Over The Falls.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 4, 3 December 1884, Page 4

Over The Falls.

Captain Gilbert,. Pratt, a veteran mariner, now living m ISellviile, Ont., whose period 1 of service on the liake dates back nearly half a century, recalls an incident which, though it has been almost forgotten, attracted cbhsiderable attention m •its; day. Vessel-owners were then more conscientious than now ; they were not inclined to risk the lives of passengers' and* crew m unseaworthy crafts. The, owner . of , the . old schooner* Michigan, then' tlie largest vessel ( on. the Lalces, hit ppon a novel expedient for disposing of her. The vessel hadlieeome old^ and rotten, and was no longer setvicahle. Instead of loading her and sending her out late m the season, heavily injured, to be wrecked, he chose a more harmless plan, but one less profitable to himself. He induced the proprietors of the hotels at Niagara Falls to buy the vessel and send her over the Falls;- This was about the year 1 830. The proposition was eagealy accepted by the .hotel proprietors, who saw m it 4 capital advertising scheme, ; ati(i one which would! 'certaiffly ! them wellrI ! Mhe affair, was widely published •m the" liewspapers, ,and was ' ihe' talk of the surrounding country for wee,ks. } and weeks. The . did , not jcduht amiss. wh?n\hey judged what 1 an .. exceed public ouriosi'ty .would do. For several days previous to .the gr«at leyent the stage, and canal boats were crowded., People flocked thither, from , all parts : of the county to witness the novol spectacle of the, largest vessel .of the -Lakes going over the falls. The hotel-keepers reaped* a rich ; harvest;; So great: .-a crowd had never before b£en seen at that famous, resort. On the appointed day trie Michigan was tbwed out into, the rapids m the pre* sience of a vast number of people who linecl banks or visited the sjcene upon the numerous excursion lioats which were called into requisition. The task of towing the vessel into the current was entrusted to a Captahf .Rough, with.*" crew"" of half-a-dozen oar.sraen selected by himself. This was a rather hazardous enterprise r ,and Captain Pratt r who was himself one pf the crew,; says his heart almost failed him, Mien they set out, though he had gliadly volunteerred for the service. There had been placed on the schooner several animals' m accordance with the programme, which had been widely advertised. These consisted of a buffalo, three bears, two foxes, a racoon, a 'dog, a cat, ianclsome geese. At her bowspirit |was the American ensign, and at jher stern , the English Jack, the .'Canadian hotelkeepers having joined m the enterprise. There were also :some effigies displayed on board to j give the appearance of a crew, and to make more, real the scene of a ivetsel with alV'on boards making the terrific plunge. Just before the tow-line was cut the animals on { board were turned loose, and just ! as -the; vessel entered: the rapids ? two" of the bears plunged overboard and actually succeeded m swimming ; ashore.