The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1908-07-18
OVER NIAGARA FALLS|
Fate of a Schooner That Was
Used as an Experiment.
SHE WAS DASHED TO PIECES.

A Thrilling Sight From the Time She
Struck the Seethins Rapids Until
the Mighty Falls Tore Her Into
Sptinters-A Pair of Tough Geese.
The following story of the first pub
lie excursion to Niagara Fails was
written at the tune by AN eyewitness:
1.-THE schooner Michigan was the
largest vessel on Lake Erie at that
time. She was too large in fact, TO
enter the various harbors on the lake.
and. being somewhat decayed In hel
uppers, the owner, Major Frazer. got
the idea that she would answer the
purpose of testing the fate OF vessel
that by accident might approach too
near the cataract and also the fate OF
living things that might be caught In
the rapids. The proprietors OF the
large public houses at the falls OH both
sides of the river and Of stages and
steamboats, made up purse to pur-
chase the schooner, aware that they
would be amply repaid by the specta-
tors that the exhibition would attract.
"For several days previous to Sept.
6, 1923, the day for which the AFFAIR
was fixed, which was Saturday. the
stages and canalboats came to Buffalo
| crowded with people. On the night
| of Sept 8 wagons filed with country
| people ratified through the village In
unbroken procession all night long, and
| ,s,,nx 1f RnHQIn r.
self seemed to be moving In one mass
toward the point Of attraction. Five
steamboats, had been advertised to
leave Buffalo Saturday morning. They
were the Henry Clay. william Penn,
Pioneer, Niagara and Chippewa. The
Chippewa was appointed to tow the
schooner Michigan to the Niagara river.
was a passenger on her.
"As soon as we got well under way
the scene became interesting. The 9TH
er four steamers came blowing along
in our wake. crowded to the guards
with passengers and bands of music
playing. The Chippewa towed the big
schooner to Yale's landing. on the Can
ada side of the Niagara river, where
T our passengers went ashore, as did
those Of the William Penn. The pas
| sengers of the Henry Clay and Pho
o neer landed ON the American side.
9 Yale's Landing was three miles above
v the falls, and the crowds of people
# were taken from there on down the
q river in wagons of all kinds. The hour
= fixed for towing the Michigan from
{ Yale's Landing to the rapids was
J. i'm the afternoon.
y "This task. an extremely hazardous
| one, was intrusted to the oldest sailol
l on the lake, Captain Rough With
e yawl boat and five sturdy oarsmen tn
t. old captain got the schooner undel
,e way. They lowed her to within quar-
a ter of a mile of the first rapids ant
"a within half mile of the tremendou
If precipice itself-as near as they daret
il. approach They cut the big vesse
Of adrift, and she passed majestically on
at while the oarsmen of the yawl had t
" bend their every nerve and muscle t
remove themselves from the peril o
ne being drawn down by the rushing wa
Il | ters. Indeed, such had been the fea
d. and apprehension of the men that the
or mutinied against Captain Rough an
49, cut the towline before the time b
vi had set If they had oheyed the reel
as less old captain, he the yawl and II
L. crew would have preceded the Mich
he gan over the falls.
of 1.-THE high grounds on both shores
he the river were lined with people as til
ia Michigan, unguided by human agenc
he approached. head on. the first rapid
nj the seething descent apparently kee
ey ing the very course that n skillfu ma
es- igator would have guided her in. I'll
led American ensign streamed from b.
led bowsprit and the British jack hoat'
ing at her stern. The vessel shot the mr.
18th rapid uuhurt, still head on, making
uld plunge. shipping sea and rising FRO
The 1t In beautiful style. In her descent
q a the second rapid. the water moment
yis rily increasing In velocity and tumu
to her towering masts went by the boar
sell: giving the spectators a startling repl
sentation of the crashing of vesse
spars In shipwreck at sea.
swung around and presented I
broadside to the dashirg aud foami
18th. water, and after remaining. as 1t see
ed, stationary for moment, swu
|
ton passing the third rapid she bilg
: but carried her hull to all appearan'
gra- whole as she tossed and groaned
!: go tween Grass island and the Brit
ally shore to the Horseshoe fall. over VIII
,ffee she was drawn sternforemost
eals. hurled into the laundering abyss
not was dashed to fragments before
8 of struck In the seethiug waters belt
3 or Immediately after she went over
that dreds of people hurried below the fa
yar." The river was covered with fragme
of the vessel Nowhere could be FOL
as much as two boards nailed togeti
and her great timbers were broken
Is of bits like firewood.
Hers There were aboard the Michi
rs a when she started on her trip tow
cor the falls n wild bull buffalo from