USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > The history of Erie County, Pennsylvania > Part 11
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As to the vessels of the American government, at the time General Wayne took possession of Detroit, in 1796, the quartermaster purchased from a merchant the sloop De- troit, of fifty tons, for the use of the government. It was the same vessel that conveyed General Wayne to Erie previous to his decease. She was wrecked the next fall, near Erie.
The Wilkinson, of sixty-seven tons, is heard of in 1801.
In 1802 the government built two vessels at Detroit-the brig Adams, of one hundred tons, sailed by Captain Bree- voort, and the schooner Tracy, of fifty-three tons-the lat- ter was wrecked about 1809, on the reef off Fort Erie. The Adams continued in commission until the war of 1812, and was taken by the British at the surrender of General Hull, and called the Detroit. She was one of the vessels cut out from Fort Erie, by Captain Elliot, on the night of the 8th of October, 1812.
The British had in the merchant service, at an early day, the sloop Nancy, thirty-eight tons; the schooner Nancy, ninety-four tons ; the Charlotte, eighty tons; the Caledonia, a brig of eighty-five tons; the sloop Hunter, of forty tons; and schooner Thames, of eighty tons.
132
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
In 1809 Mr. R. S. Reed and Captain Dobbins purchased a schooner called the Charlotte, of ninety tons, from Alex. McIntosh, of Moy, Canada. Her name was changed to Salina, and Captain D. sailed her until 1812. Being at Mackinaw at its capture, this vessel was also taken by the British, and its Captain, crew, and Messrs. R. S. and Wm. W. Reed made prisoners. She was converted into a cartel, and sent down, in company with the Mary, with provisions to De- troit. At Detroit General Hull took her from Captain Dob- bins, and she was included in the general surrender by him to the British. Here Captain D. left her and returned to Erie. While the Detroit and other vessels were building, the British made use of the Salina to transport provisions and stores from different parts of the lake. At last she was frozen up in the ice near Malden, in December, 1812, and being abandoned, drifted down the lake, inclosed in ice; was discovered opposite Erie, and, after having property taken from her by the citizens to the amount of about $2000, was set on fire.
In 1811 the Salina had a remarkable cargo for value,* which consisted of $120,000 worth of furs, at the Mackinaw valuation-at Montreal their worth would be doubled. The agent of the Northwest Company, to whom the furs belonged, was on board, and the furs were stowed upon deck as well as below.
The schooner Mariner, Captain Blake, August, 1825, landed a cargo at Buffalo still more valuable-that of furs belonging to the American Fur Company worth $267,000. Usually the finer furs were conveyed to Montreal by an inland route. From Mackinaw they were taken to the mouth of Canadian River, which communicated by portage with Grand
* A modern costly cargo : "May 21st, 1861. The steamer Illinois arrived at Detroit, yesterday, from Lake Superior, with a cargo second in value only to that brought by the Mineral Rock, which arrived the day previous. The Illinois cargo was composed entirely of copper, and was valued at $101,452 80."
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
River, and thence down to the St. Lawrence in bark canoes. The skins and coarser portions were taken in vessels to Fort Erie, and by boats to Chippewa; across the portage to Queenston, and by vessels to Kingston; thence down the St. Lawrence in boats.
May 28th, 1818, the first steamboat on Lake Erie was launched at Black Rock. This was the Walk-in-the-water, of three hundred tons, and commanded by Captain Job Fish. She was not able to ascend the rapids with her engine, but was drawn up by ten yoke of oxen. She was built by Noah Brown, of New York, for Gilbert and J. B. Stewart, of Albany, and was visited as a curiosity by the whole country.
In the Detroit Gazette we find an account of her first pas- sage to that city. "The Walk-in-the-water left Buffalo at one and a half p.M. and arrived at Dunkirk thirty-five min- utes past six on the same day. On the following morning she arrived at Erie-Captain Fish having reduced her steam in order not to pass that place, where he took in a supply of wood." [The boat was visited by all the inhabitants during the day, and had the misfortune to get aground for a short time in the bay, a little west of French Street. ] "At half-past seven P.M. she left Erie, and arrived at Cleveland at eleven o'clock, Tuesday; at twenty minutes past six P.M. sailed, and reached Sandusky Bay at one o'clock on Wednesday; lay at anchor during the night, and then proceeded to Venice for wood ; left Venice at three P. M., and arrived at the mouth of Detroit River, where she anchored during the night.
"The whole time of this first voyage from Buffalo to De- troit occupied forty-four hours and ten minutes-the wind ahead during the whole passage. Not the slightest accident happened during the voyage, and her machinery worked admirably.
"Nothing could exceed the surprise of the 'sons of the forest' on seeing the Walk-in-the-water move majestically and rapidly against wind and current, without sails or oars. Above Malden they lined the shores and expressed their 12*
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
astonishment by repeated shouts of 'Taiyoh nichee !' [An exclamation of surprise. ]
"A report had been circulated among them that a 'big canoe' would soon come from the 'noisy waters,' which, by order of the 'great father' of the 'Chemo Komods,' (Long Knives or Yankees,) would be drawn through the lakes and rivers by a sturgeon. Of the truth of the report they were perfectly satisfied."
The cabins of the Walk-in-the-water were fitted up in a neat, convenient, and elegant style ; and a trip to Buffalo was considered not only tolerable, but truly pleasant. Friday she made an excursion to Lake St. Clair, with a party of ladies and gentlemen, and returned to Buffalo in time to be again at Detroit the following week.
Tradition has it that Captain Fish was not particularly pleased with the lake, and returned in a short time to his former command on the Hudson-the Firefly, running be- tween Poughkeepsie and New York; that the pilot Davis being a thorough and accomplished seaman, (which Captain F. did not profess to be,) amused himself by exciting his fears and magnifying the dangers of lake navigation. The pilot had the command previous to the appointment of Captain Jedediah Rodgers.
The Ist of November, 1821, the Walk-in-the-water stranded on the beach at Buffalo, having a full and valuable cargo, at a loss to her owners of $10,000 or $12,000. Her en- gine was placed in the Superior, which was built by a chartered company, and had an exclusive privilege in the navigable waters of New York. This privilege was aban- doned after a decision of the Supreme Court of the U. States.
The first lighthouse on the great lakes was built at Erie in 1818. By an act passed April 2d, 1811, "the occupancy and use of certain lands near Presqu'ile, not less than two or more than four acres, are ceded to the United States, for the purpose of erecting a lighthouse." The Presqu'ile light was rebuilt in 1857. The present structure cost the govern-
135
IIISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
ment $9000, being supplied with lenses of a French patent, to magnify the light, which alone cost $4400. Its height is one hundred and thirty feet above the surface of the lake, and it is considered a superior light. Though a new build- ing, it is full of breaks from the foundation, in consequence of a serious oversight on the part of the builder or archi- tect, and will probably soon need to be replaced.
The first steamboat launched at Erie was the William Penn, of two hundred tons, May 18th, 1826. She was ninety-five feet keel, twenty-five feet beam, and eight feet hold ; being the sixth steamboat on the lake, and was built by the Erie and Chataqua Steamboat Company. The company was incor- porated the 10th of April, 1826, with Walter Smith, E. L. Tinker, Charles Townsend, R. S. Reed, P. S. V. Hamot, Josiah Kellogg, John F. Wight, Daniel Dobbins, and Peter Christie, Managers. A supplement in 1831 provided that the principal offices should be held by citizens of Pennsyl- vania. In 1832 the company paid a dividend of ten dollars on each share of the stock.
In 1832 the first steamboat visited Chicago. There were few traces of civilization after passing the Straits of Mack- inaw-not a single village, town, or city being in the whole distance. Four steamers-the Henry Clay, Superior, Shel- don Thompson, and William Penn-were chartered by the United States government for the purpose of transporting troops, provisions, etc. to Chicago during the Black Hawk war, but owing to the fearful ravages made by the breaking out of the Asiatic cholera among the troops and crews on board, two of these boats were compelled to abandon their voyage, proceeding no farther than Fort Gratiot. On the Henry Clay nothing like discipline could be maintained. As soon as the steamer came to the dock, each man sprang on shore, hoping to escape from a scene so terrifying and appall- ing. Some fled to the woods, some to the fields, while others lay down in the streets, and under the covert of the river bank, where most of them died unwept and alone.
136
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
On the Sheldon Thompson, commanded by Captain A. Walker, with General Scott aboard, eighty eight deaths oc- curred by the pestilence. Not one officer of the army nor any officer of the boat was attacked with such violence as to result in death, though nearly one-fourth of the crew fell a prey to the disease while on the passage from Detroit to Buffalo.
In 1810, on Lake Erie, there were 8 or 9 vessels, averag- ing 60 tons. In 1820, 30 vessels of 50 tons each, and 1 small steamboat. In the summer of 1831 there were 100 ves- sels averaging 70 tons each, and 11 steamboats, with an aggre- gate capacity of 2260 tons. In 1836 there were owned on Lake Erie, 45 steamboats, with 9119 tons, and 217 ships, brigs, and schooners, of 16,645 tons; this year many from Lake Ontario found employment on Lake Erie, and still there was a demand for more. In 1847 there were 67 steamers, 26 propellers, 3 barks, 64 brigs, and 340 schooners.
The marine register for 1860, including Lake Ontario, numbers :-
Craft.
No.
Tonnage.
Steamers
138
69,150
Value. $2,720,200
Propellers
197
61,550
2,478,300
Barks.
58
28,417
544,200
Brigs
90
25,047
423,200
Schooners and Sloops
974
198,661
4,489,300
Total
1457
377,825
$10,655,200
The loss of property on the lakes, by disasters, in 1860 amounted to $1,020,100, being an increase of $135,915 over the year previous. The loss of life in 1860 was 578, being an increase of 473 over 1859.
At the port of Presqu'ile the importations for 1851, con- sisting principally of assorted merchandise, flour, fish, and manufactures of iron, amounted to
Imports coastwise.
$1,979,913
foreign.
3,455
Total importation
$1,983,368
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
The exports consist of wool, lumber, wood, bark, glass, stoves, bar-iron, coal, and merchandise received by canal, with a small quantity of grain, the whole amounting to the following aggregate :-
Exports coastwise
$2,207,582
66 foreign
15,415
Total exportation.
$2,222,997
The entire commerce of the port amounts to a total value of $4,206,483.
The licensed and enrolled tonnage amounts to 7882 tons.
TONNAGE OF SHIPPING OWNED AT THE PORT OF PRESQU'ILE IN THE SPRING OF 1860.
CLASS OF VESSELS.
Tons.
95ths.
CLASS OF VESSELS.
Tons.
95ths.
STEAMBOATS.
Brought up ..
1850 91
Sch. Arrow.
281|28
John B. White (tug) Queen City
39
79
Bark American Republic.
459 31
S. C. Brooks.
62 62
Brig Paragon ..
212 26
Keystone State.
1354
09
Sch. M. Courtright.
389 41
Total Steamboat Tonnage
2362
55
Sch. St. James
286,47
SAIL VESSELS.
Sch. St. Paul
303 69
Sch. Post Boy
95 24
*Sch. W. A. Adair
81 56
Sch. Silas Wright (scow).
70|02
Sch. E. C. Williams.
156 60
Sch. North Carolina
141 71
Sch. Columbia
105 90
Sch. Susquehanna ..
270 86
Sch. St. Andrew
444 48
Sch. Huntress
350 88
Sch. W. M. Arbuckle.
170 07
Sch. L. D. Coman
178 62
Sch. Mary M. Scott
361 02
Sch. M. G. (scow)
60 79
Sch. Mary Morton
246 48
Sch. Citizen.
149 60
Sch. Hudson
136 08
1850
91
Total Tonnage sail vessels.
5656 42
Total Tonnage
8018 97
November 7th, 1843, the United States steamer Michigan, of five hundred and thirty-eight tons, was launched; her ton-
* Schooner W. A. Adair sprang a leak on Lake Erie, ran ashore at Dunkirk, and was a total loss. Her cargo was coal.
+ The Washington Irving, Captain Vannatta, left Erie for Buffalo, July 7th, and it is supposed foundered, as she was never again heard from. She had seven persons on board, and was heavily laden with coal, iron, oil, etc.
906
Sch. Armada ..
235 44
Sch. Illinois.
110 31
Sch. Pacific.
186 30
+Sch. Washington Irving.
111 44
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
nage and force being regulated by treaty with England. She was finished and accepted by government, 15th of August, 1844; built entirely of iron, excepting the spar deck, which is of three-and-a-half inch pine plank; draws eight feet when ready for a cruise. She is pierced for twelve guns, (32- pounders,) which, with two 68-pounder Paixhan guns on pivots, upon the quarterdeck and forecastle, makes her broadside equal to that of a vessel mounting sixteen guns. Her engines, two inclined low-pressure ones, of the col- lective power of one hundred and seventy horses, were de- signed by Charles M. Copeland, United States engineer, and are very similar to those of the Harriet Lane. The con- tractors were Messrs. Stackhouse and Tomlinson, of Pitts- burg, and the naval constructor Samuel T. Hart. Her first officers were: Commander, William Inman; First Lieuten- ant, Jas. Mckinstry ; Second Lieutenant, Jas. McDougal; Purser, William A. Bloodgood; Chief Engineer, Andrew Hibbard.
In 1860 the Michigan was supplied with two new boilers of the Martin vertical-tubular description, and her machinery thoroughly repaired under the supervision of chief engineer Zeller.
A commission was appointed by the Secretary of the Navy to test, upon a large scale, the advantage or disad- vantage of using steam expansively. This was in conse- quence of experiments having been made upon a single horse engine by Mr. Isherwood, and resulted in the decision that no economy followed the use of expanded steam. A petition was sent to Honorable Secretary Toucey, requesting the government to have the experiment tested upon a larger scale. With commendable alacrity a board was appointed composed of B. F. Isherwood, Theo. Zeller, Robert H. Long, and Allen C. Stimer, chief engineers in the naval corps, and Captain Joseph Lanman, executive officer of the steamer Michigan. The steamer Michigan, being in winter quarters at Erie, was placed at their disposal.
139
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Erie has always been the station for the revenue cutters. In March, 1833, one was launched of sixty-two tons; the Collector gave it the name of Lewis McLane, but the Sec- retary changed it to Erie. The Benjamin Rush was launched September, 1828, of thirty-five tons, being intended for the Upper Lakes.
Six revenue cutters were built in 1857, being one for each of the lakes; the Jeremiah Black, of Lake Erie, is com- manded by Captain Ottinger.
CHAPTER XI.
Banks-Gas Company-Insurance-Fire Companies -- Volunteer Military -Agriculture-Mutual Aid-Cemeteries-Moral, Benevolent, and Lit- erary Societies.
Banks .- The act incorporating the Erie Bank passed in 1829. The first officers were R. S. Reed, President ; P. S. V. Hamot, Cashier ; J. A. Tracy, C. M. Reed, Samuel Brown, William Fleming, Thomas Moorhead, Jr., E. D. Gunnison, and D. Gillespie, Directors. The capital stock was not to exceed $200,000, and it commenced business with $50,000. In their statement made to the Legislature in 1830, the capital of the bank amounted to $20,020; notes in circulation, $33,055; specie, $9393 18.
The Erie Bank suspended specie payment in May, 1848, but the bill-holders met with no loss, if we except a small discount on the notes.
A statement was made by C. McSparren, the cashier, in 1854, under oath, "that there are not to exceed $57,000 of the bills of the Erie Bank outstanding, and probably consid- erably less, as the bills are redeemed at its counter, and at the office of C. M. Reed, in Buffalo; and further, that General Reed holds himself individually responsible for the redemption of all outstanding issues of the bank."
140
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
The United States Bank established a branch at Erie in 1837, to be discontinued in 1850. The first officers were T. H. Sill, President; Josiah Kellogg, C. M. Reed, Wm. Kelley, G. A. Elliot, Samuel Hays, William Fleming, J. G. Williams, H. J. Huidekoper, Directors; Peter Benson, Cashier. When the parent institution at Philadelphia failed, in 1840, William C. Curry was appointed to settle the affairs of the branch in Erie.
The fine building erected for its use, at a very great expense, was purchased by government in 1849 for $29,000. The banking-house, which is faced with marble, and has steps of the same material, is occupied by the custom-house and post-office. The Cashier's house was afterward sold for $1000.
The Erie City Bank was incorporated in 1853, with a capital of $200,000. The first officers were Smith Jackson, President; C. M. Tibbals, W. A. Brown, D. S. Clark, C. Seigel, John Brawley, Jas. Webster, J. H. Fullerton, Ira Sherwin, M.D., J. D. Clark, Charles Brandes, J. C. Beebe, Directors; J. P. Sherwin, Cashier ; Brua Cameron, Book- keeper ; S. E. Neiler, Teller. Suspended, 1857.
Bank of Commerce (Erie City Bank revived) commenced business in April, 1858. Directors-B. Grant, President ; G. J. Ball, Cashier ; C. B. Wright, Vice-President; W. F. Rindernicht, Jas. Hoskinson, B. F. Sloan, Chas. Metcalf, A. W. Blaine, G. F. King, J. W. Douglass; A. W. Guild, Teller. Suspended December, 1860.
The Erie Gas Company was chartered March 5th, 1852, with a capital of $60,000. This was to be divided into twelve hundred shares of $50 each. The Board of Direct- ors have the privilege of increasing the capital from time to time, as they may deem necessary, to $100,000.
The company purchased ten lots for $10,000, and ex- pended $50,000 on buildings; the gas-holder is forty-five feet in diameter and eighteen feet deep, and capable of hold- ing thirty thousand cubic feet. Pipe the length of three
141
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
and a half miles was laid in the streets; when it was first used, August 22d, 1853, it was lighted by thirty-one con- sumers; at the end of the year, by one hundred and fifty, comprising six hundred burners.
Mr. Merideth superintended the construction of the works, and Mr. P. Metcalf, who was the heaviest stockholder, con- tributed materially to the success of the enterprise.
Insurance .- In 1839 the County Mutual Insurance Com- pany was incorporated, (the business to be transacted at Erie,) with the following names, and those of any other per- sons that might hereafter associate with them in the manner afterward prescribed : John A. Tracy, William Kelley, Peter Pierce, J. W. Hitchcock, James Williams, Smith Jackson, Samuel Low, Conrad Brown, Jr., B. B. Vincent, Bester Town, Jabez Wight, David G. Webber, and Stephen Skinner.
The Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company of Harbor Creek was incorporated 1857, with the following officers : John Dodge, President; Peter E. Burton, Vice-President ; Henry Gingrich, Treasurer ; Robert Henry, Secretary ; John Dodge, J. Y. Moorhead, John W. McLane, Calvin Leet, G. H. Wagoner, Jesse Saltsman, Robert Sewall, G. J. Ball, Thomas McKee, S. M. Brown, Henry Gingrich, Martin Warfel, and P. E. Burton, Directors.
Fire .- Active Fire Company, formed 22d February, 1826. R. S. Reed, Chief Engineer; E. D. Gunnison, Secretary ; John Riddel, Treasurer.
Red Jacket, No. 1, was formed in 1837.
Perry and Eagle Fire Companies formed in 1839.
Mechanics' Fire Company, No. 3, E. B. S. Landon, Sec- retary, formed in 1844.
Vulcan, 1848.
Phoenix Hook and Ladder Company, 1852.
The Parade Street Fire Company was organized in Fcb- ruary, 1861, in Cloughsburg. The councils entrusted to them the engine Pennsylvania.
Officers of the Fire Department in 1859-William Mur-
13
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
ray, Chief Engineer; A. E. Yale, First Assistant; Robert T. Shank, Second Assistant; Richard Dudley, President; John Constable, Jr., Vice-President ; E. D. Hulbert, Sec- retary ; G. A. Bennet, Water Commissioner.
Military Companies .- The first military company formed in Erie was the "Erie Light Infantry," in 1806; the names of the officers and privates were as follows :-
Officers-Captain, Thomas Forster; Lieutenant, Thomas Rees ; Ensign, Thomas Stewart; Sergeant, Thomas Wil- kins; Second Sergeant, John Hay; Fifer, Rufus Clough ; Drummer, J. Glazier.
Privates-Archibald McSparren, Simeon Dunn, Adam Arbuckle, George Kelley, John Sloan, William Murray, Jonas Duncan, John Woodside, William Duncan, George Slough, John Eakens, George Russel, (died in 1813,) John Lapsley, Peter Grawosz, Jacob Carmack, William Hender- son, Robert Irwin, Ebenezer Dwinnel, John Bell, Robert McDonnel, Samuel Hays, Thomas Laird, Thomas Hughes, Robert Brown, John Morris, George Buehler, William Lat- timore, James Herron, Stephen Woolverton, Francis Scott, Thomas Vance.
This company tendered its services to the President, in the war of 1812, and was accepted. The brigade rendez- voused at the Flats, near Waterford, and chose Adamson Tannehill, of Pittsburg, Brigadier-General. At Buffalo, where they were ordered, Captain Forster was made Brigade Inspector, and Jas. E. Herron chosen Captain.
This brigade of Pennsylvania volunteers was at Buffalo during the winter of 1812-13, being the year before Buffalo was burnt. Many of the volunteers deserted-sometimes by whole companies. This was not true in a single instance with the Erie Light Infantry.
In 1808 the Presqu'ile Rangers were in existence. Wm. Moore, Orderly Sergeant.
Erie Greens were organized in 1821.
The Washington Artillery, in 1824.
143
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Erie Guards, in 1825. Thomas Forster, Jr., Captain. An Artillery company, in 1831. C. G. Howell, Captain. Cavalry, 1836. F. Strong, Orderly Sergeant.
About 1841 two spirited German companies were formed : German Guards, Captain Dutlinger, and the Washington Guards, Captain Erhart.
In 1842 the Wayne Greys were organized. John W. McLane, Captain; William Curran, Orderly Sergeant.
In June, 1846, the Wayne Greys held a meeting, Lieu- tenant John Graham in the chair, and in consideration of a proclamation of the Governor relative to the war with Mexico, requesting all citizens, especially those having in their possession public arms, to hold themselves in readi- ness to respond to the call of the Executive of the Union at a moment's warning, resolved to have themselves in readiness for any order from the Governor of the State for their services, and also to appoint a committee of four to procure an armorer, to put all the arms and accoutrements of the company in complete order immediately.
Franklin Pierce Rifle Company was organized in 1858. The Wayne Guards in 1859; John W. McLane, Captain. The Fairview Guards in 1858; T. Beckman, Captain. Girard Guards, 1860; commanded by D. W. Hutchinson.
Erie Perry Artillery Company, Gustavus Jarecki, Captain, organized in 1859.
An agreeable incident in the history of the Wayne Guards occurred in Cleveland at the dedication of the Perry Monu- ment, September 10th, 1860. After the historical address by the Hon. Geo. Bancroft, the Wayne Guards were drawn up in front of the stand, and, in behalf of the company, Captain McLane presented Mr. Bancroft with a beautiful cane. The presentation was made with a few remarks in very good taste. Captain McLane said the cane was made of wood from Commodore Perry's flag-ship, the Lawrence. The Wayne Guards, he said, werc proud to honor the hero,
144
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
and the historian whose graceful pen preserved untarnished the luster of the heroic deeds of 1813.
Mr. Bancroft accepted the gift in a few felicitous remarks. He was happy to receive the memento from the Guards, and particularly as they bore the name of one ever to be revered, brave in battle, correct and kind in private life. He should keep the cane while he lived, and bequeath it to his son with an injunction to cherish it, and remember that it came to him with the benediction of the Guards. It would com- fort the few years of old age yet left to him.
The whole transaction passed off very pleasantly, and at the close of Mr. Bancroft's remarks he was greeted by cheers, which were repeated for the Wayne Guards.
The gold head of the cane was the work of Mr. T. M. Aus- tin, of Erie, and cost one hundred dollars, and was beauti- fully wrought. On one side was engraved, "September 10th, 1813. We have met the enemy and they are ours." On the other, "Wayne Guards of Erie to Honorable George Bancroft, at the inauguration of the Perry Statue, Septem- ber 10th, 1860. 'Perry's fleet was built at, sailed from, and returned to Erie.' American patriotism embalms the memo- ries of its heroes."
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