The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-06-10
SHOOTING THE RAPIDS.
Spectacle When the Schooner Michi-
gan Went over Niagara Falls.

gan went over niagara II AIS
81 was one Of those who made up the
first public excursion to Niagara Falls
just seventy years ago next Septem-
Der" said Martin Cramer of Niagara
county.
"The schooner Michigan was the
largest vessel on Lake Erie at that
/ time. She was too large, in fact, to
enter the various harbors on the lake,
and, being somewhat decayed in her
uppers, the owner, Major Frazer, for
merly of New York. got the idea that
she would answer the purpose of test
ing the fate Of a vessel that by acct
dent might approach too near the cat
aract, and also the fate of living things
that might be caught in the rapids.
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
amply repaid by the spectators that
the exhibition would attract. For
several days previous to Sept. 1S, 1928,
the day for which the affair was fixed,
which was Saturday, the stages and
canal boats came to Buffalo crowded
with people The crowds were so
great that it was with great difficulty
that conyeyances from that place to the
Falls could be obtained On the night
of Sept. wagons filed with country
people ratified through the village in
unbroken procession all night long.
and on the morning of Sept. s Buffalo
itself seemed to be moving in one mass
toward the point Of attraction.
sThe Chippewa towed the big
schooner to Yale's Landing, on the
Canada side of the Niagara River,
where our passengers went ashore, as
did those of the William Penn. The
hour fixed for towing the Michigan
from Yale's Landing to the Rapids was
in the afternoon. This task, an ex-
tremely hazardous one, was intrusted
to the Oldest sailor on the lake, Capt.
Rough With yawl boat and five
sturdy oarsmen the old captain got the
schooner ander way. They towed her
to within a quarter of a mile of the
first rapids, and within half mile of
the tremendous precipice itself as
near as they dared approach. They
cut the big vessel adrift and she pass
ed majestically on, while the oarsmen
of the yawl had to bend their every
nerve and muscle to remove them
selves from the peril of their position
and the danger of being drawn down
by the rushing waters. Indeed, such
had been the fear and apprehension of
the men that they mutinied against
Capt Rough, and cot the tow line be-
fore the time he had set If they
had obeyed the reckless old captain,
he, the yawl, and its crew would have
preceded the Michigan over the falls.
'The high grounds on both shores of
the river were lined with people as the
Michigan unguided by human agency,
approached, head on, the first rapid of
the seething descent, apparently keep
ing the very course that skilful navi-
gator would have guided her in. The
American ensign streamed from her
bowsprit and the British jack f1oated
at her stern. The vessel shot the first
rapid unhurt, still head on, making a
plunge, shipping sea, and rising from
it in beautiful style. In her descent
of the second rapid, the water momen-
tarily increasing in velocity and tu-
multi, her towering masts went by the
board, giving the spectators a start
ling representation of the crashing of
a vessels spars in shipwreck at sea.
She swung around and presented her
broadside to the dashing and foaming
water, and, after remaining, as it
seemed, stationary for moment,
swung around until she was headed up
stream. Passing the third rapid she
bilged, but carried her hull to all APP
pearances whole as she tossed and
groaned between Grass Island and the
British shore to the Horseshoe Fall,
ever which she was drawn stern fore.
most and hurled into the laundering
abyss. She was dashed to fragments
before she struck in the seething wa
ters below.
There were aboard the Michigan
when she started on her trip toward
the falls wild bull buffalo from a
Western prairie, two bears from the
Lake Superior regions, two foxes,
raccoon, a dog, cat and four geese.
When the vessel left Yale's landing in
tow, all these were let loose on the
deck except the buffalo He was in
closed in pen. The two bears got
enough of the trip when the vessel be-
gan the descent Of the first rapid, and
they climbed down the side next the
Canada shore, plunged into the swift
water, breasted its powerful sweep
successfully, and reached the shore.
They were SO exhausted when they got
on land that they made no resistance
to being captured. and they fell into
the possession of a tavern keeper. This