The Sloop Race of the Century on Lake Washington
A summer-long rivalry between two local sloops concludes with a narrow, heart-pounding finish off the Madison Street wharf.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
In a most exciting sailing race yesterday afternoon, the sloop Idlewild defeated the Hettie Bell for the championship of Lake Washington. A match between the two boats has been brewing all summer, and matters finally came to a head yesterday. The boats sailed over a triangular eight-mile course, and, with a good breeze, made excellent time. The start was made at 4:14:16 p.m. from a point off the Madison street wharf, the judges, Captain J. A. Hatfield and Captain H. W. Kiddle, following in a tug. It was a beautiful finish between the two boats, the Hettie Bell crossing the line only eight seconds ahead of the Idlewild, but the corrected time gave the victory to the Idlewild. The time as the boats finished was: Hettie Bell, 1:20:39; Idlewild, 1:20:47. The corrected time: Hettie Bell, 1:20:39; Idlewild, 1:19:43. The winning boat, which is owned and was sailed by W. W. and F. F. French, wins a silk flag. The Hettie Bell belongs to G. V. Johnson.
“A match between the two boats has been brewing all summer.”
Long before the floating bridges cut the water into segments, Lake Washington was the center of Seattle's recreational life. The Madison Street wharf remains a vital waterfront hub, though today it hosts ferry passengers and tourists rather than silk-flag-wagered sloop races.
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