The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-10-17
IO RAISE The NIAGARA
Project for Which Congress
VIII be Asked for $4,000.
WAS PERRYS FLAGSHIP
Sunk Seventy-fiye Years Ago
in Lake Erie.

The New York Journal says: The ole
| man of war frigate Niagara, on which
| Commodore Perry won the battle o.
Lake Erie in the war of 1872, may sooor
! be recovered from the bottom OF the lake
| in which she was sunk three quarters Of
a century ago.
Congressman S. A. Davenport, Of Erie
Pa, is going to introduce a resolution IN
the coming congress setting aside $1,000
for that purpose.
The vessel, which turnedst the tide OF
battle and established the supremacy OF
the United States on the great lakes and
in the whole inland empire, Will be a
precious relic
What the famous old constitution is
to the navy of the Atlantic the Niagara
is to the naval history of the inland seas
Of America.
In the still, clear water of Misery Bay,
nea rthe port of Erie, the old Niagara
now lies, her stanch oaken beams and
sides almost as solid as ever. In fact
the water has preserved her better than
the Constitution, which has been afloat
all the time and now lies a. rotten hulk
at the Charleston navy yard in Boston.
On clear bright days the hull of the
Niagara can be 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
softened the cannon wounds in her sides
with a messy covering. The protecting
waters have shielded the Niagara from
the fate that befel her sister ship, the
Lawrence. That vessel, which was sunk
higher up on the beach in the same bay,
party above the water line, was long ago
hewn to pieces and carried of by relic
hunters until now not stick Of her re-
mains.
1t will be remembered that Commodore
Perry made the exploit of going from
the disabled flagship Lawrence to the
Niagara in the midst of the battle and
raising on the latter ship his flag, bear
ing the famous motto, Don't Give Up
the Ship
1t was the Niagara that, on that mem
orable September TO- 1913, broke through
the enemy's line of battle and with ter
rife broadsides raked the whole hostile
fleet till the white flag f1uttered from the
British ships.
Congressman Davenport of Erie, who
started the project of raising the Maya
ra, told last week how the idea occurred
to him
My determination to introduce this
measure in congress was the result of
casual conversation that occurred in
Washington last spring. 1t was about
the time that the matter of the rehabili-
tation of other historic ships was the
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 victory on
Lac Erie, came UP in connection with
historic "reminiscences Of the heroic past.
THAT there remained in the waters of
the bay at Erie a. relic of Perry's fight
was remarked and 1t excited a ripple Of
surprise and interest at the time. A lit
tie later conceived the idea Of interest
ing congress in project to save all that
now remains of that fleet, which made
valor famous the world over.
II shall introduce a bill next winter to
appropriate at least $4,000 to raise the
wreck from the lake in which it has lain
for three-quarters Of a century and have
it restored as an object lesson for the
historical students of the rising genera
ton"
Commodore Perry's exploit in the bat
tie Of Lac Erie in rowing from one ship
to another under the fiercest fire of the
enemy has been immortalized by the dis
tinguished artist, William H Powell. in
a great painting, a reproduction Of which
is shown on this page.
James Barnes, in describing the circum-
stances leading up to the thrilling Incl
dent of the battle in his recent book,
1.-THE Hero of Erie" says:
Helpless, and unable to work a single
sail, for every brace and bowline 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-hand-
ed. she was engaging the whole English
fleet From every side came flashes and
laundering discharges. She was assail-
ed from all directions. but she would not
down.
Signal flags were flying from the Law
rence's yard arm ordering the fleet in
the rear to come up and support her.
But the wind was too light; they could
not approach.
Knowing that the surrender Of the
Lawrence would be a deathbIow 10 all
chances of ultimate victory. Perry de-
to hold out TO 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 the
he shouted.
A little yawl that had been towing