Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2016 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== The Ludington Record Vol. XVI, Old Series, No. 35 Vol. 3, New Series, No. 50 Thursday, May 3, 1883 [extracts of marine news] Inspector Newcombe, of the life saving service, visited the station at Pt. Sauble last Saturday morning and Ludington in the afternoon. The boys put in a lively afternoon and earned from their inspector a compliment for their efficiency. The time for the F. & P. M. boats to leave Milwaukee has changed from 7 a.m., to 8:15. This change is made in order that passengers leaving Chicago at 5 P.M. will reach Milwaukee in time to take the boats. Under present arrangements, one can leave Ludington at night and reach Chicago by 11 a.m. the following day; have six hours there in which to transact business and reach home again by 5 the following morning, having been absent but one day and two nights. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Ludington Record Vol. XVI, Old Series, No. 36 Vol. 3, New Series, No. 51 Thursday, May 10, 1883 [extracts of marine news] Tug BROCKWAY and consort sailed Monday afternoon on their first trip this season. The schooners J. V. TAYLOR and L. A. BURTON loaded at this port this week, freights to Chicago being $1.63. The schooner BURGER, recently purchased by L. C. Waldo, took a cargo of lumber from the Roby Lumber Co.'s dock this week. The craft is but eight years old and has been in very careful hands. LIFE SAVING SERVICE. A personal visit to the life saving station last Tuesday afternoon, for the purpose of gleaning information, with reference to its workings and efficiency, proved to be an afternoon well spent. The result of observations made at the time were such as to justify the remarks which follow. The station house is a two-story building situated on the narrow peninsula which separates the Pere Marquette lake from lake Michigan, and is just within the city limits. In passing, it may be remarked that it would be more ad- vantageously placed if near the entrance to the harbor, as in case the life boat was called in to requisition, time would be saved in reaching the scene of action. on the ground floor of the station house the life boat, surf boat mortar cart or beach wagon, hawsers, cannon, life belts and all other appliances which go to equip a life saving station were found. There was a place for every- thing and everything was in its place. The room was scrupulously clean and everything in readiness for in- stant action. In another part of the building the keeper of the station with his family kept house. On the upper floor the men's room was furnished with neat beds, chairs and a table, on which lay some of the leading papers of the day including the RECORD. Books and musical instruments found a place there also. Cleanliness and order seemed to have possession. At a word from Capt. Broadbent, who is keeper of the station, and captain of the crew when under drill or in action, the men were instantly "on deck" and filed down to the room which contained the life saving gear. The rear door was thrown open and the beach wagon manned, every man in his assigned place. At the command FORWARD the wagon was taken out and conveyed to the drill ground on the beach of lake Michigan where a halt was called. At the word ACTION each one discharged his duty with alacrity, and in a short time the gun was placed in position and loaded, the shotline box placed, tackles laid out and all in readiness to throw a line across the supposed vessel, which was represented by a spar set up in the sand for that purpose. In the present instance the gun was charged with but two ounces of powder and a twenty pound shot to which was attached a line. The gun was sighted and discharged, going over the spar and landing at a distance of 170 yards throwing the line in the exact position intended. No. 8 being detailed for that purpose climbed the supposed mast and on getting the necessary signal from the shore hauled out on the line which had been thrown by the gun. To this line the tail block had been tied and as securely made fast to the mast as soon as reached. The "whip" having been rove through the tail block, was rapidly pulled through the block and the hawser sent out which in its turn was made securely fast to the mast. A portion of the crew in the meantime had been busy making arrangements for the safe landing of the passengers and crew who were supposed to need their assistance. As soon as the hawser was hauled taut the command to MAN THE WEATHER WHIP was given; the breeches buoy was hauled out to the wreck, an imaginary "shipwrecked mariner" climbed in and was as rapidly hauled ashore and the drill was completed, taking just three minutes and forty seconds of time. The breeches buoy is an arrangement, the principle part of which is an ordinary life buoy with a pair of pants attached very roomy and short. The drill as at present, has but recently come into vogue and the crew confidently assert that a few more drills will reduce the time to a still lower limit. On returning to the station three of the crew were directed to go through the motions of resusi- tating a nearly drowned man, one of the crew being the subject acted upon. The manner of re-establish- ing breathing by artificial means was clearly shown, The personel of the station is: Capt. Robert Broadbent Henry W. Beaupre, No. 1 Charles Tuft " 2 William Tuft " 3 D. D. Ludwig " 4 George Liebrock " 5 Joseph Belton " 6 John Ludwid " 7 Thomas Bailey " 8 They are experienced men, muscular, active and willing. The drill spoken of above is but a portion of the work in which the men are engaged to promote and maintain efficiency. At stated times the boats have to be manned and maneuvers executed as in times of real service. In the first place the life boat is large and so constructed that if capsized in the surf will immediately return to a proper position and free itself of water. During this delightful experience the crew are supposed to "keep their seats" and return to the work in hand with renewed determination. This boat is not taken out for actual service unless as a last resource when the rocket and the surf boat are likely to fail. The surf boat is much smaller and is frequently used in drill for the purpose of practice in rowing. There is still another craft called the life car which is a short broad-beamed boat, covered above, with a small hatchway provided, into which the per- sons to be rescued can squirm - one at a time - until five have taken shelter, when the hatch is drawn over and secured from the inside. the life car is provided with a pulley at each end and is hauled to the wreck and back precisely the same as the breeches buoy which of course accomodates but one at a time. In Nov. 1871, the life saving service was re- organized and the present system introduced. Since that time statistics show that during the following ten years ending June 30, 1881 the number of disas- ters was 1347; value of vessels $16,083,320; value of cargoes $8,429,267; value of property saved $14,958,895; value of property lost $9,553,592; number of persons on vessels, 12,259; number saved 11,864; number 395. As the system was in its in- fancy ten years ago, it follows that the large part of these lives and property have been saved during recent years. When we think of the number of lives, and the value of property saved annually, the cost of the service sinks into insignificance. The service is grouped into twelve districts, and takes in the whole sea coast on both the Atlan- tic and Pacific, as well as the great chain of lakes. These districts of which lake Michigan is one are divided into stations, 18 being in this district. In this government by and for the people there is no institution which deserves more encouragement than this service; there is no part of the govern- ment expense which brings such a rich return as this. It is not in any case calculated to destroy, but to save, and any congressman who would vote to curtail the expense or place obstacles in the way of its efficiency ought to be sent off to some wreck in the "breeches buoy" after the last sailor had been rescued - simply to give him a chance to know how it is himself. The service is superintended by Gen. Sup. Kimball, a man who seems eminently qualified, to discharge the duties, and takes a special pride in working up the efficiency of the service. On Friday morning last, lightning struck and set fire to the barge ALLEN loading at North Muskegon, owned by the Michigan barge company. It was burned to the water's edge. Loss, $6,000. No insurance. On Thursday last the waters at the entrance to this harbor were greatly agitated and disturbed by what seemed to be heavy tidal waves. The tide would rush in for a few minutes at a very rapid rate, and then turn and go out again, bringing to the surface large quantities of debris, sand, and even stones as large as an egg. The water in the channel would be at very low tide and in ten minutes higher than it has been known for years, This phenomenon lasted for several hours, and was viewed with great interest by the astonished mariners and residents of the "Mouth." These tidal waves were also noticeable all around the "big lake," and if Wiggins had only pre- dicted it, and the attendant heavy storms, he would have retreived his faded reputation as a prognosti- cator of such events - Montague Lumberman. Capt. J. W. Gilman, of the steamboat CITY OF LUDINGTON, was presented with a valuable gold watch by his Manistee friends last Monday. A locket in which was inscribed the names of the donors, or as many as there was room for, was given as a part of the generous remembrancer. Of course the captain was much astonished at this substantial mark of esteem and counts Monday a red letter day in his chronology. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Ludington Record Vol. XVI, Old Series, No. 37 Vol. 3, New Series, No. 52 Thursday, May 17, 1883 [extracts of marine news] Mr. C. H. Fralick accompanied Mr. O. N. Taylor in his yatch (sic) last week down to Grand Haven where they took possession of the new hull which Mr. Taylor has had built. They returned on Friday last. The boiler and engine will be taken out of the old one and placed in the new as soon as possible. The new boat is said to be specially designed for fast sailing. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Ludington Record Vol. XVI, Old Series, No. 38 Vol. 3, New Series, No. 1 Thursday, May 24, 1883 [extracts of marine news] Alex. Betters is planking the frame of the new schooner, which he has been engaged in building for some time past. Schooner MOWRY left Lincoln last Monday for Chicago with a cargo of cedar posts from Wm. Heysett for D. C. Pelton and his partner in Chicago. MARINE NOTES. The gale of May 21st was more serious and fatal to ships and crews in the neighborhood of Chicago than any for years. On the following morning the beach was strewn with wrecks, the crews in several instances came in for a full share of disaster but no loss of life as far as heard from. The schooner MERCURY, Capt. Louis Sterling, was put back into Chicago with a loss of jibboom only. The HENRY BERGER, recently purchased by Messrs. L. C. Waldo & John Roby went to pieces at the foot of twenty-seventh street; no lives lost. The schooner MARY ELLEN COOK, in command of the owner, Cap- tain Williams, about 3 o'clock Sunday morning was heading for Chi- cago, when suddenly a heavy sea heaved her bow high upon the piles of the exterior breakwater. Another wave carried her cabin up, and a third washed her over to the other side. In the passage her bot- tom was damaged, and at once she became waterlogged. A tug went to the assistance of the schooner and towed her into the harbor. When the schooner struck on the breakwater a young man aboard of her became greatly alarmed and attempted to jump on the cribs, with the hope of saving himself. The others, however, for a time suc- ceeded in dissauding him from that course. But momentarily, the danger to him seemed to increase, and finally, when the older sailors were engaged, he jumped out on the unsteady logs. He stag- gered and fell. For a few minutes he struggled bravely but his strength failed and he was drowned. The body has not yet been re- covered. The two masted schooner JENNY LIND went to pieces the same morning a few rods out from the pier at the foot of Thirty-third street. Five persons were on board, and only one - the mate - escaped, after a hard struggle for life. Numerous other casualties, in some cases attended with serious loss of life, were reported. On Tuesday morning, Mr. Thos. R. Lyon received the following telegram: - Chicago, May 21, 1883. Left Ludington at 5 a.m. Sunday morning, ran 13 hours. Was obliged to heave to a 6 a.m. to-day. The towline broke at 7 a.m; picked up the scow at 9 a.m., and held her head to the wind until 2 p.m., when the tow line broke again. Then I returned to Chicago for fuel and tow line. I could not hold out any longer, being short of fuel. Scow is 65 miles from here with crew on board, and making good weather. Wm. Courtland. Two men were left on board the scow and during the stormy night that succeeded, lashed themselves to the tow-post, the cabin being half full of water and the craft waterlogged and at the mercy of the waves. About one million shingles were washed overboard during the night. The following day the steambarge SWALLOW from Muskegon for Chicago discovered and took the scow in tow, the weather having moderated. After taking fuel the BROCKWAY again went in search of the scow and following up the track of shingles concluded that some one had picked them up. The SWALLOW was overtaken and relieved of her charge about eight miles from Chicago. Capt. Courtland returned to Ludington to-day with the scow JACOBUS in tow. During the recent storm the large propeller CITY OF TRAVERSE, plying between Chicago and Traverse City, took shelter in this port until the storm abated. The steambarge GEORGE C. MARKS just built at Milwaukee, his tak- ing her first cargo at Cartier, Allen & Co. Dock. Her capacity is about 325,000. The schooner WELLS BURT sank in seven fathoms of water off Evanston and all hands, eleven, were lost. The steamer CITY OF CHEBOYGAN was taken up the rapids on Cheboy- gan river last week and is engaged on Black Lake towing logs, etc. She climbed the rapids under a pressure of 110 pounds of steam and with engines wide open. The Muskegon News says: On Saturday afternoon the life-saving crew went out in their large surf boat to practice, and they had a pretty big sea to contend with. When out five miles a squall struck the boat and capsized it, throwing all the men into water, but as they had their cork suits on, they had no difficulty in keeping afloat. The boat righted itself, as it is intended to do, and the crew got in and came back to the station house none the worse for their adventure. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Ludington Record Vol. XVI, Old Series, No. 39 Vol. 3, New Series, No. 2 Thursday, May 31, 1883 [extracts of marine news] Last Monday while the schooner DAVID STUART, of Buffalo, was taking on a load of ties for Goodenough & Co., at Butters & Peters' mill, one of the ties was thrown down the hold, and, after striking on one end fell against one of the sailors and knocked him against the ties already stowed, breaking his jaw bone in two places. Dr. E. N. Dundass attended to his injuries. He was sent to the marine hospital at Milwaukee. On the 24 inst. A. H. Petrie's sawmill at North Muskegon was burned ....... The schooner G. L. BOYCE lying at the dock was also destroyed; loss $10,000, no insurance. ==========================================================================