The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1867-04-11
MANIT0WOC DAY,
Its Great Importance to Lake Naviga-
ffOm

Its Great importance to Lake Nayiga.
ton.
We have heretofore mentioned the fact
that at this point on the shore the Lake
sets inland, forming bay with excellen,
anchorage &C., but We now propose to
speak Of it again, first because we wish
to keep the matter fresh in the minds Of
the people, and second, because the
truth has not half been told.
Starting from this place to go north
ward along the Lake shore, in travelling
the first ten miles, you make seren and a
half Mules east. If you start south you
come abruptly onto bluff which extends
| into the lake to the distance of nearly a
mile, and in front of which there are
shoals running out it is said mile or two
further, which most effectually break the
force of the sea in that direction. It will
therefore be seen quite readily that very
few places on the west shore of Lake
Michigan offer the security to vessel prop
erty that is to be found here In fact we
are assured by old lake captains that there
is not another anchorage equal to it from
here to the extreme southern end of the
lake, to weather northeaster in; for the
promontory north of us is SC abrupt that
neither wind nor sea have any chance to
disturb the waters of the bay. One of
the heaviest storms we remember to have
seen In years visited us not long since
from the northeast The Str Sea Bird
laid at our pier during the whole of it.
And only week prior to this she lay here
for twenty four hours during terrible
breeze from the southeast On both oc-
casions she started for Milwaukee but af-
ter encounterlng the heavy seas outside
for few miles was glad to get back to
place Of safety In times past we have
seen the lake at this place during a storm
black with vessels at anchor, and yet, on
the authority of one of our first settlers,
we state there has never been a vessel
wrecked on our shore.
Several years ago one of the lower lake
propellers coming north from Chicago
met a terrible gale and heavy sea, but
the Captain did not wish to run back
The mate-who is now a quite noted
Captaln-told him he could Law the
to where she would be easy. The
Captain told him to go ahead. He took
and was within half a mile of
his anchorage when the Captain came up
and remarked great change in the
weather; the mate told him the vessel
was in Manitowoc Bay, but the Captain
couldn't see it: he said there was no
place on Lake Michigan where there was
such difference, and to prove what he
said ordered the vessel on her course. In
half an hours time she was houndering in
the heavy sea again and this quondam
mate solemnly AYERS that they had the
toughest night he ever saw on Lake
Michigan. The Captain was consider
ably worried but the mate told him it
served him'right, he had no business to
leave good harbor during such storm.
When there shall have been expended
on the piers stretching into the lake from
the mouth of our river, and in dredging
the channel, the handsome sum $500
we can offer not only good anchorage,
but wide deep river, accessible during the
severest storms. where just as many yes
sells can lay as have a mind to run inside.
The river for three miles is navigable for
the heaviest craft, no bar or shallow wa
ter all the way.
Now here is the point we wish to make
by writing this article: Vessels have
frequently started for the lower lakes and
when several hundred miles north have
been compelled to run back to Milwaukee
or even as far as Chicago, simply because
they were not aware Of the advantages
offered by our bay