Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-11-13
THE RAISING OF OoMaeODoRE PERRY's
FLAGSHIP,

After the Laurence had been disabled
in the battle of Lake Erie, it will he re-
membered that Perry left her during
the engagement and made the Niagara
his flagship until the close of the fight.
The Laurence, with great difficulty, was
gotten into the port of Erie (the port at
which she was built), and after round
ing the peninsula, foatcd up Misery
bay unmanageable. The next year,
1914, she was reftted snd sent against
the forts of Mackinac. Proving unsea-
worthy from the terrible drubbing OF
the English the year previous, she was
brought back to Erie and sunk in Mis-
cry bay, and has lain there ever since,
doing duty as house for the number
less black bass which could always
be caught among the timbers, and a
point of interest to be visited by curios-
ity hunters. Enough Flagship La,v-
renee canes have been sold to build
four such vessels, besides the real
canes, etc., that have been cut from
her timbers. The vessel was built by
Daniel Dobbins, whose widow now
lives, or did live few years ago, in
Erie, and who, while her husband was
cutting out timbers, etc., boarded Com
modore Perry and his staff. When the
writer of this saw her last in 1871, she
was smart. old lady. ninety-four years
old, and bid fair to live to hundred.
We quote from the Erie Dispatch, which
we ore sorry to say docs not give as
| full details as desirable, because oil
would like to know the names of the
proprietors, etc., of the hull; and in
this connection we suggest that our
Historical society secure some portion
of the Laurence as relics. The Dispatch
says: pi
"The glory of one Of one of the
chief points of interest in the harbor of
Erie-that which hung around the
place hallowed by the remnants Of
Perry's victorious flagship, the Lag-
rence-has departed. Her remains have
been lifted from their quiet resting
place under the waters OF Misery bay,
and carried shoreward TO the edge of
the peninsula, bringing to view the his
toric relic"
The removal is looked upon with dis
favor by the majority of our citizens,
and il is not to be wondered at, as the
laurence has been lying there so long
that she was accounted public property,
and in the summer time was visited by
hosts of strangers-the framework on
one side being visible-to whom, as
we'll as to our citizens, it was an object
of greater interest.
The remains are queer looking
mass. The port side has been cut down
nearly to the keel, planking having been
torn off, and ribs sawed off by those
who thought it no particular harm
to steal O piece of wood off the laurence,
and this has been kept up until at least
third of her bottom has gone. The
Laurence Icy on her starboard side,
and that is tolerably whole to the deck
beama upper works all gone years ago.,
and the timber is, in general, sound
and in good condition, but is q purple
black-the result of the action of the
water. H
Of the twenty-seven killed in that
naval engagement twenty-five were
killed in the Laurence, ON board of
which was the intrepid Perry. whose
monument ornaments ourpublic square.
The Laurence was 100 feet long, twen-
ty-eight fee. beam, and nine feet depth
of hold. In her time she was model
war vessel, but in these days of iron
clads, monitor rams and heavy arma-
ment she would not last as long in an
engagement as yawl boat in hurri-
cane. She fulfilled her mission, how
ever. and gave her English cousins
cause to remember her contemporary
with Perry's famous victory.-Clecelaed
Plni,,de1les.