The Washington times., 1916-06-06
OdShips Dragged Out
To Re-enter Commerce
Graveyards of Dead Vessels Robbed to Meet De.
mands of War Traffic, and Craft From Great
Lakes Make For the Sea-

DETROIT. Mich. June THE ghosts
have fed from Belle river. Rude hands
have snatched aside hatch covers and
allowed the sunlight to violate their
sanctuaries In the dark hulls Of dead
and the ear-splltting ciatter Of calking
mauls combine to make a steady din
which no ghost can stand.
For years they were undisturbcd. The
schooners in which they held their rev
els were no longer accounted worthy
OF q place In the line OF commerce. a
usefulness over It was sent to this spot.
away AVA from the winds and storms: to
slowly rotted away and II sanlo beneath
the placid water Of the river.
Long years passed and the ghosts be-
c came the only , proprietor the only In,
came the war In Europe, with Its de-
structive effect upon shipping and the
Increased demand for tonnage.
Get anything that will float" was the
sealed. But with. their going has come
TO Marine City a shipbuilding activity
such as that once rich and active port
mas not witnessed In over generation.
Rebuilt for Ocean Trade.
The majority OF the wooden packets
VIII soon leave forever the scene OF
their former triumphs. for they are
being rebuilt. reriRged and win leave
for the Atlantic coast M soon as they
can me made ready. Perhaps the
best known craft of this feet of other
once the pride of Gen. Russell A. hlger,
OF Detroit. and named by him in honor
OF the battle In which he and so many
brave Michigan boys participated.
The gettysburg was built In Cleveland
about forty years ago and is one Of the
Finest examples OF the old shipbuilders'
art that can be found anywhere. She
was built for carrying freight and for
towing the enormous RATS OF the Alger
lumber interests and II was the boast
OF the company and crew that with her
construction and power she could stem
fact that she is afioat today after all OF
the many chances that were taken with
her proves that they were correct Old
timers well remember the Gettysburg's
awful battle to save a raft on Lake
Huron in a terrible hurricane Of wind
ind snow thirty-five years ago.
II was late in December. and the
Gettysburg was the last ship out. The
elements were contrary and the bliz-
zard struck with awful force. The hours
| heightened into days and still the grand
| old ship and her heroic crew hung on to-
| the raft. The Gettysburg pitched and
plunged. and in the trough OF the heavy
sea rolled first one rail and then the
other under water with floating logs
threatening to lam holes in her sides
every minute. Cooking meals was out
OF the question and the crew subsisted
still chung to the priced raft But ship
and crew were no match for the wind
| and waves and In wos. threes. and skies
the logs continued to 20 until they were
scattered for many miles along the
Lake Huron shore.
Faithful to Trust.
Some days later. when II was thought
that the Gettysburg had surely foun-
dered with all on board. the proud ship
steamed through the Port Huron rapids
with the booms logs. fastened together
with heavy chains. IN tow. She had
been faithful to her trust. It was
feat that lived long In marine annals
and is still fresh in the minds OF the
few old timers left along the rivers.
About June Is the Gettysburg will
steam down the river past Detroit. her
home for many years, and move onward
| to the sea. for she Il destined for the
New Northwest Indian trade.
Heavy oak frames are being stubbed
In above her water line. and she is
being replanked with 4x6 white oak tim
bers. Below the water line the frames.
parently as solid as when first hewn
In the forests. New Lighthouses are be-
Ing added. steam heat and many other
conveniences are being installed. and
when the work is finished experienced
marine mon say the Gettysburg will be
modern craft capable OF drowning out
any steel freighter now on the lakes
In addition to her exceedingly heavy
| ttmbers from stem to stern post the
ship has angle braces OF iron running
diagonally from the covering board to
the keel. SO that her frame Is really
series OF bridge arches from bow to
transom.
Accompanying the Gettysburg on the
trip to the Atlantic will be the former
three-masted schooners Arenac, of Dli-
luth. and Alex NJ. Anderson, of Detroit.