The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1899-09-14
Probably One of the Greatest
Ever Witnessed in the
United States.
SUNKEN STEAMER HOUdHTON RAISED.
Over 200 Large Lake Craft Engaged
In Lifting the Embargo on Lake
Superior Navigation.
Many Hundreds OF Tons Of Ore Lightered
From the tunksn vessei-1he Proces-
sion, Over 40 Miles In Length. Pa
rade Down the River.

SAULT STE MARIE, Mlch., sept. IL
The embargo on Lake Superior navi-
cation by the sinking Of the steamer
Douglas Houghton in the 500 passage
last Tuesday was lifted at $3.50 o'clock
Sunday afternoon. The largest feet
ever accumulated on the lakes IL 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 under the American flag save the
ocean liners
The lifting OF the embargo was full
of dramatic incident. 1t was Tuesday
last when the Houghton was sunk in
the narrowest part OF the channel by
collision with the schooner Fritz
which she had in tow. In passing
through q narrow cut of solid lime
stone, the wheel chains on the IIough-
ton had parted, and the steamer drove
her nose far into the limestone rock on
one side, while the current swung her
stern against the opposite side OF the
channel. The next instant the Fritz
crashed into the side of the boat cut
ting hole in her side. The Fritz then
also swung across the channel, which
was as completely blocked as il the
engineers had constructed a dam at
that point.
Every man who could be secured was
put to work. Divers succeeded in put
ting patch Of wood over the break,
and mig hit and day after that the ore
was shovelcd into lighters. Sunday at
noon l,SOO tons had been lightered and
the bow of the Houghton had risen
out of the water about five feet. 1t
was found that the steamer had
driven her way into the lime
stone ledge about L. feet, and
the ledge had to be blasted away.
The first blast of dynamite only
cracked the rock A second was then
placed under the rock and four tugs
were hitchcd against the lloughton's
stern on one side and two on the other
side, while one was placed at her bow,
The tugs started up at full speed and
the battery was fired. 1t was expected
that the next instant wo uld see the
Houghton floating down stream, car
rying the tugs and lighters and even
the trees from the bank to which the
boat was hitched by l2-inch hawser.
But the Houghton did nothing Of
the kind. The great boat raised
slightly, and then settled back nine
inches deeper in the pocket than she
was before. Again the rocks were
charged with dynamite and again the
tugs pulled and snortcd when the
charge was fired. Again the Houghton
did not move an inch. This was re-
peated again and again until finally,
after an unusually heavy charge,
which shattered the rocks which held
the bow OF the lIoughton in wise, the
big boat moved in the current and
drifted and was pulled out Of the
channel.
1t was time Of great rejoicing
among the captains of the blockaded
fleets. over a hundred 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 lockA
Sunday night the fleet stretched out
for miles in Hay lake. Captains are
waiting for word from Capt Davis to
start. They were passing down third
of q mile apart in order TO avoid dan
ger of collision. The procession is
over 40 miles long. AS most of the up
bound boats have been gotten out OF
the way the procession will be perfect
ly continuous and doubtless it is the
greatest naval display ever given in
the United States