The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-10
WRECKED TO MAKE A HOLIDAY.
Spectacle When the Schooner Mich
igan Went Over Niagara Falls.
c.,


New York Sun.
Il was one of those who made up the first
public excursion TO Niagara Falls just sew
enty years ago next September, said Mar
tin Cromer,. of Niagara county There
wasn't mile of railroad in the State open
and only twelve miles in the entire United
States. The Erie canal had been in opera
ton three years. There was no means of
travel except the canal and stage coaches,
and consequently if people far from Buffalo
had Known what great show we were go
ing to have at Niagara they couldn't have
got there without 1t costing them hum
dred or so apiece and couple of weeks
time. Now you can take trip to Niagara
Falls leaving New York after breakfast
and getting there for early supper. But it
isn't likely you will ever be able to have
the attraction at the falls for an excursion
thaT we hao seventy HS years ago, LOT an mat
vessel on Lake Erie at that time. She was
too large, in fact, to enter the various har-
bors on the lake, and. being somewhat de-
cayed in her uppers, the owner Major
Frazer formerly OF New York, got the idea
that she would answer the purpose of test
ing the fate Of vessel that by accident
might approach too near the cataract, 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 steam
boats made up a purse TO purchase the
schooner. aware that they would be amply
repaid by the spectators that the exhibit
ton would attract For several days
previous TO Sept. Is 1923, 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 ii was with great difficulty that
conveyances 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.
Buffalo Itself seemed TO be moving in one
mass toward the point of attraction. Five
steamboats, had been advertised to leave
Buffalo Saturday morning They were the
Henry Cay, William Penn, Pioneer, Mag
ara and Chippewa, being all the steamboats,
then on Lake Erie, save one, the Superior.
The Chippewa was appointed TO tow the
schooner Michigan TO the Niagara river.
was a passenger on her.
''As soon as We got well under way the
scene became interesting. The sun shone
bright, the waters of the lake were placid.
there being scarcely a ruffie on the surface
along in our wake crowded TO the guard
with passengers and bands of music play
ing. The Chippewa towed the big schooner
to YaleS Landing, on the Canada side of
the Niagara river, where our passengers
went ashore, as did those of the William
Penn. The passengers of the Henry CLAW
and the Pioneer landed on the American
side. Yale's Landing was three miles above
the Falls, and the crowds of people were
wagons OF ali kinds. The hour fixed for
towing the Michigan from Yale's Landing
10 the Rapids 3 o'clock in the after.
noon. This task, an extremely hazardous
one, was intrusted 10 the oldest sailor on
the lake, Captain Rough. With yawl
boat and five sturdy oarsmen the old cap
tain got the schooner under way. They