Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-03
In Memory
of the American and English Heroes
Who Fell in Perry's Victory,
Sent. 10, 1913.

A circular chain railing incloses the hal
lowed plot Of ground. The grass is uncut.
Everything about It evidences public neg
lect. The monument is cheap, insignificant
and utterly out Of proportion to the event
II seeks to commemorate.
All hours Of the day and far into the
night the park is the center Of minated
and varied scenes. The water front Is
fairly crowded with excursion craft and the
sheltered bay is dotted with yachts, sloops,
schooners and other marine freaks whose
designation stumps the knowledge of a
landlubber. A series OF sloop races were
being pulled of at the time and this
brought about a congestion Of yacht club
craft of all kinds as we'll as a flock Of COM
modores, captains, sailormen and a host
Of marine bellies, trim rugged, reefed top
sails and white yachting caps. Beyond the
corner Of the bay, on a rocky island, the
castellated tower Of Jay Cookies summer
mansion rises above the forest OF trees.
Northwest, a mile away, is another island,
chiefly noted for its dance hall and mann
moth wine tanks, stationery and animated.
To these points excursion crowd come
from Detroit, Toledo, Sandusky and Cleve-
land. to absorb the humid ozone of the
lakes and other things, kill time and burn
money. Along the waterfront the moving
throng is Of all ages, Of prosperous ap-
pearance, generally marine rugged, and
nearly all OF them expressing in nautical
terms keen appreciation of water as an
external source of enjoyment. Occasionally
a pilgrim halts in front of the Perry monu-
ment and gazes upon the shabby memorial.
only to turn away with expressions Of
patriotic disgust. The local population
does not concern itself about the monu-
ment, but they work the name Of the i'm
mortal Perry for all It is worth and gold
brick the "easy marks' with absurd
souvenirs Of Perry's victory.
The Dewey of His Day.
oliver Hazard Perry was the Dewey OF
his Gay. He was a fighting Rhode islander
VINO sprang from a family Of fighters.
Possessing indomitable courage, he sur
mounted obstacles seemingly impossible.
Erie was chosen as the base Of operations
and there the feet was constructed. The
material had to be hewn from the adj
!aoent forests. The iron was gathered by
foraging parties in stores and warehouses.
Buffalo contributed muskets and bullets.
Ship carpenters and powder were brought
from Philadelphia. Pittsburg was levied
on for anchors. chains and ropes. Martial
law was enforced at Erie in order to guard
the feet under construction from spies and
possible traitors. Supplies were scant.
Men to man the ships could not be had.
Perry appealed to the government. "Give
me men," he wrote to the secretary, and
! will gain both you and myself honor
and glory on this lake or perish In the
attempt" That brought him sixty men.
A prize Of $40 a month for four months
brought him forty more. By August / he
had 300 effective me and set sail from
Erie In search Of the enemy. The enemy
was enjoying a banquet at the time, 80 the
preliminary cruise was fruitless, a piece
Of good fortune for Perry, as his force
was augmented by the arrival Of $50 re-
cruits. Then he was entirely ready. Perry
on the Lawrence, led the feet, shaping it's
course to the head of the lake, hoping to
meet the enemy. The Britshers were mol
ready. The flagship Detroit was not COM
pleted until September. Both waited,
Perry in Put-in-Bay. the British on the
Canadian side.
The Battle Was On.
On the morning OF the 10th the British
feet was sighted, Captain Barclay In COM
mand. At Has the battle began. Barclay
opened fire at long range. Perry had moth
ing with which to make reply. He sig
nailed for close action. All the canvas was
stretched. A light breeze bore his feet
straight into the enemy's line. Perry
called for canister. The guns OF the
Lawrence belched from both sides Of the
ship. pouring a deadly FIRE into the leaders
OF the British feet. Not a man ninehed