An Unwitting Race on the High Seas: Seattle-Bound Ships Battle Without Knowing It
The ship Spartan beats the bark Nith by three hours in a San Francisco-to-Seattle dash that neither captain knew was a competition.
The much talked of race from San Francisco to this port between the ship Spartan and the bark Nith, both belonging to the Black Diamond Company, terminated Saturday night, and the Spartan won by three hours. Neither Captain Folte of the Spartan nor Captain Dawson of the Nith knew that they had been racing until this city was reached. They left San Francisco within two hours of each other, and although nothing was said about racing, each captain was anxious to get to port first, neither knowing that the other was interested in making quick time. Both vessels lay outside the Cape for two days and knew nothing of each other's presence.
“Neither Captain Folte of the Spartan nor Captain Dawson of the Nith knew that they had been racing until this city was reached.”
This charming maritime footnote captures the competitive spirit of Seattle's busy port in the 1890s, when ships raced without even knowing it. Today, the Port of Seattle remains a hub of global trade, but the era of wind-powered races is long gone.
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