, 1872-12-18
THE LAKE SUPERIOR STORM.
A FuH and Graphic Account from the
Purser of the Iron Steamer Japan.

iron steamer Japan Tor tho FOLLOWING interesting
account Of the experience Of that vessel in the
late terrible storm on Lake Superior. The story
is also told Of the final escape Of the weather.
bound crews OF some twenty vessels from the
sault to Marquette on the steamer China, thus
saving perilouR overland march of 100 miles,
This detailed story from an eyewitness Of the
storm will be read With much interest.
!" All went we'll on our downward trip until the
9th ult., at about S p. M, when, although the
sky was clear and Light wind from the south
cast prevailing, the low state Of the barometer
gave indications Of an approaching storm, and in
less than two hours it burst upon s with terrific
violence, the wind hauling to tile northwest and
blowing a perfect hurricane, whilst the seas
dashed against our gtaunch vessel with g vio-
1ence unprecedented in the experience Of old
miles southeast Of Whitefsh Point, in what at
any ordinary time would bo considered perfect
" sheltered position. Captain McDougaH, our
brave and energetic commander, used his utmost
rudder to prevent our being driven On a lee
shore. Our impending fate seemed unavolda-
BILE, when it is taken into consideration that the.
lee shore We dreaded being dashed against was
the rocky cliffs Of ,Gros Cap, towering 700 feet
above us, as if they were soon to be d hideous
monument Of our fate. Our vessel WAS rolling
frightfully, making it no ensy task to keep on
deck, the roaring Of the wind almost preventing
the men ct the wheel hearing tho orders Of the
Captain above them, while the deck load OF
extra precautions, added to the confusion by
rolling with the vessel as if it intended to escape
tho storm by dashing through the bulwaEks. At
this crisis and as q last resort, the Captain,
gave the signal to back her OF. What moment
OF suspense! While brave men held their
breath, our gallant vessel responded like q
thing Of life, slewing enough to assist her rud-
der in bringing her head to the sea when her
been subjected to this trial, and received the
heavy seas VIC did on our stern, she would have
undoubtedly broken in two. After her head
WAS brought to we ran some twenty-five miles
under lee OF Whitefsh Point before it was safe
to run before the storm into Waiska Bay. All
this time binding SNOW added to the dangers
and discomfort experienced whilo the ther-
mometcr ranged from Is to 18 degrees below
zero. The volumes Of water that dashed over
officers on deck we're suffering terribly, but
heroically kept their posts, while the
steward and cabin employees were doing
their best to save the costly furniture from total
destruction. The china and glassware became
total loss at the first fierce onset of the storm,
and all the chairs aud everything movable were
completely demolished. On getting into WaiBka
Bay we lay OF and on until tho weather cleared
up enough to get bearings down the river, and
shipwreck by storms, but also BY collisions, for
the BAY seemed for the moment alive with ves-
sells which followed us in. Among them were
the barks Cambridge and Escauaba; schooners
Golden Rule, Middlesex, and steamer Arizona.
The vessels presented sorry appearance.
They had lost their anchors, their boats wero
covered with ice, and their sails torn to ribbons.
The Arizona had her bows and gangways
stove in and her deck load Of flour Was
even more unruly than ours, while the steamer
st. Louis WAS strained SO badly that her cargo OF
grain WAS vet. On examination, We found that
our gallant vessel had not made water enough to
prime the pumps. We felt renewed confidence
in the seaworthiness Of the craft, and were de-.
voutful thankful that we had escaped the fate Of
the barges Jupiter and Saturn, lost, with all
hands, above Wh,tefsh Point, just after We had
got control Of our vessel by reversing the en-
CINE. In this storm tho schooners II. O. Brown,
b. R, Owen, and @. G. Griswold foundeTed with
clearing, and being anxious to reach the canal,
We made run for it. After getting past
Point Aux Pins, the wind blowing gale
and showing SO thick that the course could
her drifting down the river. and ne had all hands
getting the anchor ready to let co. but found
everything 80 encountered with ice that We
thought it would be necessary to cut away the
bulwarks to free it, but at last succeeded, how
ever, in getting everything in readiness when
the weather cleared enough to discern the mouth
of the canal. We could see it was full OF ice,
and judged that it was packed solid from the
fact that the SEQ made no motion IN the Ice.
When ne we're about 800 yards from the entrance
to the canal we went ahead with throttle wide
open and buried ourselves our entire length in q
solid ice bed. The steamers Peerless, st. Louis,
Dix, Arizona, and cuyahoga followed, and
three days tho crews of the eix steamers
worked chopping US out Of the ice, and three
steamers pulled at us for the same length OF
time before We we're e1tricated. The Peerless,
having some fifty tons Of coal on board, then
took tho lend, and endeaVored to force passage,
but, after two days, ,exertions. she found herself
not so far advanced as We had been by 100 feet.
Her fuel being exhausted, and ice making fast,
we realized the fact that in our case, navigation
energies in another channel. and commenced
laying up on tho 1st OF December. We sent
two indians, with some dispatches, overland
promise OF $50 moro when they re-
mission being performed. The Indians at
this date have not been heard from, and it is
feared they perished in the performance Of
their task, as the weather was unusually severe.
We had ali made up our minds to walk to Macki-
baggage, to be Of the Ightest description, and
appointed Bhip-keepers for each boat. We we're
lucky enough to secure the valuable services Of
Captain Charles Caldwell, who WAS appointed
Commodore Of Ship-Eeepers, with full authority
to use his own Judgment in regard to the care Of
the fleet. His knowledge of the Indian customs,
and acquaintance with the several tribes rem
dered him emphatically the right man in the
TlGnI place. uHfuA1 uHu We gov ELL kueba
arrangements perfected, when the glad tidings
we're spread that the iron steamer Chins, which
had just arrived in the Sault River, and contem-
plated laying up in the canal, finding there was
no room to get in With us, had determined to
The invitation was gladly accepted, and some
four hundred Of US steamed away On the % ot
hands made short work Of laying up the China,
and, bidding adieu to Captain Dickson. NE
4oo1 %ha frr Tho
BuffalonianB arrived on the 18th, grateful
for having escaped unscathed the dangers
| that beset them during the most violent storm
e7er known on Lake Superior, the water having
risen sir feet in four hours, coming within az
inch OF going over the banks Of the sault st.
Marie Canal and driving the Superintendent out
Of his residence. Fully one-half Of the men who
we're in the storm had their hands, feet OF ears
more or Less frozen, and many OF the officers
we're thoroughly prostrated when the energy in;
| spired by the fu11lment Of their duties had
! passed away. The crew and officers Of our vessel
are all we'll, and nnxions to take charge Of the
| gallant Japan next season should We be again
engaged in maritime pursuits. Fl. E. P"