The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-10-01
Of PERRY
IS ALLOWED TO ROT
Famous Old Niagara Is Failing to
Pieces at Prcsque Isle Harbor
Due to Neglect.

NBli+s are W nave ScIHe
permanent plan made for the care and
preservation of Commodore Perry's
flagship. the Niagara, which was raised
from it's resting place off this port for
the Perry Victory celebration of 1912.
The boat needs some repairs and
paint now, anchor davits having brok
en- down and planking showing signs
OF wear and tear. Most OF the time
the boat lies at its mooring in the
Pressure Isle harhor against the fish
cries station, neglected and locked up
so that visitors cannot go below to see
the frame of this famous little ship.
Thousands of automobile tourists
from all parts OF the Union follow the
Buffalo, Cleveland and Toledo highway
or Its parallel. the Lake Shore road.
and stop over to look at the boat at
the foot OF State street On the filed
way street of the isle
All trails coming into Erie strike
state street for Parade street. Turn
ing north to the water front and going
out on the paved fill that leads to the
ship, as stands with tall. slim masts
and yards. the ports of its gun deck
open to show the black muzzles of the
carronades that were cast in 1912 and
hauled overland to the Pressure isle
yard to- arm Perry's great timber fleet.
Much Photographed Relic.
Probably no feature from Buffalo to
Toledo has been acre photographed or
oftener printed on postal cards than
the old ship. The patriotic organiza-
tons demand that the boat be given
proper care and that 1t be swung clear
OF the shack environment, unworthy of
the dignity OF the monument. The har-
Dor swarms with little motorboats and
n
What the patriots don't like is the
| maxi eshift plank landings, the shaki-
ness generally, that surrounds the
lighting ship. They want one side OF
the ship clear and free and convenient
to the eye of the spectator and the lens
OF the camera
THE idea OF having Erie represent
cd all over the country by photographs
| that show the Niagara tied up to
fisheries dock, with a rank rough
plank landing In them! Anybody
would think Erie hadn't any pride in
/ appearances.~ said an Erie Daughter
of the Revolution
1T is positively a disgrace to the
city. One side of the boat, at least
| should be wholly unobscured If. be-
yond the boat, there could be view
| OF the Erie park. with its tall trees.
the photograph would give some ade-
quate idea of the prettincss OF Fries
waterfront AS 1t is. any photogra phi
taken of the boat shows sheds, shacks
ramshackle small boat landings and a
wholly unbusinesslike waterfront.
| Improvements Suggested.
| II should say that the proper back
%round of the Niagara would be one
| showing trees woods Or timber that
calls to mind the great OAK trees the
comm odorc used in making the strong
sides of this ship
! but If no such background could
/ he provided. lest somebody think Erie
| a backwoods place, we might at least
| nave n trim and -busfnessfike back
| ground | should say that the great
concrete grain elevator to the east
| ward of the present mooring would
| make fine background, q most con-
spicuous and certainly graceful struct-
| ure. but the only way to get this
! building into the picture. is along the
/ port gun deck from the stern
The elevator is so far distant that
| II does not photograph wen The star
| hoard gun deck can't be Photographed
without showing gasoiene pump, a
| watchman's shack on tho deck com
! monty locked up. at that, and serving
no useful purpose. unless to play poker
in Or something like that. And, mercy
| knows. people don't have to go away
| down to the lake front to get a game
of poker
Neglect n Disgrace.
Il think that the people of Erie dis
| grace themselves in permitting this
| most famous OF all local monuments
| TO remain in its serni-neglect The
acorn and oak-leaf flgurehead should
be brought into relief. either by white
/ paint lines or in some way, SO that the
| ornament that Ruskin would have
loved would show clearly and plainly
IN the photographs taken OF the boat
| AS 1t is now homefy landing stage
put up In the most inconvenient angle
ana position possible discourages any
| tfmid woman or child and even en-
dangers the visitors If they seek to go
I aboard, while it Is quite impossible
TO Obtain picture of the ffgurehead
| without showing the fish house or
wholly irrelevant things
The value of the ship is it's faith
| fnlness to the original craft Any
! change made. any addition or sub
traction. is detriment 70 the monu-
ment- As II is some Whittier might
very wen write a poem to this neglect
ed old ship and ono need not be a
| sailor To love those long, graceful
| curves.
| How did those old ship carpenters
| do II with their AIDES and their lack
| NUMB shaping? It's a perfect shame
10 neglect this grand old craft, with its
warts and excrescences OF modern
additions, sheds. 'shacks and mussi-
ness. Either take the old boat out and
sink 1t again in its ancient grave or
else give il an anchorage and an an
| proach, and n background adequate
and beautiful
Erie has In this ship something
mat is trust. an obligation. We per-
NIT perfectly disgracefll automobile
road detour to sta nd for years, annoy
ing and even dangerous to our thou
sands of vtsitorh But we might at
least prevent every photograph Of our
! best -famed feature from revealing the
paucity OF local pride and the rather
deerepit character of our waterfront"