The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-10-01
RAISING rERRY.s FLAesaIP.
A Point Of Interest in Erie Harb0T
Removed Disturbing the Black
RaSS
rFr..u, the Cleveland PIaindealer.

a
After the Laurence had become disa-
bled in the battle of Lake Ere, il will
be refnembe that Perry left her dur
ing the engagement and made the Ma
CARA his flagship until the close of the
fight The Lawrence with great diff
entity was gotten into the port of Erie,
the port at which she was built, and. af-
ter rounding the peninsula, aoated up
Misery Bay unmaRageable. The next
year, 1914. she was re6tted and sent
against the forts at Mackinac. Proving
unseaworthy from the terrible drubhing
of the English the year previous, she
was brought back to Erie and sunk in
Misery Bay. and has lain there ever
since, doing duty as a house for the
nnm herless black bass which could al
WAYS be caught among her timbers, and
point of Interest to be visited by cur-
io~itv hunters Enough Flagship
Lawrence canes" have been sold to
build four such vessels, besides the real
canes, etc, that have been made from
her timhers. The vessel was built by
Daniel Dohbins, whose widow now lives,
or did live, few years ago, in Erie, and
who while her husband was getting out
timbers, etc, for the feet, boar''el 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:
"The glory of one of the chief points
of interest in the harbor of Erie-that
which hung around the place haIlowed
by the remnants of Perry's victorious
flagship, the Lawrence-has depa rted
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 historic relic.
"The removal is looked upon with
disfavor by the majority of our citizens,
and it is not TO be wondered at, as the
Lawrence had been living there so long
that she was accounted public property,
and in the summer time was visited bv
hosts of strangers-the framework on
one side heing visible-to whom, as well
as to our own citizens, it was an object of
great interest.
"The remains are n queer looking
mass The port side has been cut down
nearly to the keel, planking having been
thought it was no harm to steal piece
of wood off the Lawrence, ard this has
been kept up until at least third of her
bottom has gone. The Lawrence lay on
her starboard side, and that side is
therefore tolerably whole to the deck
beams upper works all gone wears agol
and the timber is, in general, sonnd and
in good condition, but is purpliSh
black-the result of the action of the
water
"Of the twentv-seven killed in that
naval engagement, twenty-five were kill
ed on the Lawrence, on board of which
was the intrepid Perry, whose monn
ment ornaments our public square. The
Lawrence was 100 feet long, % fee
heam and nine feet depth of hold Ir
her time she was model war vessel
bnt in these days of n-clads, moni
tors and rams ami heavy armament, sh'
would not last as long in an engagement
as yawl boat in hurricane She full
filed her mission, however, and gav,
onr English consinS good canse to re
member her contemporary and Perry's
famous victory"