San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-12-19
ms aay described in tins letter. here is the

DdCk W JO"u lTOLl Iuo iAllS idSb
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
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 men
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 harbors 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
cident might approach too near the stu.
pendous cataract of Niagara, and also of the
fate of animals that might be caught in the
rapids of those swift rolling waters and car.
ried over the falls.
1.-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 it 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 7th wagons filled with country
people ratified through this town all night,
and on Saturday morning Buffalo itself
seemed to be moving in a mass toward the
point of attraction. To accommodate those
who could not find passage in carriages,
five steamboats, had advertised to leave
here on Saturday morning They were
the Henry Clay, William Penn, Pr
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. took my passage on board this
boat, and we got under way before the
others, passed through the basin at Block
Rock, and about a 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 became interesting. The sun shone
in full splendor, the waters of the Erie were
placid, there being scarcely a rufile 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 Yale's
landing, a British shore within three miles
of the fails, where she anchored, and at this
place tine Chippewa landed her passengers as
we'll 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 the hour appointed to
weigh anchor on board the Michigan The
task of towing her from Yale's Landing to
the rapids, and most hazardous one it was,
was intrusted 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 lowed her till within one-quarter
of mile of the first rapids. and within half
q mile of the tremendous precipice, as near
as they dared approach. Cutting her adrift,
she passed majestically on, while the oarsmen
of the yawl had to pull for their lives to
make themselves safe. Indeed, such were
the fears of the men, as l have understood,
that on approaching near the rapids they cut
the tow line before they had orders from
their commander
And now we approach the interesting
moments of the exhibition. The high grounds
ON both sides of the American and British
shores were lined with people, having a full
view of the rapids and of the approach of the
vessel, and now it was that a thousand fears
and expectations were INDUCED, as the Mich
gan, un-uided by human agency, ap-
preached, head on, the first rapid or descent,
and apparently keeping the very course
that the most skillful navigator would
have pursued, having an American ensign
flying from her bowsprit and the British
jack displayed at her stern. She passed
the first rapid unhurt, still head on,
making plunge, shipping a sea, and rising
from 1t in beauttul style In her descent
over the second her masts went by the board,
at the slime moment affording those who
have never witnessed a shipwreck a speci-
men of the spars of a ship at sea in a wreck
Expectation of her fate was now ut the high.
est; she swung around and presented her
broad side to the dashing and foaming wa
ter, and after remaining stationary moment
OF two, was, by its force, swung round,
stern foremost, and, having passed the third
rapid, she bilged, but carried her hull ap-
parently whole between Grass Island
and the British shore to the Horseshoe,
over which she was carried stern foremost
and launched into the abyss below. In her
fall she was dashed to pieces. | went below
the falls Immediately after the descent, and
the river presented singular appearance
from the thousands of floating fragments,