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THE BURNING OF THE
"WISCONSIN"
But this community never had intenser
feelings or more sympathetic hearts than was manifested when the
propeller "Wisconsin" was burned and twenty-four persons went
suddenly into the presence of God. The last body taken from the water
was that of Andrew F. Morrison, the engineer, six weeks after the
disaster. The "Wisconsin" was a steamer belonging to the
Northern Transportation Company, and was on her third trip, bound for
Chicago. About one hundred persons, including the crew and the five
passengers which got on at Cape Vincent, made up the company. She left
the wharf not far from half after ten in the evening. The night was
dark, a drizzling rain was falling, nearly all the passengers were in
their berths; a half hour later and many were asleep, when--"Fire!
The boat is on fire!" rang through the cabins with that shrillness
and horror, such as only terror could give the cry. Men and women
hurried out of the rooms, half dressed or in their night-clothes, top
find the flames bursting through the hurricane-deck and crowding up
around the smoke-stack like the tongues of fiery snakes, and filling the
hatchway near the engine, as if mad that hey had so little freedom. No
description of that terrible night can be adequately given. Captain
Townsend immediately gave orders to head the "Wisconsin" for
Grenadier island and clear away the yawls. Only the big yawl seems to
have been of much service, and when that was bought abreast if the rail,
panic-stricken men and women rushed into it, with a consideration as to
the load it would bear. Seeing the confusion, the captain ordered the
yawl lowered o the water, and in that position remained till the steamer
was beached. Thus fastened to the side of the propeller and quite out of
sight from the deck, they rushed on together, side by side, into the
inky darkness, leaving behind them a lurid stream of flames and cinders,
and the victims uttering more than on beseeching cry to God for the
shore. But the shore was death; for just as the steamer struck the
beach, some person in the forward part of the yawl cut the rope, which
held her fast, the stern rope till being secured, when she instantly
turned bottom upwards, and eighteen or twenty persons were thrown into
the water. Some might even then have been saved, as they were only fifty
or sixty feet from land but the wheel was running at full speed, so that
every person was drawn under by the swell and perished. Jumping over the
bow of the propeller, the steward, C. H. Dodge,--all honor to his name,
--swan shore with a rope, the end of which he fastened securely, and
then went back and remained in the water to assist the remaining
passengers to reach the island and save their lives. More than one, in
his efforts to shove himself along over the rope, was dropped off and
was picked up by Mr. Dodge. It is believed that no one was lost who
remained on the "Wisconsin" and used this rope as a means of
rescue. On the next morning, very early, the steamer
"Watertown," hearing of the burning wreck, went up to the
scene of death, and soon after returned to the village with fourteen
bodies. They were placed side by side in the freight-house, a coroner's
inquest was held in the hotel of the passenger depot, and nearly all the
bodies were buried in the old cemetery on Market street. The loss of Mr.
Robert Chisholm's wife and four children, and the utter wreck of his
fortune and hopes, can never be forgotten by this generation. Ten other
bodies were found from time to time, as they washed ashore. Nor must it
be forgotten to record the special efforts of the Transportation Company
in bearing the expenses which the accident occasioned, and especially
the kindness of the islanders and residents of this village, in
furnishing food, clothing, and money, so far as it was required for the
immediate necessities of the survivors. All those who were saved
returned to his village on the following day. (Transcribed by
Holice B.Young. Original HTML by Debbie
Axtman) top
THE FERRY LINES
The first ferry was established by Abijah
Putnam, the founder of Port Putnam, and it extended from that village
across the big bay to Wolf island. About 1809 the second ferry was
started, from Gravelly Point to Hinckley's Point of the same island.
Eber Kelsey ferried from this side for many years, and Samuel Hinckley
from the other. For ten years Peter Sternberg controlled a ferry from
Carlton island to Wolf island. Row-boats and scows were used until 1847,
when a small steamer, called the "Farmer," made trips from and
to Kingston, being governed by the demands of freight and passengers as
to the frequency of her trips. The year after the railroad was completed
to Cape Vincent the Wolf Island Canal was cut by a stock company, in
which the railroad and the city of Kingston were interested, as well as
private individuals. The "Lady of the Lake" was used as a
ferry-boat by the Cape Vincent and Rome railroad during 1852, while the
"John Counter" was being built especially for the route. The
"John Counter" was owned and managed by the aforesaid stock
company and designed to run through the anal, but was found too large.
She was used, however, during the fall of 1853 and the spring of 1854,
making trips around the head of the island, until sold to parties in
Montreal. The "Star" took her place during the remainder of
the season. George W. Creighton was captain of both the "John
Counter" and the "Star." In 1855 the steamer "Sir
Charles Napier," formerly owned by the American lake and steamboat
company, was purchased by Captain Creighton, and commanded by him until
the spring of 1858, when Kinghorn and Hinckley organized a company,
putting the "Pierrepont" on the line, and following her, at a
later date, with the "Watertown." In 1873, Messrs. Folger
Bros. and Nickle purchased these steamers, Captain Hinckley still
retaining his interest. The fine steamers, "Maid" and
"Geneva" are now making regular trips between Cape Vincent and
Kingston. The master of the "Maud" is Captain Theodore
Hinckley, and of the "Geneva," Captain Coleman Hinckley, Jr.
The first ferry-boat from Clayton was a
little steamer called the "Wren," which commenced daily trips
in 1868, and ran two seasons. The "Midge" took her place in
1870, making the same trip as the "Wren," and also going from
Clayton to Gananoque each afternoon. The "Wren" was run by S.
D. Johnston, and the "Midge" by John Johnston. In 1873 the
"J. H. Kelly" took the route from Alexandria Bay to Cape
Vincent, making two round trips per day. She was succeeded in 1873 by
the "T. S. Faxton." which is now an excursion boat, the
"Island Belle" having taken her place the present (1877)
season. She is a very fast steamer. (Transcribed by
Holice B.Young. Original HTML by Debbie
Axtman) top
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