The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-09-28
NUMBER %.
How the Maid of the Mist Went Down
the Rapids Of Niagara.
lSan Francisco Chronicle.l

The Maid was small sidewheel
steamer that piled on the stretch of
smooth water extending from the cata-
ract down to the Suspension Bridge,
distance of two miles. Starting from her
wharf close to the bridge on the Ameri.
can side, with her passengers enveloped
in waterproof suits, she padded up the
river past the American Falls and pene-
trated the dense spray of the Horseshoe
Falls until the rolling billOws from the
foot of the cataract turned her prov and
swept her rapidly away toward the
Canadian shore. Half mile below she
completed her trip at landing opposite
the Clifton House on the Canadian side,
and again returned to her wharf at the
bridge. A trip on the Maid of the Mist
was esteemed one of the most exciting
experiences of a visit at Niagara, aud not
Il little trying on weak nerves. During
the period OF the war, rs already OBJ
served, business languished at Niagara,
and the owner of the Maid became en-
bsrrassed insomuch that his creditors on
the Canadian side determined upon seiz.
ing the steamer. The owner had timely
notice of this design, and discontinued
his trips. Under the circumstances, his
steamboat property seemed worthless
possession, hemmed in by the impossible
cataract above, and below raging rapid
terminating in whirlpool that seemed
nothing else than sure passage to de-
structiOn. The only escape from the
dilemma appeared to be dash down the
river to Lake Ontario, where the way
WAS open to some more profitable busi-
ness. Tnis determination being made,
the engineer, George Scoby, and the
wheelsman, who had so often buried the
PROV of the little Maid in the seething
foam of the Horseshoe, volunteered to
undertake the perilous passage. The de
sign and the day appointed for the dash
were quietly intimated to few reporters
for the press ard others, but probably
less than fifty witnessed the thrilling ex-
ploit. Most of the spectators gathered in
sight of the whirlpool in which the rapid
terminated two miles below the bridge,
anticipating the greatest peril at that
point. About eleven O'Clock in the at-
ternOon the brave pair took leave of
their friends on the wharf at Suspension
Bridge. The steam was up to full pres
sure, and the fre-hole matches battened
down. The lines were cast of, and the
Maid padded slowly up the river on her
accustomed route for a few hundred
yards, when suddenly she swung round
into the center of the current. "Give
her the steam, Scoby; we're off!' cried !
the wheelsmai. 1t was too late to foregO |
the attempt. The steamer dashed under
the bridge like an arrow, and an instant
after she plunged into the leaping foam
and was almost buried from sight. As
she sped through the hell of waters, at
times the steamer was tossed out on the
bi lows like feather, and again she sank
into the foam and seemed to have disap-
peared entirely. Presently she shot out
into the broad basin of the whirlpool, her
gone by the board, portion
of the upper deck carried away, but still
padding bravely and the wheelsman at
his post. She dashed through the very
center of the whirlpool without ex-
periencing any difficulty, and, making a
long swing, took the current again where
the river makes turn at right angles at
this point. A few moments after she
drew up to the wharf at Lewiston, much
to the astonishment of the inhabitants
Of that small town, who had never wit
messed an arrival from the same direc-
ton before. The whole passage of five
miles, as estimated, was made in about
eight minutes.