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Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== THE LUDINGTON CHRONICLE, Ludington, MI Wednesday, May 1, 1907 FATE OF ARCADIA --------------- Many Theories Advanced to Account for Disaster - Capt. Carlson Has Unique One of his Own --------------- Like the steamers ALPENA, CHICORA and DOTY, which in turn met a tragic end by going to the bottom of Lake Michigan with all on board, it is like- ly that the true story of how the steamer ARCADIA was lost will never be known. No person saw the accident and there is no survivor to tell the tale. True the sea has given up its dead, but the boat is gone and will in all probability never be seen nor heard of again. However, there is one important point in which the loss of the ARCADIA differs essentially from that of the other ill-fated craft mentioned. The ARCADIA went down at a time of com- parative calm and quiet on the lake, while the other boats are known to have been the victims of terrible storms. At no time after the depart- ure of the ARCADIA from Manistee at 4 o'clock Friday afternoon, April 12, un- til the morning of Tuesday the 16th, did the wind blow harder than 20 miles an hour. This fact is shown by the anemometer readings taken at the local lifesaving station, and it is en- tirely fair to presume that the wind velocity was approximately the same all over the lake. The variation, if any, would be slight indeed. Steamer Not Disabled Twenty miles an hour is no gale at all, it is merely a summer breeze in which any craft may safely navigate, and besides, the ARCADIA was an ex- ceptionally staunch sea-going boat That the steamer could have been overcome by wind or sea during the three and one half days following her departure on a trip of but 60 miles to Two Rivers is beyond comprehension. On the other hand, had the ship's ma- chinery or steering gear become dis- abled, as has been suggested, it must have been during the first four or five hours out, since the entire trip could have been made in six hours, and in this event the steamer could hardly have drifted about for three days in the path of many passing boats with- out either being sighted or drifting ashore. Neither of these theories look reasonable in the face of facts. Again, the theory of a boiler explo- sion must be rejected for various rea- sons: First, the ARCADIA'S boilers had just been inspected the week before her fatal trip. Second, in case of a boiler explosion the steamer would have been badly wrecked, whereas no wreckage save upperworks intact has been sighted and none of the flotsam found bears evidence of being splintered or torn off. Third, if there was an explosion, Miss Enouf the cook would hardly have had time to don a lifepreserver, nor could Fireman Cha- valia, whose body was found Saturday, have escaped from the firehold as his wardrobe indicated he did, without a scratch or bruise or burn on his body. Fourth, the sound of an explosion would quite likely have been heard by persons on ship or shore. We are therefore forced to the conclusion that the ARCADIA'S boilers did not explode. Believes ARCADIA Turned Turtle What, then, did happen to the ARCADIA? It is a mystery that will probably never be solved satisfactorily, but local marine men who have given the matter much thought are attaching much cred- ence to the theory advanced by Capt. Berndt Carlson, keeper of the Ludington lifesaving station. Captain Carlson's opinion is that the ill-fated steamer turned turtle and foundered in compara- tively smooth water, the accident re- sulting from improper loading. Marine men well know it to be in the history of the great lakes that very strange accidents of this nature have not in- frequently occurred to boats that were considered entirely seaworthy. It is a matter of record that ships which have been their masters' pride have suddenly, without cause or warning rolled completely or partially over, and no man could tell why. Just such an accident as this occurred during the summer of 1894 off this shore, under the shadow of two lifesaving stations and witnessed by a number of people. It was strange be- yond comprehension but fortunately not fatal or disastrous. Strange Accident is Recalled It was just sundown on a warm sum- mer's evening when the big steamer LLOYD S. PORTER, loaded with dry hem- lock for a lower lake port, pulled out of Ludington harbor bound north. Scarcely a breath of air was stirring and there was not a ripple on the sur- face of the water. The steamer had barely cleared the piers when she was seen to list noticeably to starboard. Immediately however the crew began trimming ship and no anxiety was felt by anyone till nearly an hour later when the boat was abreast Big Pt. Sauble the lifesavers heard four whist- les, the signal of distress. The cap- tain attempted to repeat the signal but so quickly did disaster overtake him that before he could complete the fourth whistle, the water had filled the hold and put out the fires. What happened was this: The POR- TER suddenly and without a moment's warning rolled over in perfectly calm water till she dumped her deckload of lumber. She then righted herself again but not until she had filled her hold with water and rendered herself helpless. Fortunately her cargo of dry hemlock in the hold kept the boat afloat till a tug arrived and towed her back to Ludington where she was pumped out in a day and left for her destination none the worse for the odd mishap. The crew were all rescued by the Pt. Sauble lifesavers. ARCADIA Loaded Top-Heavy In the case of the ARCADIA however, she would hardly recover from such an accident because of the nature of her cargo. She was loaded with hardwood lumber which would not furnish the amount of buoyancy neccessary to sus- tain the boat when filled with water. But the most convincing fact in sup- port of Capt. Carlon's theory is the statement of the tallymen who loaded the ARCADIA that she carried but 25,000 feet of hardwood lumber in the hold and 113,000 feet on deck. Obviously such a reckless distribution of a ship's cargo could not but invite disaster and marine men unite in declaring that under these conditions the theory of the lost steamer having turned turtle is entirely believable. The first blow of any consequence following the departure of the ARCADIA on the fatal trip occurred on Tuesday, the 16th, when a maximum velocity of 41 miles was recorded. On the morning of the 17th with a big sea still running the wreckage was first sighted by steamer PERE MARQUETTE 3, twenty miles out of Ludington on the Milwaukee course. One week later the first body was found three miles off Ludington and Saturday the second body was discovered on the beach 14 miles north of Ludington. Following is the wind record for the period in question: Friday the 12th at 4 p.m., northwest, blowing ten miles; Friday at midnight, northwest, 21 miles; Sat- urday at 7 a.m., northwest 18 miles and snowing; Saturday noon, north- west 20 miles; Sunday and Monday, wind still northwest and blowing from 12 to 20 miles an hour; Tuesday, max- imum wind 41 miles west-northwest. --------------------------------------- FOUND ON BEACH -------------- Body of Otto Chavalia, Engineer on ARCADIA, Washed Up by Waves at Hamlin - Father Gave Up Search --------------- After his father had patrolled the beach for many miles both to the north and south in search of the body of his son which was lost on the barge ARCADIA, crazed with grief at the apparent futil- ity of his search, and had returned to Manistee Friday, the next morning the body of Otto Chavalia was found north of Point Sauble. Two Indians, Charley Joe and Peter Espiew, discovered the corpse on the beach where it had been washed up by the waves. Sand almost completely covered the body but the keen eyes of the red men discerned one shoe and the head of a man. They reported to Capt. Lysaght at the Point Sauble lifesaving station. He immediately informed Coroner Car- roll and at his request sent the life- savers out for the body. The coroner started from here about noon prepared to bring the corpse back with him to this city. The father of the boy spent three days in this city last week looking for his son, positive in his opinion that the sea would cast up her dead at this point. But disheartened and discour- aged he discontinued his search but before leaving for home left a descrip- tion of his son with Capt. Carlson of the local lifesaving station and also with Capt. Lysaght at Point Sauble. The description of the body found tallied exactly with the description left by Mr. Chavalia so there was no doubt about the indentity of the corpse. After the coroner's inquest at the Hamlin station Mr. Chavalia was noti- fied and Dr. Carroll departed for this city with his charge. The body was taken to the under- taking rooms of John Magmer where it remained until Sunday. The father of the dead boy arrived Saturday night and took the body home Sun- day morning on the boat. A strange and unaccountable feat- ure of the recent tragedy in the wreck of the ARCADIA has been brought to light since the finding of the two bod- ies near this point. The life preserver which was fastened to the body of Miss Enouf found last week bore the imprint of a greasy left hand that was minus one finger. It was also found tied securely in the back, revealing the fact that someone had helped Miss Enouf don the apparatus. It was without doubt Otto Chavalia for he had lost the little finger of his left hand in an accident a few years ago. He served as fireman on the ill-fated ARCADIA which accounts for the oil on the life preserver. The clothing on his body when found indicated the same haste in dressing that was noted in the arrangement of the garments of Miss Enouf. A black silk muffler was tied about his neck. He was 22 years old and had made two trips on the ARCADIA. Since no word was heard from him after the departure of the steamer from Manistee on April 12, his moth- er has been overcome with grief and at her continued entreaty to find her boy, Mr. Chavalia came to Ludington Wednesday night. When he saw the life preserver found on Miss Enouf's body, the imprints of those three fin- gers told a story eloquent to him and he determined to find the boy. When obliged to give up his search he car- ried the life preserver home with him to comfort his wife. -------------------------------------- MARINE LUDINGTON HARBOR AND EAST SHORE SHIPPING MATES GET A RAISE First Mates on Steel Steamers Will Get $125 a Month The mates on first class steel steamers will receive $125 a month, and second mates $86 a month, an increase of $10 and $6 respectively, according to the wage scale issued by the Lake Carriers' association. First mates on second class steel steamers will receive $108 a month, and second mates $75 a month, an increase of $8 and $5 respectively. The wages on third class steel steamers remain the same, $90 a month for first mates, and $60 a month for second mates. On first class wooden steamers the mates will receive an increase of $8 and $5 respectively, making the wages of first mates $108 a month, and of second mates $75 a month. Last year's wages, $90 and $60 a month, will be paid to first and second mates respectively on second class wooden vessels. ------------------------ BREAKWATER PROJECT MOVING Colonel M. B. Adams was in the city Wednesday for a few hours in consultation with Colonel R. P. Bishop and N. J. Gaylord. Colonel Adams is very enthusiastic over the prospect for con- structing a magnificent breakwater at this point and intends following closely the general plans outlined by the board of engineers. He stated that specifications for the work would be prepared in the near future so that the contract could be let during the early part of next winter. It has not yet been decided whether the north or south arm of the breakwater will be build first, but probably the latter. -------------------------- The rule that engineers object to on steamboats is the placing of a forward hand pump on all steamers forward. There was no rule on that point until last year, although all the steel seamers car- ried hand pumps. The rule was made after the regular meeting of the supervisign inspectors at Washington, and it calls for larger pumps than the boats are now carrying. It will take some time to make the change, but the representatives of the vessel owners say the pumps are not needed. A committee of engineers will probably be appointed to take the matter up with the officials at Washing- ton. -------------------------- The scow and dredge outfit of the Columbian Construction Co. of Muskegon are expected here in the course of a few days to begin extensive work for the Anchor Salt Co. The scow was reported fast in the ice at Charlevoix last week. -------------------------- When the steamer OTIS disappeared on Lake Michigan a few years ago, one of the life boats of the big carrier drifted ashore some miles north of Grand Haven harbor. This boat is still in existence, being owned now by Ed Palmer of that city and can be seen near his boat house on the south channel. The loss of the Otis has never been fully explained and like that of the CHICORA and ALPENA is one of the mysteries of the lake. But in Grand Haven is a reminder of the tragedy connected with the loss of the freighter OTIS. -------------------------- George Mastain formerly of this city and father of Thomas Mastain of Ludington assisted in the righting of the schooner DAISY DAY which recently capsized off Sleeping Bear Point. Mr. Mastain is in the lifesaving service at that place. The crew righted the disabled boat with a full cargo aboard, but the task was accomplished without the assitance of a tug and the ship sent on her way none the worse for her experience. -------------------------- The government dredge GEN. GILLESPIE arrived from Penwater Friday noon to take on a week's supply of coal. The dredge has started work removing sand from Pentwater harbor and will probably be stationed there for three weeks. Coal for the boat comes direct from the mines and it is more convenient to get it here than at Pentwater so she comes up here to replenish her supply. -------------------------- The schooner LYDIA E. RAESSER of Green Bay is the oldest boat carrying the American flag upon the great lakes, if not the oldest boat in the entire American merchant marine. The boat was built at Cleveland in 1847, is 106 feet long over all, has a 23-foot beam and depth of 8 feet. Her gross tonnage is 131. The boat is still staunch and seaworthy, although having been in active service for over sixty years. -------------------------- Lake Superior's great depth is 1003 feet, Michigan's 864. Huron's 570, Erie's 204, Ontario 738 feet. The bottom of Superior is 401 feet below sea level, of Michigan 283, of Ontario 491 feet. The bottom of Huron is eleven feet above sea level, that of Erie 369 feet. Ontario, the smallest of the great lakes is relatively the deepest. -------------------------- Early navigation and ice bucking does not pay and in future years it is not probable that boats will try and open navigation until the ices has all melted. The experience this year was costly to many boats. ===========================================================================