The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-02-13
over NIAGARA FALLS
Fate Of a Schooner That Was
Used as an Experiment.
SHE WAS DASHED TO PIECES.


splinters--A Fair Of Tough Goose.
The following story Of the first pub
lie excursion to Niagara Falls was
written at the time by an eyewitness:
"The schooner Michigan was the
largest vessel on Lake Erie at that
time. She was too large. in fact, tc
enter the various harbors on the lake
and, being somewhat decayed in her
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 on 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
O, 1928. the day for which the affair
was fixed. which was Saturday, the
stages and cnnalboats came to Buffalo
crowded with people. On the night
of Sept. 8 wagons filed with country
people ratified through the village In
unbroIsen procession all night long, and
on the morning Of Sept. 6 Buffalo it,
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.
CAS- 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 YaIe's landing on the Can
ada side OF the Niagara river, where
our passengers went ashore, as did
those Of the William Penn. The pas
sengers Of the Henry Clay and Pho
neer landed on the American side.
Yales Landing was three miles above
the falls. and the crowds or people
were taken from there on down the
river Id wagons OF all kinds. The hour
fixed for towing the Michigan from
Yale's Landing to the rapids was
in the afternoon.
This task, an extremely hazardous
one. was intrusted to the oldest sailor
on the lake. Captain Rough. With a
yawl boat md five sturdy oarsmen the
old captain got the schooner under
way They tawed her TO within quar-
ter or mile OF the first rapids and
within half q mile OF the tremendous
precipiee itself las near as they dared /
approach They cut the big vessel |
adrift. and she passed majestieally on,
while the oarsmen OF the yawl had to /
bend their every nerve and muscle TO
remove themselves from the peril Of I
being drawn down by the rushing wa
tiers. Indeed. such had been the fear
and apprehension OF the men that they !
mutinied against Captain Rough and
cut the towline before the time he
had set If they had obeyed the reck
less old captain, he. the yawl and its
crew would have preceded the Michi-
gan over the falls
The high grounds on both shores OF n
the river were lined with people as the
unguided by human agency. /
approached. head on. the first rapid Of
the seething descent. apparently keep
Ing the very course that a skillfui nav
igator would have guided her tn The
ensign streamed from her
bowsprit and the British Jack floated
at her stern. The vessel shot the first
rapid unaurt, still head on. making a
plunge. shipping sea and rising from
It in beautiful style. In her descent Of
the second rapid the water momenta-
riIy increasing IN velocity and tumult.
her towering masts went by the board.
giving the spectators d startling repre-
sentation OF the crashing Of a vessels
spars In shlpwreck at sea, She
swung around and presented her
DFoadside TO the dashing and foaming
water. and. after remaining. as it seem
I'd. stationary for moment. swung
iroand until she was headed upstream
Passing the third rapid she bilged,
,ut carried her hull to all appearances
whole as she tossed and groaned be-
ween Grass island and the British
hore TO the Horseshoe fall. over which
he was drawn sternforemost and
hurled into the laundering abyss. She
vas dashed to fragments before she
truck in the seething waters below.
after she went over hun
Ireds Of people hurried below the falls.
The river was covered with fragments
4 the vessel. Nowhere could be found
s much as two bonrds nailed together.
nd her great timbers were broken into
its like frewood
There we're aboard the Michigan
yhen she started on her trip toward
he falls wild bull buffalo from a
western prairie. two bears from the :
axe Superior regions. two foxes.
aecoon. a dog. cat and four geese.
When the vessel left Yale's landing in
ow all these were let loose on the deck
kept the buffalo He was inclosed in
pen. The two bears got enough of
be trip when the vessel began the
eseent Of the first rapid. and they
'lmhed down the side next the Canada
here. plunged into the swift water.
roasted its powerful sweep successful