Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-11-03
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

Tb, .d ran.5f-nar frigate Niagara.
or which commodore Perry won the
babe 5l Lake EH. Goo the war Of 1872
NAV soon ba recovered from the bot
Tom of tbs Hse 300 which she was sunk
tbrs,-ogsusrs OF century ago, says
the New York Word
Congressman s. s. Davenport Of Erie,
Pa IS going 90 Introduce q resolution
IN The coming congress setting aside
$4,000 for mat purpose.
The vessel which turned the tide OF
battle and established the supremacy
Of the United States on the Great Lakes
and In the whole inland empire Will DE
a precious relic.
Wh4t the famous ola Constitution Is
10 the navy uf the Atlantic the Niagara
Is 10 the naval history NJ the Inland
seas OF America.
In the sim. clear water OF Misery
Bay. near the poIt of Erie, the ola
Niagara u0W Hes. her staunch Oakon
beams and sides almost as solid as
ever. In fact. the water has preserved
her better than the Constitution. which
has been a10at an the time and now
lies a rotten hulk no the CharlestOWr
navy yard Boz Boston
on clear bright days the hulk Of the
Niagarl can hr clearly seen twelve feet
below the surface. The kindly waters
for which she won such fame have
tinted the old beams "a mellow green
they have s0ftenei ne cannon wounds
in nor sides with "a messy covering
The protecting waters also have shield
ed DE Niagara from the fate that be-
fell her sister ship. the Lawrence, That
vessel which was sunk higher up on
the beach la the same bay, partly above
the water line was long ago hewn 10
pieces and carried on by relic hunters.
IAN now not q stick OF her remains.
II WIN De remembered that Com
modore Perry made the exploit Of going
from the disabled flagship Lawrence
10 the Niagara in the midst Of the bat
Tie. and raising on the latter ship bis
flag. bearing the famous motto, Don't
Give Up the ship
Il was the Niagara that, on that
memorable September 10. 1913 broke
through the enemys line of battle and
with terrific broadsldos raked the whole
hostile fleet am the white nag huttered
from the British ships
Congressman Davenport Of Erie who
started the project OF raising the Mag
ara. told last week how the idea oc-
CURED 10 him.
my determination TO Introduce this
measure IN Congress was the result OF a
casual conversation that occurred IN
Washington last spring II was about
the time that the matter OF the rehahill-
tatlon NJ other historic ships was the
topic The restoration of the old C0nsti-
tuition was one OF the chief subjects of
discussion. not only In Washington but
throughout the country AT that time
the subject of the Niagara, on which
the gallant Perry won his famous vic
tory on Lake Erie. came IN in cOnnec-
tlon with historic "reminiscences Of the
heroic past.
THAT there remained In the waters OF
the bay al Erie a relic Of Perry's fight
was remarked, and Il excited n ripple Of
surprise and interest at the time. A
little later ! conceived the idea Of inter-
esting Congress In a project 20 save all
that now remains Of that fleet. which
made American valor famous the world
over.
Il shall introduce O bin next winter 90
appropriate at least $40 900 10 raise the
wreck from the lake On which II has lain |
for three-Q quarters OF a century, and |
have II restored as an object lesson Tor
the historical students Of the rising
generation
Commodore Perry's exploit In the bat
tie Of Lake Erie In rowing from one
ship 10 another under the derccst fire
OF the enemy has been lmmortalIzed by
the distinguished artist, William H.
Powell, IN a great painting.
James Barnes. IN describing the cir
cumstances leading up % the thrilling
incident of the battle I'm the recent
book 1.-THE Hero Of Erie" says
Helpless, and unable to work a single
sail for every brace and boWllne had
been shot away the Yankee flagship
Lawrence drifted straight In among the
British vessels.
Her motto flag, Don't Give Up the
Ship was still flying and single
handed, she was engaging the whole
English feet From every side came
flashes and laundering discharges. She
was assailed from all directions but
she would not down.
Signal flags We're flying from the
Lawrence's yard arm ordering the fleet
In the rear 20 come up and support
her. But the wind was too light. they
could not approach
Knowing that the surrender of the
Lawrence would be n deathbl0w 20 AN
chances OF ultimate victory Perry de-
termlned 10 hold out 20 the last But
looking again across the water he saw
that the Niagara, although nearer, was
not coming on fast enough. An idea
seized him.
Lower away that motto flag from