The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-10-20
Lake "reminiscences.

Much interest has been excited in this
city in reference to articles which may have
gone down in the lake either in vessels that
have been wrecked or have been purposelv
thrown into the water, but an inquiry among
those who have been upon the lake for years
fails to confirm many traditions of that ma
ture. In order to obtain some information
on the matter representative of the Free
Press interviewed two of the venerable Lake
Champlain captains who now reside in this
city. Captain Dan Lyon, who began his
service on the lake in 1913, is noV eighty
years old, but is still erect in stature and
brisk in action and has rather the appear
ance OF man about sixty-fve. From him
1t was learned that just previous to, the war
Oh lol2 sloop OF about sixty tons burden
owned by Gideon King of this city, and
laden with potash in fifty barrels of four
hundred pounds each, sailed from this mort
for ST. Johns. There was a heavy Gale of
wind from the south and when near the
Edmunds light not far from Colchester reef,
the sloop sank in moment with all hands
The crew consisted of a brother of the own
er, another man and boy A Mr.. Allen
who was blowing on Aliens point was
watching the sloop, when, taking his ewes
from her she disappeared in moment.
leaving no traces behind. Captain LYON
spoke OF the lamentable deterioration in the
shipping on the lake since the railroads
have taken away the most of this business.
and said that the ordinary freighter of the
DTtStHJ III COMPARISON VIVID tlle SlOOD of the
past was about like comparing a bob sled to
barouche. In regard to the wreck of the
Royal Savage, Captain Anderson who re-
members many interesting incidents of early
boating on Lake Champlan, remarked that
he and Captain Proctor, who is now rep
resenting South Burlington in the legis-
lature, were there at Nalcour island in
1910 when the attempts were made to pull
the wrecked frigate out of the water with
a stump-puller. Nothing more valuable
than pieces of wood, etc, were obtained
They brought considerable of il to Burlinr-
ton, and gave many pieces to the stage
drivers between here and Boston, who made
whip stocks from them. Captain Anderson
was told over fifty years ago by DR.. Barnes
OF Grand Isle, then an old man, that he had
seen many years before wax candles which
had been taken from the wreck, but prob
ably none of these have been in existence
for years. There have been of course several
wrecks of boats loaded with ore and iron
that have gone down at different times in
different parts of the lake, one of these
being the Water Witch which went down
near Split Rock, carrying the captains wife
with her, but neither of these venerable
men. who with the exception of Captain
Mayo know more about Lake Champain
probably than any other two men living,
ever learned of valuables going down with
any of the wrecks that would be worth div
ing for. story has frequently been told
that on one of the last trips made by the
late Captain Flagg on the steamer Vermont.
he found 800 pounds of nitro-g ycerine with
his freight which was to be used in the con-
structiOn of the road across the lake, As
the story goes he at once threw this into the
lake few miles this side of Whitehall The
only foundation for this rumor is that Cap
tain Rushlow, at about the time attributed,
found a package which he supposed was
nitro-gl ycerine, and did throw it overheard,
but as was subsequently ascertained. it con-
tanned only fuses and could not have ex-
ploded under any circumstances.-Bu rling-
ton Free Press.