense sails of the Shamrock. Slowly she crept up and lessened the gap between her and the defender. Now she was only half a length bo hind. Now she was very nearly on even terms and it became a matter of doubt as to which boat would first cross the finish line, less than a mile away. It was the last of the many exciting moments in the contest for very soon the Columbia, getting her wind free again, pulled out and with surprising rapidity opened up on the challenger and pulled out a lead that left the re sult no longer in doubt. She crossed the line a winner not only on time al lowance but boat for boat. Shamrock Finish, 3:31:5S; elapsed time. 4:31:44; corrected time, 4:31:44. Columbia Finish, 3:31:23; elapsed time, 4:31:07; corrected time, 4:30:22. The next race will be over a trian gular course ten miles to a leg and will be sailed next Tuesday. REVOLUTION IN HAYTI. The Situation Serious Many Promi nent Men Arrested. Kingston, Ja., September 2S. Reports of a revolutionary outbreak in Hayti reached here today by the German steamer Alene from New York via Jeremie, Hayti. According to the statements of those on board the Alene a large number of prominent men in Jeremie were arrest ed yesterday on the charge of conspir acy and immdiately removed to Port au Prince and imprisoned. The situation in the interior of Hayti is reported to be serious, owing to the opposition to President Sam continuing to retain office. M. Fouchard, the former Haytien minister of finance and said to be one of the ablest men in Hayti, who is now in this city and who is said to be the choice of the members of the Haytien national assembly for the presidency to succeed General Sam, declines to speak on the situation at present, but friends of Haytians here say that the revolu tionary movement was planned long ago. STATE TEXT BOOK COMMISSION Its Declarations as to Book Deposi tories and .Exchange of Book. (Special to the Messenger.) Raleigh, N. C, September 29. The state text book commission at its meet ing this morning adopted the follow ing resolutions: "Ordered that the superintendent of public instruction be authorized to use his discretion as to location and time of establishing depositories and that this board adopt his decision." It declares, "Usuable book is ex changeable under the law" as a proper construction as to the condition of books presented for exchange and that "certificates required by publishers from teachers as to copies which were presented shall not be required or filled out as a condition of exchange." IN TITE PERSIAN GULF. England Concentrating Her Warships. Turkish Troops Assembled. Bombay, September 2S. A British naval force is concentrating in the Persian gulf. Three warships are al ready on the spot, and they will be augmented by the gunboat Assaye, which has already left Kurrachee and the flagship, the second class cruiser Highflyer. The third class cruiser Pomone will also sail for the Persian gulf so soon as she has coaled. It is believed that fresh trouble is impend Ing at Koweyt. According to a report, Turkey has 30,000 troops at Basra commanded by Edhem Pasha, with the object of seiz ing Koweyt, though the Turks assert that the troops are Intended to traverse Arabia with the object of suppressing disaffection in Yemen. ACCIDENT AT TfJE RACE. Erin and Reyenne Cutter Gresham In Collision. New York. September 28. Sir Thomas Lipton's steam yacht Erin narrowly escaped serious accident today when, just after the Shamrock and Columbia had rounded the turn the United States revenue cutter Gresham collided with her. Both boats were doing patrol duty. The Gresham in the hands of Cam mander Bomas B. "Walker and the Erin for the dar in charge of Lieutenant John Boedecker. of the United States revenue cutter service. In. starting to clear the course for the home stretch the Gresham apparently tried to cross the i bow ;of the Erin v There was - evi- ME COBTBADICnOHS By Sampson's Witnesses of Evidence Previously Given in the Schley Case. dently a misunderstanding of signals by the Gresham. and it was too late when at last she tried to back out, and the Erin put on full steam ahead. The revenue cutter struck the yacht a blow on the port quarter thirty or forty feet from the stern. A plate was bent, some paint rubbed off and the rail bruised. Inside a thwartshio deck-beam was buckled. The Erin's small boats were prompt ly manned and within a few . seconds after the crash men stood ready to lower away if necessary, but fortunate ly it was not necessarv. TRAIN WRECKERS' WORK. They Draw tho Spikes and Derail a Seaboard Express Train. (Special to the Messenger.) Raleigh, N. C, September 23. Delay ed trains from the south of here on the Seaboard Air Line arrived late this af ternoon and brought five persons who, the railway officials say, were all who were wounded. The officials then gave out news as to wreck, saying the spikes were drawn and rails so prized apart with an iron bar as to let the engine drop; that there was no washout and no rain there amounting to anything; that the bar was found and signs found where men had crawled under the tool house and procured the bar; that the engine and tender, baggage, two ex press, mail and second class passenger cars, five in all, were derailed; that the injured are. Engineer D. K. "Wright formerly of Fayette ville, hand scalded and injured internally; Commercial Traveler Robert O. King, leg broken and body and head bruised; Fireman Price, back wrenched, and two negro passengers, one with a broken leg, the other bruised. The officials say this is the second attempt of train wreckers on their line recently, the other having been in South Carolina, and that ar rests are expected. THE SEWERAGE SYSTEM. Messrs. William McLean tfc Co.. the Contractors, Will Begin Work on the Nun Street section Next Tnesilny Morning Two Hundred Hands Will Re Employed. Owing to the ordinance prohibiting the excavation of the earth inside the city proper, between the first of June and the first of October, no work has been done down town in the construc tion of the sanitary sewer system which the Wilmington Sewerage Company will construct in Wilmington. During the summer, however. Messrs. William Mc Lean & Co., the contractors, have had a hundred hands at work outside of the settled district, next to Oakdale cem etery. On Burnt Mill Creek where the system will discharge, they have built the extensive, scientific disposal plant which will take the langs out of the sewerage, so to Speak. Defore it Is dis charged Into the creek. This plant consists of a series of brick structures into which the sewage empties and is purified by aeration and percolation through immense gravel beds, so it will not contaminate the waters of the creek. From the disposal plant up to Wood street and down that street to its in tersection with Campbell street near the cemetery gates, the contractors have also made excavations for a dis tance of three quarters of a mile and laid the sewer main for that distance. Yesterday Mr. William McLean, of Philadelphia, arrived In tne city to take charge of the work on the general sys tem and push it to completion. He states that the work will be commenced In earnest on Tuesday morning, which is the 1st of October. He will employ from 150 to 200 hands, and will begin work on Nun street going from the river front eastward to Eighth or Ninth streets which Is the dividing ridge be tween the eastern and western sections of the sewer system. THE W. C. T. U. The State President Here and Will De liver Two Addresses Tomorrow Af ternoon and Night at the First Bap tist Church. Mrs. M. E. Cartland, of Greensboro, N. C. state president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, arrived in the city yesterday and wishes to meet with the ladies of the Wilmington union (and all other ladles who will attend), at the lecture room of the First Baptist church tomorrow after noon at 3 o'clock. She will address the ladles on "Christian Womanhood," and at the same place at 8 o'clock Monday night she will speak to the public on the subject, "Is the boy safer Prompt attendance and full bouses are desired at the hours named. Excursion From Rowland. An excursion from Rowland, N. C . and points in South Carolina, arriv - . here yesterday at 1:43 p. m. over t!;.- S. C. The train brought 250 execursion Ists. most of whom were colored. The train left here on the return trip lust evening at 7:15 o'clock. . MeCalla Testifies that the Mar bio- head and Vlxon at Night Patrolled Several Miles Within the Line orthe Blockading Ships-He Says Schley's Fleet nad Never, to JUMKnowledsro Been Withdrawn to Any DUtanoe Fro Santlftgo Wbllo Blockadlne-IIe , Tells ot Ills Secret Code-Explanation of Alterations In the Missing D la patch From Schley Tostlmony as to Hough Weather. Washington. September 2S. In the Schley court of inquiry today Captain MeCalla, of the Marblehead, concluded his testimony which was begun yester day, and the court heard the testimony of Lieutenant Commander W. II. H; Southerland. who commanded the Eagle during the Spanish war and also that of Lieutenant Casslus B. Barnes. Mr. Stayton did not press his request to be allowed to appear as counsel for Admiral Sampson, as he had announced that he would do. He wrote a second ietter to the court renewing his applica tion, and recounting the times that the admiral's name had been brought Into the case, but he left the city later In the day, requesting the court to hold up the matter for the present. On the opening of court Mr. Hanna expressed his regret that he should have used the term "accused" In referr ing to Admiral Schley. CAPTAIN M'CALLA CONTINUES". When Captain MeCalla took the wit ness stand: Mr. Hanna asked him "Were any ships assigned to the duty; of engaging the batteries on the morn ing of May 31, 1S93, or during that day, or to the duty of enfilading the batter ies?" The reply was: "None that I know of." Mr. Hanna then asked: "Were thsnr any shoals or other obstacles of any kind to prevent the battleships from approaching the mouth of the harbor of Santiago sufficiently close to have been within easy range of the Colon? Captain Parker objected to the ques tion, but the court refused to sustain, the objection and the question was re peated. Captain MeCalla replied: "None that: I know of. The only shoal I know ofJ was the shoal on the west side of ther channel opposite the morro." "Did the battleships go within range of the Colon?" "Not from my observation." "Were you so situated as to observe the fall of shots from the fleet?" "I was." " "Where did they fall?" "I think I saw every shot fired. They all fell short that I saw. One very nearly reached the Colon." The witness described a conference of commanding officers on the Brook lyn on May 29th. He said: "The com manding officers were ordered on board. the Brooklyn on May 25th. It was withy regard to the work of blockade. I cant only remember one specific thing wbictT took place at the close, and that was that Captain Evans asked Commodore Schley if the Spanish ships came out if he was going In for them. He Raid, 'certainly,' and then arranged for a sub division of fire from the ships under his command on the Spanish ships ehould they come out." Mr. Hanna: "Prior to that confer ence on May 23th had you at any time received definite instructions respecting, the order of battle or the mode of pro cedure which the fleet should follow to case the Spanish vessels should sud denly appear?" "I do not remember." NOT ALL THE GLORY FOR SAMP SON. "Did you have any further conversa tion with Commodore Schley?" "I had a conversation with him in hl tabin after the battle of Santiago,, about July 5th. in Guantanamo bay. 2 went on board, making an official call, to pay my respects, and during the y it Commodore Schley read to me what I understood to be a part of his official report of the battle. After he had fin ished I said: 'Commodore, you remera ber that after the battle of Lake Xrf there was an unfortunate controversy and I hope that there will be none at-, ter the battle of Santiago, because thertt v. a.3 glory enough for everybody ilORE TESTIMONY AS TO INJfEl BLOCKADE LINE. relating the particulars of the Mock ads of Santiago before June let, Cap tain MeCalla said the Marblehead ana the Vixen had at night occupied posi tion Inside the large ships about two- - (CONTINUED ON FUTO ?!
The Wilmington Messenger (Wilmington, N.C.)
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Oct. 1, 1901, edition 1
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