The Topeka state journal., 1899-09-11
BLOCKADE BROKEN.
Lake Superior Navigation Again Open
to Traffic.

TO franc
sauIt ste. Marie. Mich. Sept 1.-THE
embargo on Lake Superior navigation,
BY the sinking Of the steamer Douglas
Houghton in the 500 passage last Tues
day, was lifted at $3.50 o'clock yesteF-
day afternoon. The largest fleet ever
accumulated on the lakes. if not in
America, began to move soon after and
one vast naval procession headed down
the lakes, while another started on its
way to Lake Superior. In the two there
were over 200 Of the largest craft un-
der the American flag. save the few
ocean liners
The lifting of the embargo was full Of
dramatic incident It was Tuesday last
when the HOughtOn was sunk in the
narroWest part OF the channel by col
hsiOn with the schooner Fritz, which
she had in tow. In passing through the
narrow cut made OF stones, the wheel
chains on the Houghton had parted and
the steamer drove her nose far into the
limestone rock on one side while the
current swung her stern against the
east side Of the channel The next in
slant the Fritz dashed into the side Of
the big boat. cutting a mole in her
side The Fritz then also swung across
the channel, which Wasl as completely
blocked as il the government engineers
had constructed a dam at that point.
Every man who could be secured was
put TO work. Divers succeeded in put
ting a patch of wood over the break
and night and day after that the ore
was shOveled onto lighters. It could
not be thrown overheard, for the chan
mel at that point is just deep enough
for deep laden vessels.
Yesterday at noon ], 800 tons had been
Hghtened and the bow of the Hough-
ton had risen out of the Bater about
five feet It was found that the steam
stone ledge about twelve feet, and the
ledge had TO be blasted away. The first
blast Of dynamite only cracked the
rock a second was then placed under
against the HOughtOn's stern on one
side and two on the other side, while
one was placed at her bow. The tugs
started up at Iu1 speed and the bat
terry was fired. 1t was expected that
the next instant would see the Hough-
ton floating down stream. carrying the
tugs and lighters, and even the trees.
from the bank, TO which the boat was
hitched by a twelve-inch hauser. But
the boat did nothing of the kind. She
raised a few feet and then settled
few inches deeper in the pocket than
she was before.
Again the rocks were charged with
dynamite and again the tugs puffed
and snorted when the charge was fired.
Again the HOughtOn did not move an
inch This was repeated again and
gain, until finally, after an unusually
heavy charge. which shattered the
rocks which held the bow of the Hough-
ton as in a wise. the big boat moved
in the current and drifted and was
pulled out of the channel.
1t was a time Of great rejoicing
among the captains of the blOckaded
feet, over 100 of whom were at the
scene. They hurried back to their
ships to prepare for the procession
down the river. They soon began to
move into position in Hay lake, where
they took their places in the order Of
their arrival at the locks This was
done by Captain A. B. Davis. of the
revenue service, who had taken COM
mand at the request of the Lake Car
rier's association.
The fleet stretches out for miles in
Hay Lake. Captains are waiting word
from Captain Davis to start They are
passing down a third of a mile apart in
order to avoid danger of collision The
procession is over forty miles long. As
most of the up bound boats have been
cotton out Of the way. the procession
viii be practically continuous. and
doubtless it is the greatest naval dis
play every given in the United States
The down bound feet is carrying
nearly 100000 tons of iron ore. Il. 900 feet
of lumber and 900. 600 bushels of wheat
Flour and general merchandise add ma
terially to these totals.