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. =========================================================================== Door County Advocate Sturgeon Bay, WI Friday, October 3, 1924 Pilot House Found Sunday Sure Clue to CLIFTON Fate Smith Believes Whaleback Went Down in Cyclone Monday. A section of the pilot house in which a clock had stopped at the hour of four, found last Sunday afternoon more than 50 miles southeast of Thunder Bay with the nameplate CLIFTON giving it identification has been the only significant bit of wreckage found by tugs, passing ships, and searching parties aboard other boats of the Progress Steamship company to give clue to the location of the whaleback, which loaded with 2,200 tons of crushed stone, and crew of 28 - 12 of them home boys - foundered in Lake Huron in the 56 mile gale a week ago Sunday or Monday. Small bits of wreckage floating have been attributed to the CLIFTON hulk since last Sunday, but shifting winds and currents make their finding scarcely significant of the whaleback's where- abouts. Believes Cyclone Hit Clifton. "When the wind hauled out of the southeast to the northwest during Sunday night, I believe that it formed a cyclone which hit certain parts of Lake Huron, and unfortunately the CLIFTON was within its path," is the version of L. D. Smith, vice-president of the Progress Steamship company. "From the position of the little wreckage that has been found, I believe that the CLIFTON foundered about 25 miles out in Lake Huron off Thunder Bay. Because the clock found in the pilot house wreckage stopped at 4 o'clock, I am of the opinion that the boat went down at that hour Monday morning. While the distance is about 100 miles from the Straits, where she was reported Sunday fore- noon, it would not be surprising that the steamer was not farther down the lake than where we believe she foundered 18 hours later, as she was bucking into a heavy southeast sea. "Just what happened, of course, will never be known, but we do know that in a cyclone such as struck Wisconsin the same day, no boat on Lake Huron could survive long." Captain Carlson of the BAY STATE and other marine men agree with Mr. Smith that the CLIFTON foundered in the vicinity of Thunder Bay, about 25 miles out in the lake. Ship Had Good Rating. The CLIFTON was owned by the Progress Steamship company, also owners of the steamers FONTANA and BAY STATE, operating out of this port. Leathem D. Smith of this city was vice-president and one of the directors of the company; W. G. Mather, Cleveland, president; and A. E. R. Schneider, of Cleveland, also a vice- president. Headquarters of the company were at Cleveland, Ohio. The three boats were fitted out with the Smith unloading device at the L. D. Smith shipyard here last winter, the CLIFTON being the last one of the fleet to go into commission this summer. She was valued at $200,000, and carried insurance. The cargo was valued at $2,500. The CLIFTON was full whaleback steel type boat, 308 feet long, 38 feet beam, and was built in 1892. When she came out she was known as the SAMUEL MATHER, the name being changed to CLIFTON later, and originally was owned by the Steel trust. When the uploading apparatus was installed in the CLIFTON at the Smith yard this past year, other work was done on the craft, and she was in first class condition when she went into commis- sion, having passed inspection at Detroit three weeks ago, and given a good rating. The Fatal Trip. The CLIFTON loaded at the Smith quarry here Saturday, September 20, and left that afternoon for Detroit to deliver her cargo. The next morning she passed through the Straits, and about one o'clock, a few hours later, was reported last seen by the tug FAVORITE weathering a heavy southeast sea off Forty Mile Point, forty miles southeast of the Straits. Nothing was heard of the ship here until Thursday when reports came from all ports of the lakes with queries as to her where- abouts. She was 55 hours late shortly after noon then. Wires from the Cleveland office of the Progress Steamship com- pany and wires from here were crowded with inquiries, and the FAVORITE gave the latest reply. Since then nothing but the pilot house has been found to tell the story of the ill-fated boat and her crew. Reports at first were that the boat had reached Oscoda, Mich., safely and had left there Tuesday in fair weather, but these advices were found untrue as the ship supposed to be the CLIFTON, was identified as the lumber boat GRIFFIN. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Big Steel Scow Slides Into Water Last Week. One of the three steel scows under construction at the Sturgeon Bay Dry Dock company's yard for the U.S. Engineering department, was launched Saturday. The launching was under supervision of Albert Backey and was most successful. The scow is listed as an oil barge, and will be used as a lighter on the Fox river. It has 100 feet length, 6 feet depth, and 30 feet beam, constructed entirely of steel. It will be taken to Green Bay in about another week. ----------------------------------------------------------------- PAYS ITS TOLL TO THE GREAT LAKES. Few, if any counties, bordering upon the Great Lakes, pays a greater toll to the grave yards of the lakes than does Door county. With its 250 miles of water boundary it is only natural that a large number of its citizens take up the occupation of sailing, and among those that do not follow this work regularly as their occupation, there are many that the water has a great fasci- nation for, having been raised upon the shores of Lake Michigan and Green bay. The fishing industry, Coast Guard service, and large trans- portation companies have all enlisted a large number of Door coun- ty men, an no better sailors are to be found upon the Great Lakes than those who come from Door county. Scattered as they are out over the Great Lakes during the season of navigation, with scarce- ly a big freighter plying the lakes without one or more Door coun- ty men in its crew, it is little wonder that Door county ever escapes when a disaster of a craft is recorded and the crew pays the sacrifice. However, but one other disaster is recalled that has taken the great toll as that of the CLIFTON, lost Sunday, September 21, with twelve Door county men, it being the foundering of the passenger steamer HACKLEY, near Green Island, on the night of October 2, 1903, when ten Door county lives were lost. These two disasters alone have claimed twenty-two Door county people. This is only part, however, of the large number who have lost their life on the water from this county. Every one of the Great Lakes, as well as Green bay, has its sad story that has brought grief to Door county homes. ----------------------------------------------------------------- From Advocate Files Twenty, Thirty, Forty Years Ago. Twenty Years Ago - 1904 The wreck of the scow lost last week near North Manitou Island by the tug DUNCAN CITY was found on the west side of the island by the lighthouse keeper. Also wreckage from the barge ALERT. Thirty Years Ago - 1894 On Monday the Reynolds company sold the fine tug GOLDSMITH to G. H. Breyman & Bros., of Toledo, Ohio. The tug was rebuilt while the Reynolds company owned it and there was not a more powerful or more speedy tug in this region. Capt. Jas. Oakley and Engineer Chas. Wondrasek recently leased the tug SPALDING and are doing a good business in miscellaneous towing out of this port. ----------------------------------------------------------------- HURON KEEPS VICTIMS OF CLIFTON DISASTER People Here Pay Respects In Memorial List of 30 Dead Given Out by Progress Company Bodies of the CLIFTON disaster of twelve days ago have yet to be recovered if it is possible that they might drift to American or Canadian shores. In the meantime, some families here await news of their discovery by boats and people searching along the shores be- fore making final arrangments for funeral services. Requiem high mass was sung for several members of the sunken CLIFTON crew, however, of the Catholic faith, here at the St. Joseph's church Tuesday morning. Mourners of others not of the church were also invited to attend, and the service extended to make a memorial for all who lost their lives on that fatal day. Other churches expect to set aside part of their program this Sunday in honor of the CLIFTON dead, but no public service has been arranged. The complete list of the 30 victims as secured from the Progress Steamship company, is as follows: Emmett D. Gallagher, captain, St. James, Michigan Walter J. Oertling, chief engineer, Sturgeon Bay, Wis. Edward L. Peck, first mate, Green Bay, Wis. Anthony P. McDonough, second mate, New York Joe Shield, wheelsman, St. James, Mich. Peter Burns, wheelsman, St. James, Mich. Harvey Jensen, watchman, Sawyer, Wis. Leo Brauer, watchman, Institute. Sam Stevenson, cood, wife and baby, Benton Harbor Emil J. Bonnett, assistant cook, Detroit John Hamilton, assistant cook, Detroit C. H. Diller, porter, Detroit J. E. Sullivan, first assistant engineer, Mitchell, S.D. Bernard Haen, oiler, Sturgeon Bay Roland Writt, oiler, Escanaba Kenneth Dorey, handyman, Manitowoc, Wis. Russell Erdman, oiler, Sawyer, Wis. P. Canty, Toledo, Ohio Edward Miller, fireman, Detroit George Maples, conveyor operator, Sturgeon Bay Pearl Purdy, conveyor operator, Sturgeon Bay A. J. Olson, deck hand, South Chicago, Ill. Bernard Soderstrom, deck hand, Washburn, Wis. George Husak, deck hand, Sturgeon Bay Stanley Guth, deck hand, Algoma, Wis. Robert Stedman, coal passer, Sturgeon Bay, Wis. Harold Hart, coal passer, Sturgeon Bay, Wis. Lawrence Haen, oiler, Sturgeon Bay, Wis. (NOTE: this page also contained brief biographies of all the Door county men lost. These can be found at: http://us-data.org/wi/door/obit.html ) --------------------------------------------------------------- Howard Oertling, employed in Milwaukee, came home Friday evening, his father, Walter Oertling, being among those lost on the steamer CLIFTON, which foundered on Lake Huron Sunday, September 21. Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Husak, Milwaukee, arrived here last Friday to make inquiries about the CLIFTON on account of their son George, who was making his home with Miss Green, being a member of the crew which went down on Lake Huron Sept. 15. (sic) Ralph Haen, of Chicago, and Leonard Haen, who is teaching school at Gladstone, N.D., returned home this week, the former on Monday, the latter on Tuesday. They are brothers of Bernard Haes, who was one of the crew that was lost on the steamer CLIFTON in Lake Huron, September 21. They will spend a week or more at their home in this city. George Oertling, Mrs. Herman Oertling and daughter Lucile, and Mrs. Orth, of Milwaukee, motored here Sunday and spent a few days with Mrs. Walter Oertling, of this city, and Mrs. C. W. Sanderson, of Cana Island. George Oertling is a brother of Walter Oertling, who lost his life on the ill-fated steamer CLIFTON, and Mrs. Herman Oertling and Mrs. Orth are sisters of Mr. Oertling. --------------------------------------------------------------- IN MEMORY of the CLIFTON and Her Noble Crew. By E. F. H. The CLIFTON into watery grave Went down, in a cyclonic meet. Together with her crew so brave, On Huron's Lake so deep. Our heart is overwhelmed with grief! In sorrow's waters, dark and deep, We would go down and bring relief To all our friends that weep. And so, our Father God to thee, We lift our mournful view. In prayer, for salvation free, For all the CLIFTON'S Crew. We suffer also and do weep With all our sorrowing friends Who mourn at this their grave so deep, O God! do hear and hold their hands! My sorrowing friends, do courage take, These clouds, which now do hang so dark, Are held by Him Who from storm's wake Knows how to keep His ark. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust Him for His grace, Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face. We now look through dark glasses to see His providence so wise. So in our judgement we should be Submissive to His choice. When we shall see Him face to face And know as we are known We then shall know that all was grace And not mere fatal frown. --------------------------------------------------------------- Sister Bay. Elmer Erickson will convert the Jos. Pisha shop into a boat factory, which will be enlarged and equipped for the work. Mr. Erickson is a boat builder of experience, having built several boats here for tourists the last five years. He makes either clinker or smooth built craft. --------------------------------------------------------------- Marine News HILL STEAMERS UP FOR AUCTION TO MEET DEBTS. KENOSHA, SHEBOYGAN, and WAUKEGAN Fail to Make Stand for Water Trade Success. The three steamers owned by the Hill Steamboat line have been sold to satisfy claims. Judge F. A. Geiger of Milwaukee issued the order Friday of last week in federal court after attorneys agreed to the sale instead of a receivership for the line. The vessels are the KENOSHA, the SHEBOYGAN, and the WAUKEGAN. Suit was started recently against the line by the executors of the will of Faustin Prinz, who held mortgages on the three steam- ers as security for a $100,500 loan. The unpaid balance of the mortgages amounts to $96,000. Interest payments were defaulted, according to the plaintiffs. Another suit was started by the Pittsburgh Coal Co. to collect payment for coal supplied the vessels. In addition to the mortgages and the coal bill, it was said in court, maritime liens aggregating $30,000 exist against the three steamers. Persons involved in the case extimated the sale would not bring sufficient money to pay all claims. The marshall was ordered to advertise the sale eight days and then hold an auction in his office. The three steamers were originally built at this port by the Universal Shipbuilding company during the war as ocean going tugs for the U.S. shipping board. The armistice was signed just as the tugs were completed and ready to have the machinery installed. For several years they were moored at the ship yard dock where they were placed when launched. Later they were purchased by Faustin Prinz, Milwaukee, who was one of the principal stockholders in the Universal shipyard, and sold to the Hill Steamboat line. Work of changing the boats from tugs into lake freighters was performed by the shipyard company, which is now known as the Sturgeon Bay Dry Dock company. The boats went into commission during the season of 1923, and two of them were operated between this port and Chicago, and during the present season the KENOSHA has been operated to this port from the south. Completed Long Trip The cruising yacht RECREATION, owned by Mr. Pareira of Marinette, and well known at this port at which the boat was a frequent visitor during the past season, has completed its cruise from Marinette to New York city. The boat went from Marinette to Manistique, Mackinac, Little Current, Ont., Georgian Bay, Finn Bay, McGregor Bay, then back to Lake Huron, Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo, down the Erie canal and up to Oswego on Lake Ontario, then back into the Erie to Albany and down the Hudson into New York city. The party left Marinette August 16 and arrived in New York about Sept. 16. The boat will be brought back to Marinette in the spring. BAY STATE Back in Commission. The whaleback steamer BAY STATE, which was taken out of com- mission several weeks ago and laid up at the L. D. Smith Dock company's dock, has again been placed in commission with Capt. Knut Carlson in command. The BAY STATE belongs to the Progress Steamship company, which were the owners of the steamer CLIFTON, lost on Lake Huron last week, and it is due to the loss of this steamer that the BAY STATE has again been placed in commission. She will carry stone from the Smith quarry on this bay to ports on Lake Michigan and also to Cleveland and Detroit. In connection with the FONTANA and ANDASTE the BAY STATE will carry stone to the lower lake ports, taking the place of the steamer CLIFTON. Makes Record Trip PERE MARQUETTE CARFERRY No. 22, constructed by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding corporation, set a new lake transportation record on her maiden trip last week by making the 60-mile trip from Manitowoc to Ludington, Mich., in three hours and fifty-seven minutes. The return took one minute longer. The best previous record had been slightly over four hours. The boat worked per- fectly, without resort to forced draught, carrying 31 cars over and 30 back. A great ovation was given officers and crew upon their arrival at Ludington. GENERAL MARINE. Captain Winjum is freighting apples and plums to Menominee for the fruit Growers Union with his motor boat MURITANA. The FONTANA delivered a cargo of 3,500 tons of coal at DePere latter part of last week, it being the largest cargo of coal ever delivered at that port by boat. The freighter DAVIS cleared Tuesday with 75 tons of coal from the Kalmbach coal yard, consigned to parties at Sister Bay. The DAVIS has taken several cargoes of coal up the peninsula from this yard. The gasoline freighter FAVORITE, Capt. Martin Peterson, has been freighting apples from Ellison Bay during the week. The apples are from the Ellison Bay Orchard company. The handsome cruising yacht LOTAWANA II was in port Tuesday. Her owner Mr. Friedmann is moving furniture and other articles from Milwaukee to his new summer home at Fish Creek. During the heavy wind storm of Sunday, September 21, a small motor boat owned by Fr. Sabin of Marinette, went adrift at Chambers Island, and on Tuesday was found on the beach at Sister Bay by Charles Kelstrom and returned to its owner. A new ore dock, to cost $2,500,000, will be built at Escanaba by the Northwestern road. Work will start at the close of the ore shipping season, and the new dock will be in operation next May. The contract has been let in Chicago. The fishing tug ELSIE M., owned by Allen Bros., of Kewaunee, and operating out of that port, became disabled in the lake Satur- day, a connecting rod on the engine breaking. Signals of distress from the tug was responded to by the Kewaunee Coast Guard, which went out and brought the tug into port. The work on the ANN ARBOR No. 7 in the ship yard at Manitowoc is being rushed and the company expects to have the new steel car- ferry ready for business about February 1. She will be built with special view to crushing ice between Menominee and this port. Al- though she will not be as large as the NO. 6, she will be more powerful. The government dredge KEWAUNEE has resumed work in the Fox river channel at DePere, and when the job is finished vessels of larger draft will find little difficulty in reaching DePere docks. The activities of the dredge at this time are said to be in connection with the maintenance program of the government, and has nothing to do with new work. The gasoline yacht VOLANTE, owned by J. Emil Gerich of Milwaukee, arrived in port during the week and will winter here, being hauled out at the Sturgeon Bay Dry Dock Co. yard. The VOLANTE is a handsome yacht, having a large spread of canvass as well as gasoline engine power. She is 55 feet long. Another yacht, the GLORETA, is also coming to this port to winter. ========================================================================== Door County Advocate Sturgeon Bay, WI Friday, October 10, 1924 From Advocate Files Twenty, Thirty, Forty Years Ago. Thirty Years Ago - 1894 Carl Anderson has been appointed keeper of the canal life saving station, to succeed T. Boutin, who was recently trans- ferred to the Milwaukee station. Wilson Warner has been ad- vanced to No. 1. The scow-schooner L. MAY GUTHRIE, Capt. A. G. Brown, was driven ashore on Fisherman's Shoal in Green bay on Sept. 26th, and the fish tug TRUSCOTT, Capt. Peter Jordan, and of which John L. Aznoe is engineer, attempted to rescue the crew, but were prevented in the rescue by the heavy sea. The following morning the TRUSCOTT with a fish boat in tow went to the wreck and after several attempts succeeded in rescuing the entire crew of five men. The yawl of the schooner had been carried away and the men had no means of saving themselves had the vessel broken up before relief came. (Note: The "Marine Record" lists the L. May Guthrie as one of the vessels totally lost in 1893 in their edition of January 11, 1894) Marine News Crosby Company Buys Hill Boats. SHEBOYGAN, KENOSHA, WAUKEGAN Freighters Are Sold at Auction; Bring $39,000; Bill $131,000. The freight steamers SHEBOYGAN, KENOSHA and WAUKEGAN of the Hill Steamboat line, which were sold at auction by Deputy U.S. Marshal William Phillips at Milwaukee on Tuesday, were bid in by the Crosby Steamship line for $39,000. This was far less than the total of a mortgage and liens on the boats. They aggregate $131,000, of which $96,000 represents a mortgage and $35,000 liens. Purchased paid the $39,000 to Marshal White, and there will be a legal battle between the mortgage holders and the lien holders over the question of whether the mortgage or the liens take precedence. The mortgage is held by the heirs of Faustin Prinz, The Pitts- burgh Coal Co. and the Milwaukee-Western Fuel Co. are among the largest lien holders. The Crosby steamship line will operate the vessels in carrying package freight between Chicago and points north along the west shore of Lake Michigan. The Crosby Steamship line is virtually taking over the entire business of the Hill line. In addition to buying the boats it has obtained options on docks which are owned by the Hill line on the west shore of Lake Michigan. The Crosby steamship line is a new corporation, formed to take over the Hill interests by the same interests that own the Crosby Transportation Co. F. G. Crosby is president and general manager of the new corporation, L. M. Biron vice-president and J. A. Overton secretary-treasurer. The directors are Francis Bloodgood and Jackson B. Kemper, together with the officers. Albert Kalmbach, local agent for the Hill Steamboat line at this port, has had no official notice as yet from the Crosby company in regard to the schedule that they will maintain to this port from the south, but feels confident that the service will be im- proved and that Sturgeon Bay will be given the best boat service that it has experienced in years. Appointed Collector Customs Mrs. T. A. Egan has been appointed collector of customs at this port to succeed her husband, the late Dr. T. A. Egan, whose death occurred recently. During the long illness of Dr. Egan his wife kept the records of the office and is well qualified to perform the duties. Mrs. Egan is the first woman in this district to be appointed to this government position. GENERAL MARINE The revenue cutter TUSCARORA had several new plates renewed in her bow at Manitowoc during the week. The new gas light on Dunlap reef was out a few days the latter part of last week but has since been adjusted. The motor boat WHITE SWAN was in port yesterday with a cargo of salt for merchants on both sides of the bay. The FAVORITE, Capt. M. B. Peterson, is freighting apples and canned cherries to Milwaukee for the Fruit Growers Canning Com- pany. The FAVORITE, Capt. M. B. Peterson, delivered a cargo of lumber at the Barker Lumber & Fuel Co. dock the latter part of last week. The PERE MARQUETTE NO. 18 got tangled up in a submarine cable at Manitowoc and had to be docked at that port first of the week to have it removed from the wheel. The motor boat MARION, Capt. Chas. Hanson, was hauled out at the Wolter & O'Boyle ship yard the latter part of last week to have repairs made to the sleeve. While entering Manitowoc harbor Sunday in a strong south wind, ANN ARBOR NO. 3 struck the north breakwater and the boat was slightly damaged. The damage was repaired at the Manitowoc ship- yard it requiring a couple of days. S. C. Jacobson, keeper of Racine Reef light during the past six years, has been transferred to Waukegan, Ill., taking the place of A. J. Davenport, who retires from the lighthouse service. Walter Donovan, first assistant at Chicago Harbor, has been promoted to keeper of the Racine light. The steeel motor boat AMERICAN GIRL of Benton Harbor, took a big load of apples in barrels and baskets and several hundred cases of cherries Tuesday from the Fruit Growers Canning company dock for delivery at Milwaukee. Several more trips will be made by the same craft. The SEARCH, the fish tug owned by Chambers brothers of Fish Creek, which was hauled out at the Smith yard some time ago to have a crude oil motor installed, was launched the fore part of this week, and the fish tug ELSA M. has been hauled out on the ways to have a new engine installed. The SEARCH is not ready to go into commission as only the shaft wheel and engine bed have been put in as yet. Since the loss of the steamer CLIFTON on Lake Huron with twelve of its crew from this city, it has been difficult to secure sufficient sailors at this port to complete crews of craft sailing out of this port. The steamer BAY STATE was de- layed several days latter part of last week in securing suf- ficient men for its crew. Saturday sailors were secured from the Soo and the craft cleared with a load of stone Sunday night for across the lake. The new tug which was brought here several weeks ago and hauled out at the Wolter & O'Boyle shipyard to have the machinery installed and the upper works and cabins completed is about ready for service and Capt. W. B. Chapin, will have one of the best equipped fish tugs on the lakes. The new cabin covers the entire hull and is built rounding like a whaleback steamer. The craft is equipped with an electric light plant and lifts can be made at night as well as in the daytime. The new craft has been christened the HAZEL C. after a daughter of the skipper. The fish tug MYRTLE E., also owned by Capt. Chaplin, was brought her last week and the boat is for sale together with the hull of the tug brought here some weeks ago. (Note: The captain's name is spelled as both Chapin and Chaplin. This is not a transcription error.) Rumors That CLIFTON is Found False, Schneider. Rumors that the sunken steamer CLIFTON has been located are unfounded, according to a wire received by The Advocate yester- day afternoon. This is what A. E. R. Schneider, head of the Progress Steamship company, says: Exact location CLIFTON has not been found. Probably never will be. Generally supposed vessel in middle of Lake Huron abreast of Saginaw Bay. Reports here were that letters had been received by families of CLIFTON victims stating that the boat was located and in- closing newspaper clippings and chart identifying the spot. ========================================================================== Door County Advocate Sturgeon Bay, WI Friday, October 17, 1924 May Be Roland Writt Body Found in Lake Huron. The body of a sailor found in Lake Huron by the steamer POLLOCK Wednesday and taken to Sault Ste. Marie may be that of Roland Writt, oiler on the ill-fated CLIFTON which went down Sept. 22, it was learned late last night by Frank Behringer, manager of the L. D. Smith Stone company. It is being shipped here as soon as it is prepared for burial, since its identity was not made known, it is said, by parties from St. James Island. If the body proves to be his, hopes of recovering more bodies will increase, for at first it was thought only the bodies of the captain and wheelsman would have a chance to leave the ship. CAP'N CLEVELAND SELLS PROPERTY. Capt. Dell Cleveland, who has made his home in Milwaukee for about three years arrived here recently to dispose of his be- longings consisting of the old hulk which lies on the bottom at the foot of McKinley street and other personal property. This was done on Tuesday when Chan Schuyler purchased the old boat and all the personal property owned by Mr. Cleveland. Since leaving here several years ago Dell has been employed as ship carpenter at various places along the lake shore. He recently met with an accident which developed into a cancer of the face and he is in a pitiable condition and cannot sur- vive long. His wife is said to be very ill at Milwaukee where their two sons reside also. The old boat was brought here from Marinette several years ago and was used as a home by Dell and his wife. It is now only suitable for fire wood and it will no doubt cost more than it is worth to cut it up for that purpose. From Advocate Files Twenty, Thirty, Forty Years Ago. Thirty Years Ago - 1894 The big northwest blow which started in Friday night drove one of the largest fleets of vessels and steam craft into this bay that we have seen for several years. Among the fleet were the following: Steamer ST. JOSEPH and consort CITY OF TOLEDO; FRANCIS HINTON; S. A. WOOD; steamer PEWAUKEE with consorts WM. ALDRICH and D. L. FILER; IDA OLSON; W. O. GOODMAN; steamers WM. RANDOLPH, CHICAGO, K. MARTIN, M. F. BUTTERS; steamer ALLEGHANY and consorts WM. B. OGDEN and TRANSFER. Forty Years Ago - 1884 The schooner RICHARD MOTT is said to have made the run from the canal to Chicago last week in twelve hours. Marine News More Wreckage From Clifton On his trip up from Detroit last week Captain Savage of the steamer FONTANA, of the Progressive Steamship company, was requested to go out of his course while on Lake Huron for the purpose of endeavoring to locate more wreckage from the steamer CLIFTON of the same line, which foundered on September 22. While about in midlake between Thunder and Saginaw bays, Captain Savage sighted wreckage and picked up stanchions, flooring, etc., which undoubtedly was from the ill fated steamer, and which he brought to this port. The supposition is that the steamer foundered in that vicinity. Captains of steamers that were on Lake Huron the night the CLIFTON was lost, report that up to 11:30 o'clock that night the weather was not so severe but what any boat of the CLIFTON'S class could easily have made good weather of it, but without warning a storm broke and within half an hour it would have been difficult for boats of any class to survive. Captain Gallagher, brother of Captain E. Gallagher who commanded the CLIFTON, was on Lake Huron the night his brother's steamer was lost, and states he was caught in the storm after it broke and within half an hour the seas were breaking over the deck of his big boat, and he had to run before the storm for shelter. It developed into a regular cyclone and in his opinion no boat could have lived in it very long. Officials of the Progress Steamship company are continu- ing their efforts to locate wreckage or bodies from the ill-fated steamer, and will keep relatives of the crew in- formed whenever anything definite develops. Will Build Steel Scow The L. D. Smith Dock company has been awarded the contract to build a steel derick scow 120 feet long and 33 feet beam for the U. S. Engineering department to be used in the Chi- cago district. The scow will be equipped with a large steel derrick, and the company has six months in which to make de- livery. Blue prints and plans and specifications have been prepared and the first load of steel is expected within a few days when work of construction will start. It is possible that the Smith Dock company will have other work to keep a fair sized crew of men employed during the winter months. Retires From Lightship Captain Thos. Greene, who has been in charge of Peshtigo Reef LIGHTSHIP No. 77, has retired, having reached the age limit. He is succeeded on NO. 77 by Alfred Hanson of this city, who has been transferred from ELEVEN FOOT SHOAL LIGHT- SHIP, stationed near Escanaba. Henry Osby, of this city, takes the place of Mr. Hanson on ELEVEN FOOT SHOAL SHIP as mate. Captain Greene has been in the service upward of 30 years, and has been on PESHTIGO REEF during the past several years. He will continue to reside in the First ward, where his family has lived while he was on the lightship. Failed to Get Into the Mississippi. The gasoline cruisers CORA L. and ASTORELETH were in port Tuesday bound for their home port Chicago having been up the Fox river as far as Oshkosh. P. A. Hubert, owner of the ASTORELETH, started from Chicago some time ago for Florida by way of the Fox, Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers. However upon reaching Oshkosh he found that there was not enough water in certain portions of the Fox river to the Wisconsin for his boat and as a result had to abandon the trip. Meet- ing his friend William Peeters, owner of the CORA L., they decided to cruise back to Chicago together. Launched Boat for Dry Navy The first of ten powerful cutters constructed for Uncle Sam's use was launched without ceremony at the Dachel Carter Boat company slip in the Benton Harbor ship canal last week. The cutters will be used for chasing rum runners on the Great Lakes and Atlantic coast. The Benton Harbor concern received the contract to build fast cruisers for service in the "dry" navy. The rum runners are 75 feet in length and 14 foot beam. The speed capacity of each will be twenty miles an hour. They cost $35,000 each. The steamer FONTANA cleared on Monday for Detroit with a load of stone. The fish tug ELSA M. was launched from the Smith yard on Wednesday and left for Kewaunee. A new engine was installed to replace the one recently disabled. The government dredge KEWAUNEE and tug MERCHANT arrived at the canal Saturday from Green Bay and the outfit will be used in deepening the shallow spots in the cut. From here the dredge will go to Algoma. The BAY STATE, which delivered a load of stone at Detroit last week, loaded sand at that port for Ludington, Mich., which was delivered there, the boat returning to this port Monday and loading stone for White Lake, Mich. The tug L. D. SMITH, Capt. Wm. Boyd, towed the steel scow to Green Bay last week that was constructed at the Sturgeon Bay Dry Dock company's yard and launched recently. The scow will be used on the Fox river by the U.S. engineering depart- ment. The gasoline freighter FAVORITE, Captain Martin Peterson, is being fitted out for the potato trade, which it will soon engage in along the peninsula. The fish tug ALICE C., Capt. McCauley, was docked at the Sturgeon Bay Dry Dock this week for some new iron and search- ing up below the water line. The craft is from Manistique and is owned by Capt. Coffee, one of the old-time lake captains. The motor boat FAVORITE was at the Sturgeon Bay Boat Works on Monday having the sides built up so as to facilitate the carrying of apples and other package freight. The FAVORITE has been freighting apples and cherries to Milwaukee for the Fruit Growers Union and the Door County Canning company. The gasoline cruiser "BESS EMILY" was in port Saturday on its way to Racine from Green Bay, the boat being in charge of its new owner, E. J. Stormer, of Racine. The "BESS EMILY" is one of the best known cruisers in these waters, and was owned by Fred W. Hurlbut of Green Bay, who made frequent trips to this port and points along the peninsula. The motor boat FRANC MINOR, Capt. O. W. Angwald, of Mari- nette, arrived here Sunday with the partly disabled motor boat J. H. STEVENS and it is expected that the STEVENS will be docked at the Sturgeon Bay Dry Dock for a new keelson and other repairs, below the water line. Both craft have been used this season in general freighting, the STEVENS being engaged in hauling cement to Marinette from Manistique and the MINOR cedar from Cedar River. Recently the STEVENS was driven ashore and considerable damage was done to the bot- tom. The MINOR had on a small load of wood which was sold to the Barker Lumber & Fuel Co. ========================================================================== Door County Advocate Sturgeon Bay, WI Friday, October 24, 1924 SHIPS FIND THREE BODIES ON HURON Writt, Stedman, Shied Remains Taken Home for Burial. Since late reports by wire for last week's issue of The Advocate confirmed the identification of the first CLIFTON body found as Roland Writt, 23, of Escanaba, son of Mrs. P. W. Writt, of this city, the body of Roland Stedman was picked up by a southbound steamer on Lake Huron and taken to Port Huron, Michigan, where the remains, encased in a life preserver, were identified by L. D. Smith who had come up from Detroit. H. E. Stedman left immediately for Port Huron to take charge of the body and have it sent to Berlin, Wisconsin, the former family home of the Stedmans, for burial Monday morning. In the meantime, the body of Roland Writt arrived here Saturday morning and was viewed only by Miss Clessie Writt, his sister and a nurse at the Egeland hospital, and his older brother. A ring and clothing established positively the identification. Writt Funeral Sunday (This portion included in Door County Obituaries: http://us-data.org/wi/door/obit.html ) Find Body of Shied. Word reached here Monday of the recovery of the body of Joseph E. Shied, St. James, a 23-year-old wheelsman and cousin of Captain Gallagher. The body was picked up by the steamer ANGELISA which docked at Port Huron Mon- day and delivered it to the coroner. The initials "J. E. S." tatooed on the right fore-arm established its identification. NAT LARSON, COAST GUARD, DISAPPEARS Was Formerly Assigned To Baileys Harbor Station. BAILEYS HARBOR - Nathaniel Larson, formerly a coast guard here and now of the Two Rivers station, where he is considered one of the best men in the service, is believed to have met with foul play or been accidentally killed with his body being undiscovered following an inquiry made by the young man's fiancee as to his whereabouts. Larson was listed as a deserter when he failed to return after a short leave of absence. Disappeared Oct. 11. Larson left Two Rivers Saturday, October 11. It was his day of liberty and it was known that he intended to go to Milwaukee to visit his sweetheart. That was the last heard of him until inquiry was made of Captain Staal by the Milwaukee young lady, who had written three letters to Larson and received no reply. She thereupon inquired of the coast guard captain regarding him and found that he had not returned to Two Rivers. She sup- plied the information that Larson had come to Milwaukee and left promptly again in order to report back for duty. She was under the impression that he had returned to Two Rivers, and it is now believed that he was murdered or some other dire thing has befallen him. Had Good Record. He bore the best of records and was an experienced coast guard man. He enlisted in the service eight years ago at Baileys Harbor under Captain Staal. During the war he was sent to the Atlantic coast and after the war he returned to the Milwaukee station and later was transferred to South Chicago. He resigned from the service to try some other line of work but returned again to the service at Milwaukee. Shortly afterward, on Sept. 17, he was transferred to the Two Rivers station. Larson is described by Captain Staal as one of the best men in the service. He is 29 years of age, five feet six inches tall, and has brown eyes and brown hair. This is the second man to disappear from the Two Rivers coast guard station. Ernest G. Helveston disappeared August 8, 1924, and has not been heard of since. From Advocate Files Twenty, Thirty, Forty Years Ago. Twenty Years Ago - 1904 The steamer CECELIA HILL was damaged by fire Monday while enroute to Menominee and before the crew succeeded in ex- tinguishing the blaze about $300 worth of damage was done. The fire is supposed to have originated from a spark which flew into one of the state rooms and set the bedding on fire. Thirty Years Ago - 1894 The steambarge MARY MILLS and R. A. SEYMOUR collided in the lake off Port Washington Saturday during a dense fog but neither craft was badly damaged. Forty Years Ago - 1884 The steamer LADY WASHINGTON is doing a good freight and passenger business on the run between this port and Green Bay. Capt. Lovdal, of the J. C. McGILL, shipped his present crew at Chicago for only $13 per trip and the men were glad to get a job at that. ========================================================================== Door County Advocate Sturgeon Bay, WI Friday, October 24, 1924 Body of Peck Found by Boat on Huron Friday. The body of E. L. Peck, first mate of the ill-fated steamer CLIFTON, which sank in Lake Huron during the latter part of September, was picked up by a steamer found for Cleveland, O., last Friday, according to a telegram received by Mrs. Peck, 1316 S. Van Buren street, Green Bay, late Friday afternoon. Mrs. Peck left on the midnight train for Montague, Mich., the home of Mr. Peck's father, where the body was shipped for burial. The facts disclosed by the telegram were brief and con- cerned only the identity of the sailor. A watch had been found on the body, it is said, and from the picture of Mrs. Peck in the rear of the case, identification was made possible. General Marine Will Rebuild SOUTH AMERICAN The Manitowoc Shipbuilding Corporation bidding in the keenest kind of competition, has succeeded in landing the contract for repairing the big steel steamer, SOUTH AMERICAN, which was dam- aged in port at Holland, Mich., September 15. A crew of men from the Manitowoc yards has gone to Michigan to bring the ship across the lake. The SOUTH AMERICAN was built in Detroit about 10 years ago and is one of the larger steel ships on the Great Lakes. She is owned by The Chicago, Duluth and Georgian Bay Transit company. The Manitowoc yard expects to have the work completed and the SOUTH AMERICAN out of dry dock by spring as a result of this contract June 1st. Fishing for spawn commenced last week but the catch has been light so far. The motor boat J. H. STEVENS has been docked at the Sturgeon Bay Dry Dock for repairs below the water line. The government harbor construction crew is at the canal where part of the revetment on the north side is being cut down and repaired. The pleasure cruising yacht SUNBEAM, of Chicago, came in from the lake on Saturday and remained in port over night while bound north. The Sturgeon Bay Boat Works have the contract to build a 35- foot boat for the Plum Island coast guard station. The craft is to be delivered in sixty days. Capt. Emil Winjum is engaged in freighting between here and Menominee and makes a regular trip every Friday. Most of the return freight comes from the Carpenter-Cook Co. The fish boat BUB, owned by the Cornells of Detroit Harbor, is at the Sturgeon Bay Boat Works this week having a new stem put in and heavier iron put on for winter work. The power boat MARION took a load of potatoes to Depere last week. From Advocate Files Twenty, Thirty, Forty Years Ago. Twenty Years Ago - 1904 Capt. J. B. Jenson, of Ephraim, has purchased the schooner JOHN W. WRIGHT from Capt. J. O. Thompson of Gladstone, Mich. Thirty Years Ago - 1894 The new barge PESHTIGO was in port this week with the largest cargo of lumber ever seen here. The craft had on 1,600,000 feet of dry pine and it was piled 17 feet above the deck and 13 feet above the rail. It was also the largest single cargo of lumber ever taken out of the Menominee river. The fish tug M. A. KNAPP, owned by Kalmbach & Wilson, was damaged by fire on Tuesday night and before the fire was extinguished about $500 worth of damage was done. The schooner E. M. STANTON collided with the bridge Sunday night but owing to the fact that the captain discovered his mistake in not finding the entrance to the draw and dropped anchor, prevented serious damage to either the vessel or bridge. Forty Years Ago - 1884 The three-masted schooner CHRISTIAN NELSON, Capt. N. A. Hammer, went on the outer reef at Baileys Harbor, during the snow storm of Friday, inst. The craft was bound to Chicago from Escanaba with a cargo of pig-iron and had proceeded south as far as the canal when headed off by the storm. An effort was made to enter Baileys Harbor, but in the blinding snow storm her skipper missed the channel and struck the reef. The craft soon sank and is be- ing broken to pieces by the storm. Her crew made their way to the little island on the north side of the harbor and later reached the main land. The vessel was insured for $8,000 and the cargo for $12,000. ==========================================================================