Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-07-10


age annual product of over $15,000,000
and give employment to between 5000
and 5000 men, A popularity Of Fries
manufactures is that there is no one
concern or special product that over
shadows the others in local Importance.
They are all developed from small be-
ginnings and slender capital, and
most of them are in this fin de steele
year on a very secure and substantial
basis, and are leading concerns of their
kind.
Erie owes her superior advantages
as manufacturing center to the re-
: markedly low cost of living, and to the
fact that all kinds of raw material
meet at this point for transshipment-
the iron ore and lumber of the north
west, and the coal and coke of the
Shenango valley.
One of the public institutions of
which Erie is proud is the soldiers and
sailors home. 1t is located on the
historic garrison ground, near where
General Anthony Wayne was buried.
Wayne's monument is reproduction
on the original site of the blockhouse
in which he died in 1896. In the mat
ter of public institutions, Erie is espec-
tally proud of her fine hospitals.
! Erie's residence streets, with their
magnificent lawns, modern residences
and wealth of shade trees, give many
of the thoroughfares the appearance of
well-kept parks.
| In looking over the past century of
her existence Erie can feel reasonably
proud of her achievements and her po-
sition, and if the next century fulflls
| the present promise of future develop
ment, Fries trade and commerce will
be an important factor in pushing
Pennsylvania to the premier position
among the states of the union.
1t was at Erie that Perry's fleet as
sembled for it's first cruise. This was
on Aug. 6, 1913. The famous battle
took place about a month later. It is
Erie's proudest historical Renaissance.
With his squadron of big and little
ships and their ammunition of bolts,
bars, splinters and scrap-iron sewed
up in leather bags, Perry moved out
from Put-in-Bay on the morning of
Sept. 15 Captain Robert Heriot Bar
clay, with nine more cannon than the
American and his experience at Trafal-
gar, was awaiting with British COM
placence.
The fleets drew near to each other
about II o'clock. Captain Barclay
gave an order, the bugle sounded, and,
with a cheer from his men, his ship,
the flagship Detroit, opened fire with
her long guns upon the American
Lawrence at distance of about mile
and a half. These two were the larg-
est vessels of the two fleets. The
others each sought out vessels of their
own size, and the battle was begun as
series of duels. By noon the cannon
aiding was we'll under way, and the
Englishman was getting decidedly the
better of it, because he had a heavier
battery and knew how to use it, and
because the American had little STUN
py guns were not trained for long
distance work. Gradually the Law
renee was reduced to hulk. But one
gun was left mounted. The cockpit
was crowded with wounded. At the
end of two hours only eighteen unin-
jured men were left on board.
One of these was the commander
and his brother, Alexander Perry. At
this moment when an overwhelming
British victory seemed inevitable the
young commander with the audacity of
genius gave a command that turned
the tide, won the battle and handed
his name down in history as one Of the
bravest of heroes.
Lower the commanders gig" he
whispered. Choosing four sailors to
man the boat and his brother to take
the tiller and the flag of the Lawrence
about his arm he slipped out in the fog
of battle smoke, ran safely past vol
ley of bullets and balls, and in fifteen
minutes landed on the Niagara, an I'M
harmed vessel in the rear of the Amer
lean fleet. He sent Captain Elliot to
| bring up the laggard vessels, went
straight at the Detroit. How the
wind just then freshened up and the
! Queen Charlotte ran amuck with the
| Detroit and how the American schoon-
ers rushed in at this advantage, how
the English decks were swept and
the Kentucky rifemen in the
cross-trees picked off the
Englishmen at close range, and now
the battle ragged until o'clock, when
the English flag was hauled down, is a
story that every American schoolboy
can tell. And so is the famous mes
sage that the young officer sent to Cen
eral William H. Harrison: eve have
met the enemy and they are ours It
was the most complete naval victory
ever won over an English fleet by any
nation in any waters. Perry was but
27.