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. =========================================================================== Port Huron Times-Herald Monday, November 10, 1913 MANY SHIPS AT MERCY OF WIND AND SEA Never in Marine History Have Lakes Been Lashed Into Such Fury and Anxiety Is Felt For Many Vessels Which Have Not Yet Reported No Loss of Life Has Yet Been Recorded, But Storm of Equally as Great Intensity Is Expected to Follow in Path of Sunday's Blow (By The Associated Press) The disastrous blizzard which swept Michigan and the great lakes all yesterday and last night subsided to a degree this forenoon and the weather bureau officials said that a further decrease in wind velocity could be expected before night. Reports from Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Sault Ste. Marie, Alpena and Bay City indicated that the gale was the most severe in may years and every port was crowded with steamers that had hurried into shelter. Although the blinding snow storm seems to have generally abated, navigation will be held up for several hours because of the gales and high seas which still exist. All of the life saving stations declared it would have been practically im- possible to man their life boats when the storm was at its height. The wind velocity ranged from 50 to 90 miles an hour in many places. The United States lightship located in Lake Huron, just beyond the St. Clair River, was blown from her moorings and thrown violently upon the Canadian shore and partially wrecked. The following are some of the accidents so far reported: The wooden steamer Parlow owned by Joseph Borke, of Detroit, and operated in the Detroit river, is ashore at the head of Peche island. The Parlow was struck amidships last night by the steamer LaBelle of Cleveland and beached to prevent sinking. The LaBelle was uninjured. Steamer Victory of Interlake Steamship company driven high upon east bank of entrance to Livingstone channel. No immediate danger. Steamer W. G. Pollock, of Cleveland, ashore at entrance to St. Clair ship canal. No immediate danger. The first real storm of the winter which yesterday struck Detroit, the Great Lakes region and the middle eastern states, broke all records for the season in severity and is not over yet. Two more blizzards are heading this way, and one at least is practically sure to arrive. There may be a slight improvement at first, but the next storm will be worse than this, the weather sharpes say. The two storms which were busy yesterday swept the country from Duluth to New York involving the whole lake region and the middle states north of the Ohio River. In the region most affected by the storms, communication and traffic were almost completely paralyzed. Train schedules disappeared, telegraph and telephone wires went down. In the cities street car service was badly affected and many interurban lines were frankly out of business. Improvement was reported this morning, but it will be hours, if not days, before conditions return to normal. The storm over the lake region yesterday was not the same as that which hit the eastern states. The latter came up from the south, but jumped inland instead of following the coast north as usual and is now heading toward Cleveland, coming from Pittsburg. The lake storm swept down from the north-west and will be followed by another which is already forming over the Canadian north-west and will reach here in a day or two. Throughout the lake region the snow was accompanied by a blizzard that drove those ships still out, aground if they attempted to buck the raging storm, or sent them to shelter in harbors. Many minor accidents were reported throughout the affected regions, but no lake disasters have been learned of. There is nevertheless considerable apprehension for ships out in the lakes and overdue at ports. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fighting Against Big Odds, Str. Smith Limps Into Port When Hope Had All But Gone Capt. Carney Tells Graphic Story Of Battle With Elements Before Vessel Is Brought Here Safely Sheathed with ice, her upperworks broken and battered, and her crew in a state of exhaustion, the steamer H. W. Smith limped into port this morning after one of the most thrilling experiences in the history of the men who have followed the great lakes all their lives. From Sunday noon until the steamer safely entered the mouth of St. Clair river this morning, a continuous fight was waged with the ele- ments - by Captain Carney and his crew of brave men to save their steamer and their lives. The magnitude and fury of the blizzard which on Sunday lashed the lake and endangered the lives of many sailors, can be realized from the graphic story told this morning by Captain T. W. Carney upon the arrival of the steamer Smith at this port. That one or more steamers may have been wrecked on the west shore of Lake Huron is evident from the report of Captain Carney, although nothing definite can be learned. The steel steamer H. W. Smith in command of T. W. Carney of Detroit, passed this port at one o'clock Sunday morning, bound from Buffalo to Milwaukee with coal. The boat did not encounter the severe storm until Sunday noon when it was on Saginaw Bay. The waves were running mountain high and breaking over the entire length of the boat. Captain Carney did not want to take a chance of turning the big steamer around in the trough of the sea and kept her headed on with the engines steadily working. Finally the wind blew at such a terrific velocity and the sea became so heavy that the big steamer became unmanageable. It was a critical moment. For a time the big boat wallowed in the trough of the sea and the waves tossed her about like a rubber ball. After working desperately for an hour or more, the captain and crew managed to get the boat under control and turned down the lake. With the waves breaking over the entire length of the steamer, she made slow progress toward this port. Tons of water poured down on her decks and she reeled in the heavy sea like a drunken man. As the storm increased in its fury, it was doubtful if the staunch boat would come through safely. CREW FIGHTS DESPERATELY The heavy seas crushed in the windows of the pilot house and the crew had to leave the deck house and seek shelter in the after cabin, which was also partially wrecked by the seas. Throughout the entire night the crew fought the water and as the waves broke down the doors and windows temporary barricades were erected. It was a fight for life and the after cabin was in momentary danger of being swept away. Clothing, provisions, and articles of furnishings were swept overboard during the night and many of the crew were doubt- ful of ever again reaching port in safety. During the night, Paul Backer, a porter on the Smith, took a chance on going outside to get a scuttle of coal. He was but a few feet from one of the doors when a heavy sea caught him and swept him down the passageway and up against the fan tail of the steamer. He was rescued just in the nick of time for another wave would have swept him over- board. Backer's both legs are badly injured and it is thought that one of them is broken. He was later removed to a hospital here for an exam- ination. John F. Sweeney, steward on the steamer and his wife, who is also employed on the boat, were in a serious condition this morning from exposure and it was necessary to take them off the steamer for medical attention. The Sweeney's reside at 600 Second avenue, Detroit. VESSEL ENCASED IN ICE When a Times-Herald reporter visited the steamer this morning, the boat was encased in ice and it was dangerous to walk on the decks. The deck house and after cabin, including the dining room, kitchen, and sleeping quarters were a mass of wreckage. Part of the furnishings had been swept overboard and the battering of the heavy seas was indicated by broken windows and doors. The story as told to the reporter by Captain Carney, in a matter of fact way, is one of the most vivid of marine incidents that has occurred in years. He said, "We passed Port Huron bound up loaded with coal Sunday morning at one o'clock. We were on our trip to Milwaukee from Buffalo. There was nothing in the weather reports to indicate that such a severe storm was imminent. "The Smith is one of the staunchest boats on the lakes and we had no fear of going outside under the weather conditions which existed early Sunday morning. Everything went all right until we started to cross Saginaw Bay about Sunday night. There were two steamers near us, one of them a Pickands-Mather boat and the other belonging to the Becker line. I could not make out their names, but we all kept within sight of one another. "As the storm began to increase in its intensity, I figured that we would have some difficulty in making headway. I have seen many storms on the great lakes but never in my life as a sailor have I witnessed such a storm as struck on Sunday noon. I kept the engines going just fast enough to keep her head on as it was impossible to make any pro- gress. Finally the seas became so heavy and the wind had attained such a velocity that the boat was becoming unmanageable. It was but a few moments before we lost control of the big steamer. She was having her own way and the storm was doing the rest. "I had hesitated about turning in the trough of the sea but now there was nothing to do but wait until we could again get the steamer under control. She rolled and wallowed in the trough of the sea, and the waves swept over her, pouring tons of water down on the decks. The windows of the pilot house had been shattered and my quarters were flooded. "Slowly the gale drove the big steamer around and at times she was broad side to the gale. After trying for some time with the engine we finally got the boat under control and headed her down the lake. Yes, it certainly was a critical moment when we lost control of the boat, but there was nothing to do but to work hard and get her straightened around. As the steamer slowly gained headway, we started down the lake. EVERYTHING PORTABLE SWEPT AWAY "But the fight had only begun. We were trying to reach Port Huron, the port we had left early Sunday morning. All the way down the lake it was one continuous fight. The seas washed the boat from stem to stern and it would mean a sacrifice of life for any one to venture out on deck. The windows and doors of the after cabin were crushed; the deckhouse was flooded and the belongings of the sailors were tossed about or swept away. In the dining room and kitchen everything movable was broken or swept away. The members of the crew, who remained in the after cabin were kept busy fighting the water all night. There was no sleep for anybody on the Smith from Sunday morning until now and it is a pretty hard matter to find a dry spot at present as all of the bedding is soaked. "During the night, our porter, Paul Backer was swept against the fan tail of the boat and his legs are badly injured. He will be removed to the hospital. "John T. Sweeney, steward, and his wife are in bad shape and will go ashore at this port. It was the worst storm to my knowledge that has ever swept the great lakes. "I am fearful for the safety of the two boats who were trying to cross Saginaw Bay with us. I am particularly anxious for the Pickands- Mather steamer. We evidently were all swept around at the same time for I saw the Pickands-Mather boat swing to the westward and I am afraid that the captain went too far west and is liable to bring up on the shore near Point Au Barques. I lost track of the Becker line boat but think that it would weather the storm." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - PORT HURON AND THUMB ARE SWEPT Sixty Mile Gale Causes Great Damage, While Heavy Snowfall Demoralizes Traffic on All Transportation Lines Within the City Lake Huron Is Whipped Into Fury and Mountainous Waves Leave Trail of Destruction in Their Wake- Night of Terror Is Spent By Many Passengers on Storm Bound Electric Cars What vesselmen seem unanimous in declaring the worst storm in the history of the lakes in this section, swept down and fastened its grip on Port Huron and the Thumb district Sunday afternoon. Towards evening the wind grew in velocity and a blizzard raged so that all traffic was put out of commission. As darkness enveloped the city, street cars were stopped in their tracks by huge snow drifts. As the evening wore on, the fury of the wind seemed to cary every- thing before it. Pedestrians caught in the blinding snow, turned into the nearest houses for shelter. Automobiles, loaded with human freight, skidded and whirled about the pavements, unable to make progress and, after fighting for hours, remained abandoned alongside or in the middle of the road. Great steel steamers which, only a few hours before, poked their noses confidently out into the waters of Lake Huron, came scurrying back in terror to find shelter here. Passengers on interurban and even local street cars, finding them- selves unable to reach their destinations, settled down in their seats for a night of misery and hardship. The waters of Lake Huron, lashed into a fury by the sixty mile-an- hour gale, reached out over the shore and whipped the foundation from under the public bathing pavilion at Lakeside park. Water ran beneath the cottages at Edison beach. Big steamers were tossed about like egg shells. The Matthew Andrews, helpless in the heavy sea, was put hard aground on Harlem reef, near where the lightship was moored. The lightship, thought to be so securely moored as to be proof against all storms, was torn away from its fastenings and lifted over to the Canadian side, where it is now aground. The big steamer Hawgood, with Capt. May, of this city, on board, was also thrown on the beach at the Canadian side. She was not identified till this morning, when a bottle with a note inside, thrown from the steamer, was carried ashore by the waves on the Canadian side. For a time the lighthouse at the beach, itself, seemed in danger of being undermined by the waves, the water breaking over the sea wall in such volume as to make the wall practically no protection at all. All along the lake and river front damage was severe. Docks were torn away, houses near the shore flooded, fishermen's outfits destroyed and boats ripped from their moorings. At Block I shops the damage to the shore front will amount to at least five thousand dollars. Many steamers are reported missing, not yet having been heard from. The steamer Garretson is among this number, having been sighted on Lake Huron yesterday, but not yet having been located. From Harbor Beach and all along the shore come tales of freaks of the storm . At Harbor Beach several vessels are hard aground, the harbor is there being no protection at all. The big six hundred footer D. O. Mills is fast aground just outside the harbor there and will have to be lightered. The Reid Wrecking Co. is at work endeavoring to get to several of the stranded boats. The tug Sarnia City, with Capt. Tom Reid aboard, this morning went out into Lake Huron, but was forced back by the high seas. Probably the most graphic story of the storm is told by Capt. Carney, of the steamer Smith, which reached Miller's dock today. It is a story of a fight for life against the most terrific storm of years. The City of Port Huron emerged from the storm without any loss of life or serious accident to any person. Snow is banked several feet high on the main streets, but the city authorities are making every effort to clear it away as rapidly as possible. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Master of Sarnian Says Storm Was the Worst in His 25 Years of Sailing Sault Ste Marie, Mich., Nov.10 - Not for years have so many vessels lost their anchors as in the heavy storm which is sweeping Lake Superior. The Berry returned to the Soo last night for both anchors. Captain Balfour says: "This is the first time I ever lost an anchor by letting it go. The wind was something terrific. We were laying under White Fish point when the wind took a turn to the northeast and north so quickly that before we could meet it, our chains snapped and we had to turn around." The Farrell lost her anchors in the teeth of the gale in spite of the fact that she was teaming ahead to ease them. Each of five other steamers lost an anchor. Captain Neil Campbell of the Sarnian says the storm which he encountered was the fiercest he ever went through in twenty-five years sailing. "We left Port Arthur Tuesday at midnight. My barometer was falling but the wind had not sprung up yet. When I got around Thunder Bay cape it began to blow from the southwest. I saw my boat could not make it with wind from that direction so I went back behind the cape. Five times I made the effort to get out. It was not until Wednesday night that I got started. Thursday brought me as far as Jack Fish and laid under the bluffs there until Friday night. "I saw the lights of Mission Point Saturday night. I was forced to find an anchorage behind Michipocoten Island which I left this morning. It was was (sic) blowing hard with snow from the northeast as I came down. I could see two or three boats trying to make their way up, but I think they came back. A fleet hugged the south shore of White Fish Bay as I came by." Steamers arriving at the Soo from Lake Superior ports were all heavily coated with ice. The Northern Navigation Company's steamer Saronic was sheathed with ice as she steamed into the canal approach on the Canadian side. The wind was blowing from the north and northeast and waves and spray driven by a terrific gale, frozen hard on her port side. "We never had a let-up from the time we left Duluth," said Captain Storey of the Maricopa last night. The gale blew fifty miles an hour all the way down Superior. The ice gathered fast on our boat. It was necessary at times to thaw it away from the front of our wheel house in order to see. The furious wind, coupled with the freezing temperature, made it the fiercest trip I have made for years." More than fifty steamers are anchored between the Soo and White Fish Point awaiting the abatement of the storm. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Str. Garretson Reported Lost Where is the steamer Garretson? That is the question local vessel men are asking, the Garretson not having been heard from since the storm Sunday night. At that time the Garretson, it is stated, was sighted by several other vessels and should be in port by this time. Not a word can be obtained as to the Garretson's whereabouts, although she is a staunch steamer and it is thought she would ride the gale in safety. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Steamer Elphicke Is Pounding to Pieces (By the Associated Press) Buffalo, N. Y. , Nov. 10 - The blizzard that has gripped the middle west for twenty-four hours arrived here early today. The city awoke to face a seventy mile-an-hour gale that drove before it clouds of snow and sleet. Trains from the storm center west of here came in covered with ice and from three to seven hours late. No boats were sighted off the harbor today and the wireless has been unable to pick up any steamers on Lake Erie for twenty-four hours so it was believed that ample warnings of the storm had sent all shipping to a safe anchorage. It was reported from Long Point, Ont. that the steamer Elphicke, which ran ashore three weeks ago, was rapidly pounding to pieces. Reports of another vessel in distress in that vicinity could not be confirmed. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Light Keeper and His Faithful Wife Work Like Trojans in Gale From the time that the storm broke on Sunday until it moderated this morning, Captain Kimball, his faithful wife and the light-house employes worked like beavers to keep the storm signals going and the beacon light burning brightly, to guide the storm tossed mariners into port. For many years the Kimballs have been in charge of the lighthouse and have witnessed many storms, but never in the history of their service have they witnessed such a raging blizzard as swept Lake Huron Sunday and Sunday night. From the tower of the light house they could see the small twinkling lights of the storm tossed ships that were trying to make port through the narrow mouth of St. Clair river. The fog horns were kept busy sending out wierd, wild blasts across the storm swept lake to warn the mariners that they they (sic) were approaching the river's mouth and the heavy powered light shot its rays through the blinding snow storm to guide the few steamers that were trying to make port, while the waves almost engulfed them. Mrs. Kimball, wife of Capt. Kimball, the lighthouse keeper, this morning stated that the storm was the worst that the captain and herself had ever experienced in the history of their service. The water was swept down the lake and when it reached the narrow mouth of the river, it piled up like a wall and spread over the land that never before had been endangered by the waves. So heavy was this mass of water, together with the pounding of the waves, that at least four feet of the beach at the foot of the lighthouse tower was washed away, exposing the foundation. This, it is claimed, is the first time that this has occurred since the lighthouse was erected. Heavy logs and driftwood were tossed about as though they were matches and thrown up on the shore at the foot of the lighthouse in a tangled mass. Within plain view of the lighthouse is a large steamer presumed to be the Hawgood, which is on the beach on the Canadian side, just north of Weis beach. The boat is in no danger, as she is bow on and while the seas are breaking over her, they are not heavy enough to do any damage. The boat is owned by the Acme steamship company of Cleveland and in command of Captain A. C. May, of this city. Another steamer was aground a short distance from the Hawgood this morning on the Canadian side but after several hours work succeeded in releasing herself under her own steam and continued on her way down the river. From the lighthouse also can be seen the lightship which broke from its moorings opposite Huronia beach. To all appearances the men on the lightship succeeded in dropping their anchor before the boat was tossed up on the beach and at the present writing, the lightship is riding easily and is not in danger. The light house fog horn saluted the steamer H. W. Smith when she entered the river this morning after a harrowing experience on Lake Huron Sunday afternoon and night. The lighthouse was one of the most welcome landmarks that the sailors on the Smith have seen in many years. To them it meant safety and shelter. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Block I Shops Suffer A Loss Block I shops was one of the institutions of the city to suffer from the wind and water. The shops are situated close to the lake and river and when the water began to raise at an alarming rate it was evident that a portion of the grounds would be inundated. The floor of the paint shops was flooded and much damage was done in this department. The lumber yards of the plant also suffered as the wind reached such a velocity that boards and other pieces of lumber were picked up like feathers and blown into the river. The exact loss to the lumber department will not be known until the stock is checked up but it is thought that several thousand dollars worth of valuable material was blown into the river while the storm raged. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Schooner Is Boated Over The schooner C. Chamberlain, which is in winter quarters west of Seventh street bridge, was blown over last night by the fierce storm which swept the city. The barge is now resting on her bow. It is thought she will repaired with little difficulty. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Big Steamer Is Aground On the Harlem Reef Where the Lake Huron lightship was moored, opposite Huronia Beach, the big steamer Matthew Andrews is now hard aground on what is known as Harlem Reef. This morning Captain Tom Reid, in the tug Sarnia City, attempted to reach the steamer but was driven back by the high seas still running in Lake Huron. The lightship, torn from its moorings, is now hard aground on the Canadian side. The big steamer Hawgood, which was light, was thrown on shore opposite Wees beach. For a long time the identity of the steamer was not known, but finally a bottle was thrown into the lake by the men on the Hawgood and was carried to the (the Hawgood, and was carried to the the (parentheses added for clarity)) (sic) the bottle was found a note giving the identity of the vessel. All on board are reported well. Captain A. C. May, of this city, is reported to be in command of the steamer Hawgood, which is on the beach, north of Point Edward. Mrs. May, who resides at 1912 Seventh street, stated this afternoon that she received a letter today from Captain May, which had been posted at Detroit to the effect that the Hawgood was expected to pass this port Sunday morning about 4 o'clock. It is presumed that the Hawgood started out in the lake on Sunday and after going some distance in the storm, the captain decided to turn around and come back to this port. The steamer Saxona, which was blown aground on the Canadian side below Sarnia, was released this morning by Reid's tugs. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Vessels Take To Shelter Mackinac City, Nov. 10 - The only boat to pass through the straits since 8 p. m. yesterday was the Ogdensburg downbound at 10:30 last night. Wind continues to blow from the north 36 miles per hour with snow. At midnight it reached a velocity of 30 miles per hour with thick snow. ==========================================================================