Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-10-16
A SHIP OVER NIAGARA.

letter is especially interesting as giving an |
illustration OF the manner in which people
went on excursions in the days before rail
roads. 1t is doubtful if SO many people have
ever gathered at the falls at one time since
the day described in this letter. Here is the
extract.
BUFFALO, Sept o, 1898
y sas in hopes that / should have got
back to this town from the Niagara falls last
evening in time TO have dropped you line
respecting the fate of the schooner Michigan,
but owing to the delay in getting away wait
ing for our passengers and some derange-
ment OF the machinery of the steamboat and
q head wind, we did not arrive until o'clock
this morning As the exhibition yesterday
was OF a novel character and has excited
much more interest than any person could
have anticipated when it was first NEIL
toned. you will doubtless be anxious to learn
the particulars and to crafty your curiosity
| will endeavor to give you the story as much
in detail as possible.
THE schooner Michigan was the largest on
Lake Erie, and too large, in fact, to enter the
various harbCrs OF the lake, and, being some
what decayed in her uppers, the thought
struck the owner, Maj. Frazer, formerly of
New York, that she would answer the pur-
pose Of testing the fate of a vessel that by ac-
tuent might approach too near the stu
fnaoas v<aract of Niagara, and also of the
~41ate q animals that might be caught in the
rapids of those swift rolling waters and car
ried over the falls,
''The proprietors of the large public houses
at the falls, on both sides of the river. and of
stages and steamboats,, made up a purse to
purchase the schooner, aware that they would
be repaid by the company which the exhi-
bition would attract, and in the calculation
they were not deceived
For several days previous to the sth the
stages came crowded as well as the canal
boats, so much so that il was difficult to find
a conveyance to the falls; and such was the
interest that the descent was the only topic
OF conversation among all classes. On the
night of the It'll wagons filed with country
people ratified through this town all night,
and on Saturday morning Buffalo itself
seemed to be moving in mass toward the
point of attraction. To accommodate those
who could lot find a passage in carriages,
I've steamboats, had advertised to leave
here on Saturday morning They were
the Henry Clay, William Penn, Pi-
oneer, Niagara and Chippewa, being
all the steamboats, on Lake Erie except
the Superior The Chippewa was appointed
to tow down The pirate schooner las she was
termed, the Michigan, which service she per-
formed l took my passage on board this
boat, and We got under way before the
others, passed through the basin at Block
RocS, and about q mile below the rock took
in tow the vessel destined TO make the dread
full plunge, As soon as we got under way
the scene becarle interesting The sun shone
in full splendor, the waters of the Erie were
placid, there being scarcely a ruffie upon its
surface, and few miles astern of US four
steamers crowded with passengers, and with
bands Of music on board, were blowing their
way down the rapids of Niagara Our little
boat towed the Michigan as far as Yales
Landing, British shore within three miles
OF the falls where she anchored and at this
place the Chippewa landed her passengers as
well as the William Penn, and they were
conveyed from there to the falls in vehicles
Of all descriptions. The three other steamers
landed their passengers on the American
side
Three o'clock was tle hour appointed to
weigh anchor on board the Michigan. The
the rapids and a most hazardous one it was
was intrus.ed TO Capt. Rough, the oldest
captain on the LAKE. With yawl boat and
five oarsmen, of stout hearts and strong
arms, the old captain got the schooner under
way, and towed her till within one-quartel
of a mile OF the first rapids, and within hall
a mile of the tremendous precipice, as neal
as they dared approach Cutting her adrift
she passed majestically on, while the oarsmer
of the yawl bad to pull for their lives t.
make themselves safe. Indeed, such wer,
the fears Of the men, as have understood
that on approaching near the rapids they Gu
the tow line before they had orders from
their commander.
And now we approach the interestin,
moments Of the exhibition The high ground
on both sides Of the American and Britisl
shores were lined with people, having ful
view of the rapids and of the approach Of tn
vessel, and now it was that thousand fear
and expectations were INDUCED, as the Mich
igan, unGuHed by human agency, ar
preached, head on, the first rapid or descent
and apparently keeping the very cours
that the most skillful navigator woul
have pursued, having an American ensig
flying from her bowsprit and the BIRTHS
jack displayed at her stern She passe
the first rapid unhurt still head OF
making plunge, shipping a sea, and risin
from 1t in beautiful style In her descer
over the second her masts went by the boart
at the same moment affording those WI
have never witnessed shipwreck spec
men of the spars Of ship at sea in wrecl
Expectation Of her fate was now at the higI
gbr around aud tnl l.,
broad side 10 the dashing and foaming W,
ter, and after remaining stationary momei
or two, was, by its force, swung roun,
stern foremost, and, having passed the thin
rapid, she bilged, but carried her hull a
parently whole between Grass lslar
and the British shore to the Horseshoe
over which she was carried stern foremo
and launched into the abyss below. In b
fall shs was dashed to pieces. | went belo
the falls Immediately after the descent, al
the river presented a singular appearan
from the thousands Of floating fragment
there being scarcely TO be seen any tv
boards nailed together, and many Of
timbers were broken into twenty piecs
Such was the eagerness of the multitu
present to procure a piece of her that befo
sunset great part Of her was carried ava
81 believe l have already informed you
the animals on board. They consisted of
buffalo from the Rocky mountains, two bea
from Green bay and Grand river, two fox,
raccoon, a dog cat and four geese. T
fate of these you will probably wish to lear
When the vessel was left TO her fate tn
were let loose,on deck, except the buffalo, vi
was enclosed in temporary pen. The u
bears left the vessel shortly after she beg
to descend the rapids, and swan ashore, NJ
withstanding the rapidityof the current.
reaching the British shore they were take
The buffalo was seen to pass over the fal
but was never seen afterward. Befo
the vessel reached the first rapi
tnose who had glasses could see one
the bears climbing the mast, and the fox
etc, were also running up and down; b
nothing was seen of them after the schoon
passed over. The only live animals Of t
crew that passed over the falls were tv
geese they were taken up unhurt. N,
frazer obtained one, and an English gent
man purchased the other for S. Respectil
the efigies, the only one | saw below t
fails was Gen jackson, apparently uni
Jured, throwing his arms about and knoe
ing bis legs together in the eddies, as thou
ne was the only one of the crew that escap
unhurt.
The calculations are various as to t
number OF persons assembled on both shor
Some estimate them az low as 1900 a
Others at 10000 The greatest body of peol
were on the American side. Goat Island I
considerable distance exhibited a der
column OF persons, and the bridge erect
from Goat Island, which is built a hundr
feet over the rapids was also crowded, a