Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-08-15
FIRST LAKE STEAMER.
She Was Called Walk-in-the-Water, and
Had an Adventurous Career.

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him captain of marines aboard the
Queen Charlotte, which weno into
the battle OF Lake Erie under the
usual declaration that England ex-
pected every man, red or W.T. lite, to
do his duty. But when the Niagara
OF Perry's fleet came bearing down
with all her guns ablaze Walk~!n-the-
Water concluded that naval warfare
was not adapted to the Indian, SO he
quietly slipped over the side and swan
to the shore.
When the first steam vessel that
ever stemmed the currents of shallow
and boisterOus Lake Erie was
launched her sponsors named her
after the chief whose personal ap-
pellatiOn SO nearly described her
method of proceeding. She was a
frail craft, and her period of life was
as short as its ending was tragic
When she first padded her way out
of the Niagara River into Lake Erie,
and, after venturesome passage.
steamed up the Detroit River, she
was almost as great a revelation to
the white settlers as to the Indians,
who danced upon the bank above
Maiden and shouted their astonish-
ment They had been told some.
thing of the wonders of steam, and
the word had gone out among them
that a giant canoe was coming, drawn
by surgeons and with no aid from
oars or sails. Here it was at last,
and another Of the white mans won
derful stories was true.
She went into the water at Black
Rock May %, 1913. having been in
course OF construction from the No.
vember preceding. Her owners de-
signed her for the line between Black
Rock and Detroit, with stoppages at
intermediate points. Mcqueen of
New York had built her engine, which
it was thought would be strong
enough to carry her through the
rapids that lay between Black Rock
and the entrance to Lake Erie, but
when they assayed to steam her out
they found her power insufficient.
She backed up and dashed forward
again and again, but the water was
her master, and every time she was
carried back. Several days were con-
sumed before her captain would give
up, but he finally tied her up TO the
wharf and sent for Capt. Sheldon
Thompson and his twelve yoke of
oxen. A huge chain was run from
yoke to- yoke aud attached to the
vessel, the word OF command was
given, the twenvy-four patient necks
were bent, all steam was crowded on,
and the passage OF the rapids was
speedily made OK muscle was there
after in demand whenever the out
ward passage was to be made
A pioneer citizen Of Buffalo, Velor.
Gus Hodge, has placed upon record
some Of the Incidents of voyage to
Green Bay he made in 1921: 1--WE
stopped at various ports along the
lake" he says, but, as there were no
substantial landing places, we found
it difficult to reach the shore. We
found Detroit quite little town, and
stopped there several days taking on
provisions and other supplies Going
up st. Clair River, we ran on sand
bar and knocked several buckets out
OF our wheels This obliged us to lay
up at Fort GratiOt for repairs. As
soon as we had tied up crowd of In
dians came whooping down to see the
boat that went without sails.
when we reached Green Bay we
noticed on the shore great crowd
of Indians awaiting our approach.
They were there to receive their an
nuities from the Government, which
were then due. Besides, the rumor
had gotten abroad that their supplies
would be brought in a vessel that
would go up stream against the wind
and the current. The captain deter.
mined to prepare little surprise for
them. He ordered steam shut down
as we slowly dritted to the dock. The
soldiers were paladed on deck, and
everything was done to impress the
savages with our importance How
ever, they had little respect for the
pomp of our military friends, and
presently swarmed over on to the
vessel, and in their desire to see every
thing completely Overran the boat
Then came the captains opportunity.
He jerked the bell, the steam rushed
forth with deafening crash, and the
air was filed with wild whoops and
flying breechcloth. In twenty
seconds there wasn't a redsKin On the
boat. In less than a minute there
wasn't one in sight on the land.
They went over the sides of the YES
sci like so many maniac monkeys.
some into the water and some on the
land, and it was several hours before
they dared to venture down to the
dock again. We were in Green Bay
not quite two days and then started
On the homcward trip We had fine
weather all the way and good run
1own, and reached Black Rock in lust
eighteen and "a half days from the
time of starting. This was considered
q remarkably quick trip ut that
time"
Oct. 81, 1921, the vessel left Black
Rock upon what proved to be her
final voyage. The weather was
threatening, and she had gone only
little way into the lake when one Of