New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-11

BLOCKADE OF 800" PASSAGE BROKEN
WITH DYNAMITE.
PROCESSION OF WAITING vEssI
STRETCHING FOR FORTY MILES

STRETCHING FOR FORTY MILES.
saut Ste Marie Mich. Sept 1o-The en-
barge on Lake Superior navigation. by the
sinking Of the steamer Douglass Houghton in
the 500" passage last Tuesday, lftcd at
33o O'Clock this 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 Su-
pcrior. IN the two there We're over two hum
dred Of the largest craft under the American
flag. save the few big ocean liners.
The lifting Of the embargo was full Of dra-
matte incident The Houghton was sunk in the
narrowest part Of the channel by collision with
tho schooner Fritz which she had i'm tow In
passing through narrow cut Of solid limestone
the wheel chains on the Houghton pa. ,d, and
the steamer drove her nose far into the limo
stone rock on one de-. while the current swung
her stern agains, the opposite side Of the chan
mel The next instant the Fritz crashed into
the side Of the boat cutting ig hole. The
Fritz then also swung across the channel, which
was as completely blocked as # the Government
engineers had constructed dam AT that point
Every man who could be secured was put %
work Divers succeeded I'm putting n patcn ~
wood over he break and night and day after
that tho ore was shovolod on To- lighters. /;
could not be thrown overheard. for the channel
at that point is just deep enough for deep
draught vessels To-day At noon eighteen nun
drcd tons had been ughtercd ard the bow Of
the Houghton had risen out Of the water about
ive feet It was found that the steamer had
driven her way into the limestone ledge about
twelve feet. and the ledge had to hc blasted
away. The first blast Of dynamite only cracked
the rock \ second was then placed under tiie
rock and four tugs were hitched at the Hough-
tons stern on one side and two on the other.
while one was placed at her bow. The tugs
started up NJ full speed and the battery was
fred. It was expected that the next instant
would the Houghton floating down stream
carrying tho tugs and lighters and even the
trees from the bank, to which the boat was
hnohed 10y l2-inch hawser
But the Houghton did nothing OF the kind.
The great boat raised slightly and then Settled
back nine inches deeper i'm the pocket than she
was before. Again the rocks wore charged with
dynamite and again tho tugs puffed and snortod
when the charge was fired. Again the Hough-
ton did not move an inch This vas repeated
again and AGAIN until finally. after an unusually
heavy charge which shattered the rocks which
had the bow Of tho Houghton as I'm a wise the
boat moved in the current and drifted and was
pulled ont Of fhe channel
It was A time of great rejoicing among the
captains of The blockaded feet. over a hundred
Of whor uoro at the scene They hurried back
70 their vessois. 10 prepare for tho procession
dovn The river They soon began TO move into
position i'm Hay Lake where they took their
places I'm the order OF their arrival al the locks
whs WAS arranged by Captain \. y Davis of
the revenue service who had taken command at
the request Of the Lake Carriers Association.
Tonight tho feet stretches out for miles I'm
Hay Lake. Captains are waiting for the word
from Captain Davis 10 start They are passing
down q third of a mile apart in order to avoid
danger Of collision. Tho procession is over forty
miles long As most of the upbound boats have
been got ort Of the way. the procession Will be
practically continuous and viii be the greatest
naval display ever given i'm the United states
Their order will be maintained until they are
ont Of the narrow places Of s. Mary's River.
Then a mighty race viii begin. The prize VIII
he first place al the receiving dock With this
great fleet 10 be AIRED for the prize which will
go TO the swift ono Will he worth large sum.
for with freights al boom prices every day lost
now means from 5000 to $1,000
Clearing the channel hy blasting ont tho
Houehton was surprise ~ the assembled cap
tains They We're unanimous I'm predicting this
morning that il would take f0ry-eight hours
more 10 get the Houehton ont of the way. but
the vrockers Vcrc only three and half hours
behind their original estimate The down bound
fleet is carrying arly 3OoWO tons of non ore.
| 900 600 feet Of lumber and NnWN bushels or
wheat Flour and general merchandise add ma
tcray 10 these totals
several accidents attended the moving Of the
0.ot The Northern Wave grounded. but va
easily released Tho crete lay ON the powders.
fast astorn of the Hought0n. for two hours
until she was pulled anoat hy n tug.
When released there was five feet ~ water
Ia al boa D.