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 Pentwater News Friday, October 11, 1872 The steamer LAKE MICHIGAN, disabled in the late storm and towed into this harbor for repairs, had on board a number of passengers. Among them was a Canadian family on their way to Illinois, where they now reside. They had been home on a visit, and were returning. Among other relics they had with them was the remains of an ancestor, who died some 27 years ago, and which they proposed to reinter at their present location. This circumstance was known to the sailors, and in consequence they were filled with uneasy fore- bodings at the storm. They attributed all present and impending danger to the presence of the dead body on board of the vessel. Finally, in spite of all remonstrances from the captain and the relatives, they, in their superstitious frenzy, threw the box con- taining the mouldering remains into the lake. After this action the storm, we are informed, began immediately to abate, and the sailors were reassured in the belief that they did right. Verily, the FLYING DUTCHMAN holds away as well on our impetuous lakes as on the mighty ocean. - Grand Haven Herald. OUT OF THE DEPTHS. The schooner B. R. LOOMIS, from Duncan, Mich., loaded with lum- ber for Chicago, came in collision with the propeller CITY OF FREMONT on the night of Saturday, the 28th ult., between ten and eleven o'clock. The sea was running high, and the schooner driving before it in the darkness at good speed, with no fear of the gale until she struck the propeller, off Grand Traverse light. The crew of the LOOMIS saw no light, and assert that none was shown by the propeller. The latter came crashing upon the schooner's side, and placed her at the mercy of the waves, though for an hour and a half after the accident she kept her in tow, when a heavy starboard sea capsized her. One of the crew had gone aboard the propeller, but when she showed her keel, the following were still upon the schooner, and clung to the wreck: Captain J. W. Jones, and Lewis Larson, Jule Nelson, William Woodman, John Overgard, crew, and Harry Hazlet, cook. From this time we hear nothing of the propel- ler, and the wreck with its living burden, floated from Saturday night until Monday morning, washed by every sea, when she struck the reef at Grand Traverse point. The cook died of exhaustion on Sunday night, and his body was lashed to the wreck, and removed on a raft made of spars and lumber, upon which the survivors reached the shore, six miles off, on Monday afternoon, where the cook's body was buried. The captain and crew reached Northport, eight miles away, on foot, and there took the propeller LOWELL for Mil- waukee, and arrived in Chicago on Saturday night, a week after the schooner was lost. The B. R. LOOMIS was valued at $12,000, and in- sured for half her value. At the time of her loss she had aboard about 150,000 feet of lumber. The crew had been reported lost, but after great hardship have returned "alive to tell the tale." (transcriber note: schooner B. R. LUMMIS) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Pentwater News Friday, October 18, 1872 THE LAC LA BELLE DISASTER. She Founders off Racine - Statement of Survivors The weather this fall has been more than usually tempestuous, and the first three days of the present week added to the already large list of marine disasters. The most important of these is the foundering of the propeller LAC LA BELLE, of Englemann's Grand Haven & Milwaukee line, on Monday morning. The following statements are contained in the despatches to the daily press. MILWAUKEE, Wis., Oct. 14. - The splendid steamer LAC LA BELLE, one of the finest of the Englemann Transportation Company, founder- ed about twenty miles out at 6 o'clock this morning, but all the passengers and crew escaped in yawlboats. The first arrived at Kenosha at 4:30 p.m.; the second at Racine at 7 p.m.; the third at Racine at 9 p.m., leaving only two yet to be heard from, but which have undoubtedly landed somewhere out of reach of telegraph. One of the passengers arrived here at 8:30 this evening, and reports that the LAC LA BELLE sprung a leak between 1 and 2 a.m., and in a short time commenced laboring very hard. Efforts were made to stop the leak and right the boat. All the freight except the pork was thrown overboard. By this time the fires were all put out by the water and the boat was at the mercy of a heavy sea. The yawls were then low- ered with deliberation and all the passengers and crew safely em- barked. The captain was the last to leave the ship. The noble craft sank at 6 a.m. The five boats were in sight of each other at the same time, but finally got separated. It is rumored that one of the boats was picked up by a vessel, but it cannot be traced to any re- liable source. The LAC LA BELLE will prove a great loss to the line. She was valued at $75,000; insured for $45,000. The cargo was all fully insured. The only names that could be ascertained from Racine and Kenosha are as follows: Captain H. W. Thompson, Purser William Sanderson; Rebecca Campbell, chambermaid; passengers, Peter Weller, M. Warner and wife, Robert Fogg, Louis Overstein. No one here has any doubt that all are safe. MILWAUKEE, Wic., Oct. 14. - About 5 o'clock this afternoon the community was thrown into a high state of excitement by the receipt of a dispatch from Racine, containing the startling intelligence that the steamer Lac La Belle, of the Englemann Line, had foundered about twenty-five miles east of that port at about 6 o'clock this morning, and announcing the safe arrival at that port of one of the boats containing eleven of the crew. Crowds thronged the telegraph offices and the office of the Englemann Line, all eager to learn the particulars of the disaster, and if possible to ascertain some- thing in regard to the boats still out. About 7 o'clock a dispatch was read from Kenosha, chronicling the arrival of another boat at that place, and stating that still another had been picked up by a vessel. Shortly after the reception of the second dispatch, another was received from Racine, announcing the arrival of the fourth boat, which landed some six miles south of that port. This leaves but one yet to hear from, but she will probably arrive at some point along the shore before morning. Mr. Monroe, the cook, who came ashore at Racine in the first boat, states that he was called up between 3 and 4 o'clock in the morning and went to work and helped the crew to roll the freight fore and aft in order to re- lieve the vessel. He then undertook to get breakfast, but the cap- tain told him it was useless to attempt it. Five boats were then launched, and the passengers and crew safely disembarked under the able management of Captain Thompson. The propeller settled gradu- ally until she was decks to, and then went down stern foremost with a sudden lurch. The crew of his boat consisted of three passengers and nine of the crew. They were treated very kindly by the people of Racine, and also by the captain of the propeller Susquehanna. The captain came ashore in the second boat, which landed at Kenosha. The officers of the ill-fated propeller were as follows: Captain H. A. Thompson; First Mate, Ed. Carney; Second Mate, James Archie; First Engineer, L. Bernard; Second Engineer, Martin; Clerk, Wm. Sanderson; Steward, David Martin; Chambermaid, Rebecca Campbell. The crew, deck-hands, etc., numbered twenty. The number of passengers aboard are estimated at thirty. The cause of the disaster cannot yet be ascertained. A report from Racine states that one of the passengers said the vessel struck the bar in leaving the harbor, springing a leak, which was not discovered until the propeller had gone some distance out. Another theory is that she shifted her cargo by rolling in the heavy sea which was running outside and then sprung aleak; The LAC LA BELLE was a vessel of 1,183 tons burden, valued at $75,000, and insured for $45,000. Her cargo consisted of 10,800 bushesls of barley, forty tons of barley in bags, 1,200 barrels flour, twenty- five barresl whisky, twenty tons feed, fifty barrels pork, in all 187 tons. STATEMENTS OF CLERK AND ENGINEER Racine, Wis., Oct. 14 - The engineer of the LAC LA BELLE, who was in one of the boats which has arrived here, gives the following account of the disaster: They left Milwaukee at 8 o'clock last night. About midnight the steamer sprung a leak, and made water rapidly. There were about twenty-five passengers on board, includ- ing seven ladies and three children. The crew worked hard all night to prevent the vessel from sinking, and threw considerable of her cargo overboard, but all to no purpose. Finding the steamer about to sink they prepared to take to the life boats, of which there were five. Into one of these five ladies were put with a good crew to manage it. The men were however, tired out, having worked all night with nothing to eat, and suffering from cold. When the last boat left the steamer I saw five men left on her. When she went down I saw four of them in the water, one clinging to a piece of timber, and think they must have been lost, as we could give them no assistance without danger of swamping our boat. Two of the five boats drifted south toward Kenosha. W. Sanderson, clerk of the LAC LA BELLE, says: We left Milwaukee at 9 o'clock Sunday night, having on board nineteen full passengers and two children, with a crew of thirty-two men, all told. About midnight, when about twenty-five miles off Racine, sea running heavily, we shipped a heavy sea amidship which put out the fires and stopped the engines. It was blowing hard from the north, and when the vessel lost headway, and the wind swung her round, and a heavy sea strained open her seams, through which water rushed with such force that in spite of all the efforts of the crew, it gained rapidly upon us, and at about 5:30 a.m. it became evident that the steamer would go down. There were five boats in all, two life boats, yawl and two small boats. We got all the people into these three boats with the exception of five or six men, who refused to leave the vessel, and who, I think, were drowned when she went down. I had in my boat seven persons. Peter Welter, M. Warner and wife, Robert Fogg, Louis Ocrhsten and Rebecca Campbell were with me. We landed six miles south of Racine at six o'clock this evening, having been over twelve hours on the water. During the forenoon a propeller with two smoke stackes passed quite near us, but made no response to our signals, although I am confident she saw us. Two of the five boats have arrived here, mine and the one commanded by the second engineer. My boat, as stated, had seven passengers in all on board. The engineer's boat had ten of the crew, including the first and second cooks and night watchman, one passenger and a boy, twelve persons in all. The captain's boat, which is reported arrived in Milwaukee, had four persons on board. She was a very small boat. One of the other two boats, with ten people, was seen by the engineer's boat making north towards Milwaukee. Sanderson thinks they were picked up by a schooner; if not they will land somephere (sic) between Racine and Milwaukee. Of the fifth boat, which according to statements of Sandersons must have contained thirteen persons, there is as yet no tidings. LIVES LOST The latest intelligence shows that there were thirty passengers and a crew of thirty-two, making sixty-two persons in all. It is certain that three lives were lost, and it is thought one or two may have been. Those known to be lost are P. H. Lippencott, travel- ing agent for Demor & Co., of Milwaukee; S. Wyenor, also a travel- ing agent of Milwaukee, and W. Smith, of Watertown, Wis. Those who perished were afraid to trust to the small boats and preferred to stand their chances with the wreck. CAPT. THOMPSON'S STATEMENT Captain G. W. Read, of the schooner PHENIX, was at Kenosha on Monday night when Capt. Thompson's boat came in. Being an old acquaintance, he called on him later in the evening, and heard the history of the disaster as well as Captain Thompson could tell it, he being greatly confused and at times delirious. The number of persons seen on the BELLE just before she sunk was five. None of these, the captain thought, were saved. The mate called the captain at 11 o'clock on Sunday night, and told him the boat was sinking, and the pumps were working badly. Every effort was then made to save the vessel and cargo, but to no avail, and as a last resort the boats were cleared away. On reaching Kenosha, the boat in which was the captain was capsized, and although all the others on board easily escaped, he came very near drowning. His boat was the small- est of all, and was the last to leave the steamer. Toward rescuing the five men left on board the boat nothing could be done. Captain Thompson, it will be remembered, was blown up on the propeller GOVERNOR CUSHMAN at Buffalo, six years ago. Before leaving his home in Milwaukee on Sunday evening, Captain Thompson expressed himself to his wife as feeling very badly, and to the fact that he feared trouble outsied. After a few cheering words with his "little woman," as he says, he left her, telling her that he would do his best to bring his fine boat through, adding, however, that he had a presentiment of evil. The boat at first reported missing was the one in which E. Rich and daughter had taken passage. The Inter Ocean says: The boat arriving in Chicago was picked up by the schooner KATE L. BRUCE. The little craft, with its precious burden of twelve souls, drifted near the beach in the vicinity of Evanston, and the BRUCE coming along on her way to this port, saw it. Captain Barnes immediately came to, and the occupants of the boat were soon safe on board. They were well treated, and after rest and refreshements, were landed at the vessel's dock in this city. This boat was adrift for nearly twelve hours, and the suffering of those on board may be imagined. Added to the exposure to the keen winds and freezing water, was the suspense of several on board as to the fate of their friends and relatives. The schooner BLACK HAWK, owned by Charles Mears, is reported ashore at South Haven. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Pentwater News Friday, October 25, 1872 The tug L. H. BOOLE, which was employed here during the fore part of the season, has met with another and more serious disaster. The St. Joseph Traveler has "The tug L. H. BOOLE is on the beach at South Haven and is probably a total wreck. Capt. L. S. Mann of this place owns one-third of her, and people here sympathize with him in his loss. She was worth about $6,500, and we learn of no insur- ance." LOST OVERBOARD. - Two men, names unknown, were lost overboard from the schooner R. B. HUBBARD last week, while on her way from Chicago to Pentwater. The men were Danes and were "working their passage." They were unaccustomed to naviagtion, and when, during the severe gale the boom jibed, they put up their hands in a vain endeavor to stop its ****** and were instantly knocked overboard. Every possible endeavor was made to save them, but in vain. The loss of the LAC LA BELLE has made necessary a temporary change in the routes of the several steamers of the Englemann line. The MANISTEE fills the place of the lost boat. Her place in turn supplied by the steamer CITY OF TOLEDO and propeller MESSENGER. The place of the **** boat in the Sheboygan and Pentwater route is supplied in this way: The CITY OF TOLEDO and MESSENGER run from Milwaukee to Sheboygan, where they take on freight and passengers for Pentwater; they then proceed to Manistee, and return to Milwaukee via Pentwater and Sheboygan. The schooner MAINE was considerably damaged by striking the pier, while entering the harbor on Friday. The schooner SINAI missed the harbor, on Saturday night, and came near going upon the beach. She lay at anchor until Sunday morning, when the ALDRICH brough her in. During the gale of the 15th, the schooner CHALLENGE, in coming into Ludington harbor, was badly stove against the pier, and damaged to the amount of $400 or $500. The JENNY LIND, loaded with lumber, missed the harbor and went on the beach. The crew were brought ashore with a yawl. The schooner ELLEN, loaded with hay, attempted to make the harbor, but missed and also went on the beach. She broke her bow-sprit short off by striking upon the pier. The crew came on shore in their yawl. MUSKEGON. During the remainder of the season of navigation but one of the Goodrich boats - the ALPENA - will run on the line between this port and Chicago. She will leave here on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons at two o'clock. The north pier at the mouth of the Muskegon harbor caught fire from sparks from a passing tug, on Saturday morning, and some two hundred feet of that portion built of slabs above the water line, were destroyed. Unless speedily repaired, "the next gale that sweeps from the north" will pile the channel full of sand. Our mariners have experienced another spell of rough and dangerous weather. We have to report the complete loss of the fine schooner CHALLENGE, which went on the north pier at the mouth of our harbor, on Saturday, and was broken up by the heavy sea. On the same day the MINERVA struck the pier and tore a bad hole in her side. She was brought inside safely, however. On Tuesday, the tug TEMPEST picked up a foundered schooner off Black Lake, and towed her into Grand Haven. On the same day the schooners TOPSY, LIVE OAK and THREE BELLS each struck the pier at the mouth of this harbor, and sustained more or less. - Chronicle, 16th. THE LAC LA BELLE. The True Cause of Her Loss - Arrangments for Another Steamer. The Grand Haven Herald of Tuesday contains some interesting particulars concerning the loss of the steamer LAC LA BELLE on Lake Michigan on Sunday night. The IRONSIDES, the consort of the BELLE, had arrived at Grand Haven, and from the captain, Mr. Saveland, the Herald, obtained the following information, which differes mater- ially as to the cause of the disaster from the account received by telegraph: "The vessel sprung a leak on leaving Milwaukee harbor, and the pump was immediately set to work, but for some reason it did not do full service, and the hull continued to settle until the water was above the dead lights, one of which yielded to the pressure, and a stream of water six or eight inches in diameter burst through, putting out the fires, and leaving the vessel at the mercy of the wind and waves. She was driven south, and when distant 20 miles from Racine, at 8 o'clock Monday morning, she sunk in about 60 fathoms of water. Capt. Saveland saw the LAC LA BELLE on Sunday afternoon. She was in his opinion properly loaded for the season, having on board 70 tons less than the usual quantity of freight for a trip. She left about 10 o'clock Sunday night. The Lake was comparatively still, and only a good whole-sail breeze was blowing. The LAC LA BELLE was built in Cleveland between six and seven years ago. She came to Lake Michigan on the 9th of November 1869 in charge of Capt. Wm. M. Stannard. Previously she had sunk in the St. Clair river, having collided with the steamer MILWAUKEE. She was loaded with iron and copper ore and remained at the bottom of the river some time when she was raised and repaired. Capt. Stannard says her hull was then as sound as possible on account of the timber having been thoroughly "docked" by so long exposure under water. She was purchased at a great bargain by the Englemann company, and has ever been regarded as a superior boat for the heavy service in which she was engaged. The officers were H. W. Thompson, captain; Wm. Sanderson, clerk; Edward Carney, mate; W. Berrand, 1st engineer; E. Martin, 2nd engineer; David Martin, steward; all of Milwaukee. Mr. J. E. Dowe the agent in this city, was also on board. The LAC LA BELLE had 10,800 bushels of barley in bulk, the re- mainder of the load consisting principally of barrels of flour. The boat and cargo were insured for $45,000, about one-half their value. Mr. Englemann, with characteristic energy and undaunted enterprise, immediately opened by telegraph negotiations for the purchase of the steamer METEOR at Cleveland. The LAC LA BELLE had recently been overhauled at the Milwaukee dry dock, and was sup- posed to be in a completely serviceable and seaworthy condition." Capt. H. W. Thompson, of the propeller LAC LA BELLE, has made the following statement relative to the late foundering of that vessel: "The LAC LA BELLE left Milwaukee at 7:30 P.M. of the 13th, laden with 10,847 bushels of barley and a general cargo of freights, everything appearing in good order, the steamer well mannered, provisioned for the voyage, staunch and seaworthy in every particular. At 10 P.M., everything being as usual, the vessel making the customary speed, the sea moderately rough, wind from northward, and the vessel not laboring any to speak of, I turned in. At 12:15 the mate called me, told me the steamer was leaking so bad the pumps could not keep her free. At that time we had probably made about 30 miles from Milwaukee. I immediately gave orders to head the steamer for that port. Went down to see the engineer, and endeavored to discover where the leak was. He told me he could not tell, when all of a sudden the water came rushing aft in the hold where we were. Asked the engineer if the pumps were working all right. He said yes. I then went and looked into the fire-hold to see how high the water had risen; found the water was 10 inches over the fire-hold floor, rapidly increasing and gaining on the pumps. We then commenced throwing over the merchandise on deck to lighten the vessel, and started the hand-pumps aft, and commenced bailing with buckets in the fire-hold, the water still gaining rapidly on us. We then found some barrels of pork and lard in the cargo, and ordered the heads knocked in and the contents thrown into the furnace to get an increase of steam on the vessel. Then went forward to observe the headway. While there the second engineer came running on deck and said the steamer had broken in the dead light or bull's eye opposite the crank. The jib was about on a level with the lake, through which water was rushing the full size of the hole. Tried to plug it up by running blankets and quilts into it and nailing on boards to keep them in place, but without success. Her pumps working and hands throwing cargo from the deck. In the meantime, the water gained rapidly, and the fire- man reported the water nearly up to the furnaces. Immediately changed the course of the steamer, which, up to this time, had been for Milwaukee, to south-half-east. Crowded fires by using all the combustible matter within reach. The water was now nearly up to the bottom grate of bars. The firemen finally gave up, and said the vessel must sink. I ordered them to make one more effort. They did so but failed. About 4 A.M. the vessel lost steerageway, and lay at the mercy of the waves. We then resorted to the hand-pumps to keep her afloat, but all to no purpose. She was gradually sinking, the main deck being about level with the lake. We then turned our attention to saving the passengers and the crew. Had five boats, with a capacity for about 88 persons besides the crew. They were good boats. Launched one of the mid-ship boats first, and in doing so stove a hole in its side, which was repaired. Then launched the two quarter boats with two men in each to take care of them. Ordered the clerk and steward to bring the passengers, about 20 in number, on the main deck. Succeeded in getting all in the boats except about five or six, who seemed panic-stricken. Used force, and succeeded in saving the women and children, but could not move the men. Then went on the promenade deck and found one boat yet re- maining, in which was the engineer, one passenger and one of the crew. Entered the boat with them, and got off barely in time to avoid being drawn into the water with the sinking vessel, which immediately went down. It was now 8 A.M., and as near as I can judge, we were about 25 miles off Racine. About 11 A.M. we parted with the other boats, which seemed to be getting along better than us. Shipped considerable water, but tried to make Kenosha, which we did about 4 P.M., about one and a half miles south of the harbor and opposite the residence of N. D. Ward, who took us in and kindly cared for us. This is the second season I have commanded the LAC LA BELLE, and up to this disaster had full confidence in her. Am unable to account for the first leak or greater one of the bull's eye, either of which was sufficient to cause her to founder before she could possibly reach the shore. H. W. THOMPSON. ==========================================================================