Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-18
HOW PUT-IN-BAY LOOKS TODAY
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
ondence Of The Star the Chicago Record Herald

ar and the Chicago Record Herald
at PUTIN Bay have a regular mail serv-
i've. brought by rural delivery car
rier over the ice. sometimes on foot and
sometimes in a sleigh.
The limestone of which these islands
are formed il disintegrating and crum-
bling away. 1t Is so soft that II Is an
easy victim OF the wind and the rain.
and the waves have cut the shores into
nations. which add a great deal to the
picturesqueness. There are four or five
caves on the island, which are of both
geological and commercial Importance.
They yield a considerable revenue to
their owners from the excursionists who
are eager to see them. One of them has
a big sign near the steamboat landing.
announcing that II is Supposed to have
been discovered by Admiral Perry.
which is an example Of conscientious ad-
vertising that ought to be encouraged.
One of the caves is lined with curious
chemical. called stronta, a sort Of sta
lactite formed by the dripping of water
from the disintegrating limestone. and
used in the manufacture Of fireworks.
steamship signals. Belgium lights and
similar explosives. 1t appears in the form
of crystal, and every particle-no matter
how large or small-from the size OF a
pinhead to block twelve or fifteen feet
in diameter-it is always the same shape.
The present supply Of strontia used by
manufacturers comes from the Ural noun
tains of Russia. and naturally is very ex-
pensive. 1t is also found In Japan and
China. where both nations use great
deal Of it making fireworks. 1t is be-
lieved that profitable business might be
done here by mining strontia, but the
owners Of the caves in which 1t appears
do not dare use explosives for fear OF
destroying their property. Adjoining Put
in-Bay is a little spot Of land known
as Green Island, which Is owned by the
,tnA h,-n Itch
Large quantities Of strontia are supposed
to exist there. and a few years ago a
syndicate Of spectators attempted to
make contract with the government to
exploit It. but it required an act of Con-
gress, and nothing was done.
Just Off Catawba Island. at the near
est point to Put-in-Bay. is a beautiful
shaded little island of six or eight acres.
covered with magnificent natural grove.
which formerly belonged to President
Hayes. He built bungalow and used to
go there in the summer from his home In
Fremont, for rest and fishing.
At the north end of South Bass Island
is picturesque pile Of rock. which. al
though limited in area. con-
Shelter tributes to the safety OF
.eD1 Putin Bay by protecting IL
VI As0eA. from northwestern gales. 1t
is one Of the loveliest little spots on the
earth, and more than sixty years go was
selected by the late Jay Cooke, the famous
banker, for his summer residence Mr..
Cooke was Of Yankee stock. and his IA
tiler. Elentheros Cooke. a lawyer al
Granville, Mass. moved to Ohio in 1919
and purchased the site occupied by the
tepees of Chief Ogontz. q famous chief OF
the Seneca tribe. Jay Cooke. his eldest
son. was probably the first child born al
Sandusky He was brought up. educated
and went into business there. and exer-
cised q wide influence In politics and
finance. He was the intimate friend and
confidential lieutenant of the late Chief
Justice Chase. and financed his political
campaigns. SO that when Chase was APP
pointed Secretary OF the Treasury Cooke
went to Washington and started the bank
which became the financial agency Of the
government. He always kept his home in
Sandusky. and his mansion called Ogontz.
stood upon the same location as the orig
inal cabin Of logs built by his father
In 1875 Mr.. Cooke acquired the little is
land OF Gibraltar, and there built pic
turesaue stone castle. with turrets and
battlements.
It is a good imitation of one Of the old
strongholds Of Scotland which he saw dur
ing one of his visits to that country.
The beauty of Gibraltar is concealed by
the foliage, however and those who pass
the island on steamers get only limited
glimpse of Its walls.
Mr.. Cooke loved the place and used to
spend ass much time as he could spare
from business. there. frequently enter
tanning large huuse parties Of dstin-
time he had Spotted Tail. chief of the
Brule tribe of Sioux, as his guest for
several days. and almost all of the states
men. soldiers and financiers who were
fovrr T~,N.-
civil war visited there frequently.
Perry's victory has been celebrated at
Put-inBay with more or less eclat an
nually. Way back in
Celebrations Of 1852 there was nota-
Perrys Victory occasion s~s c. ~ne q,
Michigan presided. and an association was
formed to erect a monument to COM
memorate the battle Of Lake Erie, but &C
complished nothing practical On that oc-
cason five companies of the National
Guard of Ohio were present. which were
the first soldiers, seen there since Gen.
William Henry Harrison encamped with
his troops In 1913.
In 1888 another celebration of note was
tor Fessenden of Maine, John Sherman
and other distinguished men taking part.
and again the idea of a monument was
proposed. but nothing happened
The present movement originated when
the board of trade of the village of Put
in-Bay invited Representative Isaac r.
Sherwood to come over and make q
speech In order to promote plan to Sc
cure an appropriation of S25, O0O to erect q
suitable monument over the graves Of the
officers who were killed in the battle of
agent named r. j.. dele. now sergeant
alarms Of the Ohio legislature. who was
present. recognized the possibilities of the
situation and made a speech, In which
he developed a big plan for celebrating
the centennial of Perry's victory. No
mere $4,000 for him. he declared. A
million-doll memorial was not only APP
propriate. bdt necessary. committee
appointed at that time secured the pas
dorsing the movement and passed an act
authorizing commission to condemn a
site for the monument at cost not to
exceed 5000, which has been done.
| The site selected Is at the narrowest
part OF the island. where II is only a
| few hundred yards In width. 1t Is pro-
posed to extend the base of the monu-
| ment the entire distance, with landing
on one side for steamers and on the other
side for smaller craft. The proceedings
| in condemnation have already begun.
| After the battle of Lake Erie was over
! the bodies Of the dead sailors of both
| fleets were wrapped in canvas shrouds
| weighted with cannon balls. as Is the
custom at sea. and dropped into the wa
| ter with approximate ceremonies. The