New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-26
DOMESTIC CORRESPONDENCE
IHE MAID OF The MIST.
THE ONLY SURVIVORS STORY OF THE
FAMOUS FEAT.


BUFFALO, Aug 24.-The construction OF
boat to go through the whirlpool rapids without any
passengers board of which account has already
appt In THE TRIBUNE is attracting mucn public
attention 10 lend unusual interest TO the following
story Of the famous passage OF the Maid Of the Mist told
yesterday by Dewitt C. McMurry the only one Of
her passengers that occasion living Mr.. Nc
Murry who is a clerk in the City Hotel here, is
feet IL nches TALL rather thin with gray beard and
open homey. honest counensnce. He is native OF
Rome Oneida County, Ia nearly nyseven years OF age
and looks much older HIS life has been full of troubles,
for twice has he been the OF auence only to
have his hard earned property dsspsted The old mans
story is az follows:
al think it was in 1851 that James W. Buchanan,
of Toronto went to live in Suspension Bridge.
The original Maid Of the Mist had just been
destroyed and Mr. Buchanan, who had plenty OF means,
thought that II wond be good idea to build new one
better than the other and durable She was 15OKl6
feet all. Buchanans money held ont only until the
time to place the engines and boiler In the boat
His plans too expensive. Captain Joel Robinson,
who to command the boat, demonstrated against
using old machinery because 1t not enough
Mr. Buchanan came TO Buffalo aud borrowed sufficient
money from old Judge Arlington to complete the boat
and mortgage 1t for 81, 900 given to him. The
old judge thought his perfectly SAFE and so
did every else One outlet for escape was blocked
by the great and the other by the bosterous
whirlpool rapids supposed TO be impossible Buchanan
paid his interest regularly for time but finally failed
to come to time lie the verge of ruin. At that
juncture some people In Toronto who wanted pleasure
boat to ply between Kngst and Prescott offered him
$25 900 for the Mad the boat TO be delivered at the
dock Queenston. the Canada side. Then Buchanan
formed the idea OF running her through to evade the
mortgage and save his fast falling fortunes. Captain
Robinson TO me and explained the situation. He
said II We run this boat through It's worth $500 to
me and 500 apiscs TO you and Jones' was the hre-
and Jones the engineer. After considering 1t
for while we made up minds to run the risk
"The day set for the memorable trip vas Juno ~,
1852 and shall forget 1t Our usual steam press
100 pounds but for this trip We set the ball so
that she would blow OF at 225 pounds Al
half.past in the afternoon Robinson was dashed
In the wheel-hsuse Jones and / went down into
the FREEHOLD the matches battened down and the
hawser cast OF. She lying PROV into the current
and had make semi-crcular turn which she just
finished abe struck the current The engines were
working full head the furnace was nearly red hot ana
steam was hissing In the bow-oG The current In the
rapids is forty five miles an hour aud We knew that III
we could not make some Roadway In It, so the craft
would mind the helm, nothing but an Interpolation OF
Providence could am the only man now
living who passed through those RAPIDS ana III
never try again"
"Hsd you fear at all T.
at had no fear at the start" respo nded Mchurtry,
after got into those rapids would have given
after tho first two three plunges that boat made all
the money In tho whole United States would have been
no temptation to go aboard again. The risk was
too great, and I tremble In memory live the
scenes OF that day again. 1t is simply case OF
nature against nature do not thak that there Is
man who can compete with God himself and man who
dees Gods power in that terrible current to me
TO be SIMPLY taking issue with tho Almighty himself
tell you sir that believe nothing but the nteryen-
ton OF Providence put through safely. We shot
through With frghful velocity. or the speed you can
form some idea tell you that from the lower
Maid Of tho Mist handbag where started to Queen
ton wharf Just miles travelled the distance
IN seven minutes and forty-ave seconds The rapids
themselves are a mile I'm longth and two
minutes was the tmo OF tbs passage. That 10
pretty travelling through currept sixty feet higher
In than at the sides, In unnaygated channel
From the time left the landing until We made fast
at Queenston every moment was one OF expectation
Of death eIpect-d second TO see the hull rent
IN pieces by the rocks aud find myself tossed about by
the current and beaten to death by the great waves
lived ny life again times nBumerabe, and incl
dents which took years TO enact arose In my vision n
simultaneously, and with q realism that makes one
shudder. We felt that the verge of death.
| tn describe infinitely my sensations would require
eoumDs OF THE TRIBUNE. When struck the hrst
rand our boat plunged downward maybe thirty ieet
Then with greatly added impsns sho was thrown out OF
water Through the heavy glass portfolios ana Dy inc
different working OF the engines could tell whcn the
wheels we're In or out OF water. Down would go the
boat uutl II seemed that she would never STOP when
ou,ckly she would right herself with leap which
| seemed almost human, 20 clear out OF the water We
were tossed about In the hold, Jones and i. until II
seemed A. II the quick succession OF shocks would XII u.s.
felt my strength oOzng away, and cuug TO the hand
rails for dear life There barely time to eaten one
breath between the cobcuss0ns and the force Ie ihut
the closely fastened H. mole was so great ,hat esosps
| secmed impossible. our In the centre as
near as we cOuld make &C.. We got through the Will
poOl rapids all right enough but tue boat was Wrrncho
| And racked 90 tnat she took water freely aud
when climbed out OF the mold ut QieenHton tac Wato
| was waist high suppose you want 10 know now we
ayoided the whirlpool At It's the Maid. stern
grounded lightly on a rock sDe swung srouhu sna sno
down the stream instead OF following tne cui,ens
fne whirlpool. IL all happened quicker than can tel
Artbur d. Mahony, proprietor Of the hotel Is an old
stances except those Of the Ip Itself and he cPrsooeT
stes all Mr.. acMurtry says Mr. MahoYy ana Martin
| and Hudson River Railroad. drove 10 Lewisto..
! and there found judge Addnglon. the gre.e ~
| Csief of Police Garfield then Deputy Sherlhl ant
Henry Mott waiting seize tue boat she touched IN.
dock here The Maid swung gracefully around Willie
Caotsin Rhodes learned that Mr. McMurry was in the
| ciry and sought him out. Tho Captain wanted 10 e1
change photograph. which the old man agreed TO do Oh
| one condition.
| "Ym shall have the picture provided you pledge m'
| one Thing" said McMurtry; Selling Rhodess manu- ant
N viii pledge you anything consistent with my
| honor" said Rhodes. III, .. ,,.
"Then You win pledge me tnat YOU WI, Rbode
| Withdrew his hand aud said ne could not do H. lev
moments aferward McNurtrJ asked !, any one pIe.s,
No one angwerOd. "Don't even know what she wa
made or" mo- said Rhodrs "she was hsd oi 'n
MIST" said the old navigator Laughing
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