The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1884-02-21
a Steamer in the Niagara Falls.

Mist. her engine was rather weak
but she safely accomplished th
trip. AS, however, she took pas
sengers aboard only from the Can
ada side, she did little more tha
, pay expenses. In "a larger, bet
ter boat, with a more powerful en-
gine, the new Maid OF the Mist
was put on the route, and man.
thousands of persons made thi
. most exciting and impressive tou
under the falls. The admiration
which the visitor felt as he passec
quietly along under the American
\ fall was into awe when he began t,
feel the mighty pulse of the grea
deep just below the tower; ther
swung around into the white foam
directly Ill frcnt of the Horseshot
and saw the sky of waters falling
toward him. And he seemed to be
lifted on wings as he sailed swiftly
down on The flying stream through
baptism of spray. To many per.
sons there was a fascination about
it that induced them to make the
trip every time they had an oppor-
tunity 20 do so.
Owing to some change in her ap-
pointments, which confined her to
the Canadian shore for the recep-
tion of passengers, she became un-
profitable. Her owner, having de
cided to leave the place, wished to
sell her as she lay at her dock.
This he could not do, but an offer
of something more than half of her
cost if he would deliver her at Nj
agara, opposite the Fort. This he
decided to do, after consultation
with Robinson, who had acted as
her captain and pilot on the trips
under the Falls. The boats re
quired for her navigation an engln-
eer, who also acted as a fireman,
and pilot On her pleasure trips
she had a clerk in addition TO these
Mr. Robinson agreed to act as pilot
for the fearful voyage, and the en-
gineer, Mr. Jones, consented to 90
with hIm. A courageous machin-
ist, Mr.. Mcintyre, volunteered to
share the risk with them. They
put her in complete trim, removing
from deck and hold all superfous
articles. Notice was given of the
time for starting, and a large num-
Der of people assembled to see the
fearful plunge, no one expecting to
see either boats or crew again,
after they should leave the dock.
This dock, as had been before
stated, was just above the
railway suspension bridge, at
the place where she was built, and
where she was laid ~ in the win
tar; that, too, being the only place
she could lie without danger of be-
ing crushed by the Ice. Twenty
rods below this eddy the water
plunges sharply down into the head
of the crooked, tumultuous rapid !
which we have before noticed as
reaching from the bridge to the
whirlpool. At the whirlpool the
danger of being drawn under WAS
most to be apprehended; in the |
rapids, of being turned over or
knocked to pieces. From the
whirlpool to Lewiston is one wild,
turbulent rush and whirl of wa ter
without a square foot of smooth
surface in the whole distance.
About three o'clock in the after
noon of June 10, 1861, the engineer
took his place in the hold, and
knowing that their fitting would be
short. at the longest, and might be
only the preface to a swift destruc
tion, set his steam valve at the
proper gauge, and awaited-not
without anxiety-the tinkling sig
nal that should start them on their
flying voyage. Mcintyre Joined
Robinson at the wheel on the upper
deck. Self-possessed, and with the
calmness which results from un
doubling courage and confidence,
yet with the humility which recog
nizes all possibilities, with down
cast eyes and firm hands, Robinson
took his place at the wheel and
pulled the starting bell. With
shrek from her whistle and a puff
from her escape pipe to take leave,
as it were, of the multitude gathered
on the shores and on the bridge,
the boat ran up the eddy a short
distance, then swung around to the
right, cleared the smooth water,
and shot like an arrow into the rap
id under the bridge, She took the
outside curve of the rapid, and
when a third of the way down it
Jet of water struck against her rud
der, column dashed up under her
starboard side, keeled her over,
carried away her smokestack,
started her overhang on that side
threw Robinson fat on his back,
and thrust Mcintyre against her
starboard wheelhouse with such
force as to break it through. Ev-
cry eye was fixed, every tongue
was silent, and every looker-on
breathed freer as she emerged from
the fearful baptism, shook her
wounded sides, slid into the whirl-
pool, and for a moment rode again
on an even keel. Robinson rose at
once, seized the helm, set her TO
the right of the large pot in
the pool, then turned her direct
ly through the neck of it. Thence,
after receiving another drenching
from its combing waves, she dashed
on without further accident to the
quiet bosom of the river below
Lewiston.
Thus was accomplished the most
remarkable and perilous voyage ev
er made by men. To look at the
boat and the navigation she was tC
undertake no one would have pre-
dicted for it any other than a fata
termination. The boat was seven
ty-feet long, with seventeen fee
breadth of beam and eight fee
depth OF hold, and carried an en-
gine of hundred horse power. II
conversation with Robinson afte
the voyage, he stated that tn
greater part of it was like he i'm
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