The Steamship Flyer Outraces the City of Puebla
A spontaneous and competitive race between the Flyer and the larger steamship City of Puebla captivated the Seattle waterfront.
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.
The long-anticipated race between the steamer Flyer and the steamship City of Puebla took place yesterday afternoon and is a victory for the Flyer. The crews, officers, and employees of both boats have been enthusiastic over the ability of their respective steamers to win in a race, and several attempts have been made to get the boats into a trial of speed. The occasion offered itself yesterday. The Puebla left the Ocean dock while the Flyer was at her wharf ready to leave for Tacoma. Mr. Seeley, manager of the Flyer, suddenly concluded to go to Tacoma and went aboard. No sooner was the Flyer free from her wharf with the Puebla also in sight than everybody along the waterfront 'caught on' to the situation. The Puebla rounded Duwamish Head and passed out of sight three minutes ahead, according to watches held on shore. The Flyer gained steadily on her larger rival, and at Point Defiance, about halfway to Tacoma, was abreast of her. At this point Capt. Jorgenson, of the Flyer, persistently tooted his whistle, but Capt. Debney, on the bridge of the Puebla, appeared not to notice the challenge. Gradually, the Flyer drew ahead and reached her dock at Tacoma as the Puebla was rounding Brown's Point, arriving five minutes ahead.
“No sooner was the Flyer free from her wharf with the Puebla also in sight than everybody along the waterfront 'caught on' to the situation.”
Steamboat racing was the high-stakes 'commuter' entertainment of the 1890s, echoing the modern, albeit less dangerous, competitive spirit of the Washington State Ferry system today. The Flyer’s victory over the much larger Puebla was a point of immense local pride during Seattle's early maritime boom.
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