The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1913-01-02
To Be a Feature Of Next
Summers Patriotic
Celebration.
.~OA1MODORE OLIVER HAZARD
PERRY'S flagship. the Niagara,
~ is to be raised from the bottom

4 peninsula. line old war vessel to
which Perry fed when his original
flagship. the Lawrence, was forced to
strike her colors is to take leading
part in the centennial celebration of
the battle of Lake Erie next summer.
Her hull is in good lcondition, accord
ing to experts who have examined her,
and cofferdam is to be built about
her SO that the remains of the vessel
Will be damaged as little as possible in
raising. The hulk will be lowed ashore
ana brought into a drydock used for
repairing fishing tugs. there to be re-
built and made ready for the part it
Is to take in the celebration.
When Barclay had surrendered to the
gallant Perry the American feet re-
! turned to Erie harbor, and the vessels,
both Perry's and the captured English
gunboats. We're anchored temporarily
in Misery bay, small inlet leading
back into the woods that cover Presque
isle peninsula.
| The Lawrence was so badly riddled
that no attempt was made to preserve
it. Its splintered timbers were con-
verified into walking sticks and knick-
knacks to be disposed of as souvenirs.
The Niagara, however, was useful for
number of years. and finally, not
knowing better way of disposing of
the ancient warship, the residents of
Erie scuttled it in Misery bay, where
| it has remained since, covered by if
teen feet of water.
Can Be Raised Easily.
The Perry centennial commission en-
gagged the services Of an expert diver
and had the hulk carefully examined.
He reported that it is we'll preserved
and could be raised easily.
Public spirited citizens of Erie are
endeavoring to have the old vessel
placed in Central park, where it is pro-
posed to erect a suitable building in
which to protect it from the elements.
One plan is to erect huge aquarium
IN which the vessel can be placed, with
fish of every species found in the lakes
inclosed with it.
J4s The story of the battle of Lake Erie
will never grow old. How the Niagara
came to- be Perry's flagship is graph
cally told by: John Clark Ridpath. the
historian: 4 .
1.-The Lawrence. Perry's flagship, be-
gan to suffer dreadfully under the con-
centrated fire of the enemy. First one
gun and then another was dismounted
The masts were broken. The rigging
OF the vessel was rent away, The sails
were torn to shreds. Soon she yielded
no longer to the wind. but lay helpless
on the water -a
| ION the deck death held carnival
The American sailors lay dead and dy-
ing on every hand. During the two
hours that Perry faced his antagonist
his men were reduced to a handful.
Entering the action the Lawrence had
a crew of officers and men numbering
1O3. OF these by 2 o'clock in the after
noon eighty-three were either dead or
| wounded. Still Perry held out 9th
ers fell around him until only the COM
mander and thirteen others were left
| uninjured.
Hero's Famous Exploit.
meanwhile all the ships had become
engaged but the Niagara only at long
| range and ineffectively. Elliott, the
| captain Of that vessel, perceiving that
| resistance from the Lawrence had
| ceased. now sailed ahead. believing
Perry had fallen and that the COM
l had f1ov01uo1 on
1T was at this juncture that Perry
resolved upon that famous exploit
| which has made his name immortal
He pulled down his battlefag. but left
the stars and stripes still floating.
Then. with his brother Alexander and
four of his remaining seamen. he low
cred himself into the boat He flung
his pennant and batt'et1ag over his
arm and around his person. stepped
into the boat. stood upright and order
ed the men to pull for the Niagara.
THAT vessel was more than half
mile distant. 1t required the oarsmen
fully fifteen minutes to make the pas
sage The boat had to pass in full
! i / ! !. ! 4. ~
After Christmas Exchange Items.
[Clipped from any newspaperl
To exchange-three gold filled bracelets
Tor pair Of Shoes GLADYS D.
Will exchange hand worked smoking
Jacket for half dozen corncob pipes
A ARTHUR S.
have several pairs of hand worked
ped slippers to exchange for three pounds
Of beefsteak or other meats.
REVEREND c.
Nice pair silk suspenders for a ham
sandwich. DICK.
WAl exchange hand embroidered socks
Tor Aome ink and stamps AUTHOR.
january Woman's Home Companion.
Low Birthrate Reduces Army.
The number of recruits available for
the French army has been reduced
from 2,:sSS. 900 in 1906 to 215.OOO IN 1911
owing to diminution Of the birth rate
in France So Joseph Reinach has as.
serted in a debate in the chamber OF