Year: 1876

In the year 1916, says Scribner'S s
Monthly, small steamer was built in
the eddy just above the railway sus-
pension bridge to run up to the falls.
She was very appropriately named the
50 Maid of the Mist" Her engine was
rather weak, but she safely accomplish
ed the trip. AS, however, she took pas
sengers aboard only from the Canada
side, she did little more than pay ex-
penses. In 1854 larger, better boat,
with more powerful engine-the new
Maid Cf the Mist was put on the
route, and, as she took passengers from
both shores, many thousands of persons
made made this most exciting and i'm


pressive tour under the falls. Owing to
some change i'll her appointments, which
again confined her to the Canadian
shore for the reception of passengers,
she became Improbable. Her owner
having decided to leave the place, wish
ed to sell her as she lay at her dock.
This he could not do, but had IN offer
of something more than half of her cost,
if he would deliver her at Niagara, op-
posite the fort This he decided to do,
after consultation with Robinson, who
had acted as her captain and pilot on
her trips under the falls. The boat re.
qulred for ler navigation an engineer,
who also acted as fireman, and a pilot.
On her pleasure trips she had clerk in
addition to these. Mr.. Robinson agreed
to act as pilot for the fearful voyage, and
the engineer, Mr.. Jones, consented to
go with him. A courageous machinist,
Mr.. Mcintyre, volunteered to share the
risk with them. They put her in com
plete trim, removing from her deck and
hold all superfuous articles.


Notice was given of the time for start
ing, and large number of people as
sembled to see tho fearful plunge, no
one expecting to see either boat or crew
again, after they should leave the dock.
This dock was just above the railway
suspension bridge, at the place where
she was built, and where she was laid
up in the winter, that, too, being the
only place where she could lie without
danger of being crushed by the ice


Twenty rods below the eddy the water
plunges sharply down into the head of
the crooked, tumultuous rapid reaching
from tho bridge to the whirlpool. At
the whirlpool the danger of being drawn
under was most to be apprehended in
the rapids, Of being turned over or
knocked to pieces. From the whirlpool
to Lewiston is a wild rush and whirl of
water the whole distance. .t.. -s-rs


About three o'clock in the afternoon
of July Is, 1861, the engineer took his
place in tho hold, and, knowing that
their fitting would be short at the
longest, set his steam valve at the
proper gauge, and waited-not without
anxiety-the tinkling signal that should
start them on their flying voyage. McIn-
tyre joined Robinson at the wheel on
the upper deck. Robinson took his
place at the wheel and pulled the start.
ing bell. With shrek from her whistle
and white puff from her escape pipe,
the boat ran up the eddy a short dis
tance, then swung around to the right,
cleared the smooth water, and shot like
an arrow into the rapid under the
bridge. She took the outside curve OF
the rapid, and when third of the way
down it, jet of water struck against
her rudder, column dashed up under
her starboard side, heeled her over, car
ried away her smokestack, started hel
overhang on that side, threw Robinson
on his back and thrust Mcintyre against
the starboard wheelhouse with such
force as to break it through. Every
looker-on breathed freer as she emerged
shook her wounded sides, slid into the
whirlpool and for a moment rode again
on an even keel. Robinson rose at once,
seized the helm, set her to the right oi
the large pot in the pool, then turned
her directly through the neck of it.
Thence, after receiving another drench
ing from it's waves, she dashed on with
out further accident to the quiet bosom
of the river below Lewiston.


Thus was accomplished the most re.
markable and perilous voyage evei
made by men. The boat was seventy.
two feet long, with seventeen feet
breadth of beam, eight feet depth oi
hold, and carried an engine of a hun
dred horsepower. Robinson said that
the greater part of it was like what he
had always imagined must be the swift
sailingsot large bird in downward
fight; at,when the accident occurred,
the boat seemed to be struck from al
directions at once; that she trembled
like 10 fiddle string and felt as if she
would orumble away and drop into