Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-30
BUILDING OF SHIPS
Commodore Perry's Fleet
Constructed at Erie Bay.
DUE TO CAPT. DOBBlNS
Came Here on Horseback to Ask De-
lenses for the Lakes.
WORK BEGUN IN MAY. 1918
Prizes Captured in the Battle of Sep
TENDER 10 Were Appraised
at 1885, 900.
kN WILLIAM T.. CIKIIS


| Special Correspondence" Of The Star and the
Cuirag" Record Herald.
ERIE, Pa. June ~, 1911.
The little fleet with which Commodore
Perry fought the battle of Lake Erie hap
pened to be built in Erie bay because of
the representations of Capt Daniel Dob
bins, who went to Washington on horse
back in the summer of 1872 to beg the
government to provide defenses for the
| lakes to protect the loyal settlements
along the shores of Lake Erie. and to
prevent the British from pushing the
boundaries of Canada to the OHIO r.ver,
as they intended to do Capt. Dobbins'
| representations made deep impression
on the President and the military author
tiles. He MAS gwen "a COMMISSION as
sailing master, was authorized to build
fleet of small ships in Erie bay or
Presqu isle, as ii YVES called at that tine,
and two professional snlpwrlgnts, Ebe-
neZer Crosby aNd Noah Brown. were sent
with hun to lay down the STOCKS and
oversee the building OF the boats
AS Capt. Doobins represented. Erie had
many advantages for the work. The
bay. VIII. oh is nve miles long and nearly
two m les in breadth, with an area OF
about eight square niles, Is formed by
peninsula extending n northeasterly
direction. 1t IS completely land ocned
and at that time the narrow entrance
was too sha low for large vessels to
enter. having only about six feet of water
upon the bar.
In some places the peninsula is three
fourths of mile in width and there are
spots capable of cultivation | suppose
Il is very little changed from what IT
was in 1N12 and was then, az now.
bank of sand covered with low growth
Of timber. wild grapes and cranberry
bushes IN the swampS For malt CEN
y,.s- -,
n the vicinity of the town, used to cele-
brate Cranberry day" They came in
multitudes. crossed the hay in boats,
camped on the sand and at a signal in
the morn ng of the day appointed By the
authorities plunged into the swamp
men, women and children-with buckets
and baskets. and picked their supply OF
cranberries for the winter This custom
has for some reason been abol shed, al
though there are still cranbcrries there.
Belongs to United States.
The peninsula belongs to the United
States government. Near the entrance
to the bay is a lighthouse life-saving
station and group of other buildings oc
cupied by the contractor whose dredge is
trying to keep the channel clear. Along
the beach inside are numerous house
boats belonging TO Erie people. who row
across night and morning during the
summer months. There is a lighthouse
on the outs de of the peninsula. and
boardwalk through the swamp, by which
it can be reached. The company which
supplies Erie with water has pumping
station about the middle Of the peninsula.
Otherwise the peninsula is uninhabited.
The neck at the west end of the bay
connecting the peninsula with the main
land was very low and narrow at one
time. and was often submerged when the
lake was high, but the act on OF the
waves has ed up the sand and the
gentle winds have deposited seecs from
i the bushes on the peninsula, until now
| The Head" as the people of Erie call
it, is covered with underbrush. Inside
the bay some years ago was hotel,
dancing pavilion and picnic grounds. which
made The Head a Popular place of re-
| sort, but a fire destroyed most of the
buildings. and now the peop.e go else
| where for their pleasure.
At one time the government built ca
nal eight feet deep through the neck, SO
| that vessels could take advantage o. the
| westerly wind to enter the harbor instead
| Of going way around to the eastern en-
| trance, but when sails were displaced by
steam this convenience was no longer i'm
portant and the channel was allowed to
fill with. sand
The government has spent an enormous
amount of money in digging channel
twenty-five feet deep at the eastern end
Of the bay and the waters of the lake
carry so much sand that a dredge must
be employed constantly keeping it clear.