Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-07-09
The Green Lake Disaster.
Five Ladies, Four Young Girls and
one Man Drowned.

Fourth Of July will long be remembered
in the village of hartford with feeling of
the keenest sorrow. A picnic BY the
Good Templars was to have been held
on the banks Of Green Lake, near
Cullen's point, about four miles from
hartford, on the opposite shore of the
lake. A party of thirty or forty per-
sous, men, women and children, left
hartford on the morning of the Fourth,
to attend the picnic, taking boats near
Greenway's lakewood Hotel. The
yacht II. B. Harshaw, recently from
Oshkosh, took on board twenty -four
persons. The sail-boat Ripon Girl
took on large number, and several
row-boats also started out, heavily load
ed. About 1890 o'clock when the
boats had reached the middle of the
lake, the storm which had been gather
ing for several hours suddenly broke
withptempestuous fury, blowing for a
few minutes perfect hurricane. The
yacht Harshaw, so heavily loaded,
swamped and filled with water, and
| the other boat c,psized. The row-boats
| were either swamped or capsized, and
ia an instant thirty or forty persons
were laundering in the water, half a
mile from shore. The little steamer
Rustic Belle, which piles upon the
lake, had left the landing at Cullen's
point, and when struck by the storm
was driven on shore, losing her flag
staff and part of her smoke stack. As
soon as she could be got off, she pro-
ceeded at once to the scene of the
wreck, and succeeded in picking up
a large number The scene is said to
have been one of UNDERSTANDABLE terror.
Little children were seen hanging to
the upturned boats mothers grasping
their children and imploring assistance.
and others were seen to sink and rise
no more. The storm of wind was
succeeded by drenching rain, which
for more than half an hour filled the
air with one continuous sheet Of falling
water.
The people, nearly thousand in
number, who had come to attend the
picnic, gathered at the hotel at Cullen s
point, and as soon as possible did all
in their power to succor the unfortun-
ates. The steamer succeeded ir rescu
ing large number, and many were
picked up in semi-unconscious con-
dition by row-boats. 1t was found
that ten persons had been drowned,
and one or two others are missing, and
it is feared have found watery grave.
A large number of Oshkosh people
went to Cullen's point to attend the
picnic, including Nelson Gill, r. T.
Morgan, DR. Turner and others. Ga
their return at S o'clock in the evening
our citizens received the first tidings of
the disaster. A reporter started on
the morning train for Ripon, and pro-
ceedsd Immediately to the scene of the
disaster. At Dartf,r I'd he found the
streets almost deserted, and a general
feeling of gloom prevailed the place.
Fifteen or twenty boats were on the
lake, their occupants engaged in the
melancholy task of of graphing for Il e
remains ofthe lost ones.
/ The following is correct list of
chose drowned Miss Jennie DIN, of
hartford, aged Ia Mrs. John Baird,
of Dartfort Mrs. A. P. Carman, wife
of the Clerk of the Circuit Court at
hartford; Mrs. M. G. Russell, of Berlin;
Jennie Russell aged years, daughter
of Mrs. n. c. Russell Matte Allen,
aged 6 years, daugeter of Rev. T. F.
Allen, of hartford William Blackson,
wife and Daughter, aged years, all of
hartford Mrs. Caroline Harding, of
hartford.
| When the yacht Harshaw left the
shore she had in tow row boat.
About ten minutes before the storm
struck her, William Bloodson, his wife
and child, and Mrs. John Baird
left the yatch and got into the row.
boat. Mrs. Baird left on the Harshaw
her little son, about 6 years of age,
and as the boats parted, she cried out:
sc ood-by, Charlie be good boy"
A few minutes later the gale upset the
boat, the mother was drowned, while
the boy was providentlally saved. Rev.
| L. F. Allen, the resident Methodist
minister at hartford, accompanied by
his wife and little daughter, was on
boar! the Harshaw. Himself and wife
were among the saved, but the child, a
bright little girl. sank beneath the
waves, never to rise. Mrs. DIN, OF
hartford, was in the Harshaw and had
sunk three times when she was res
cued. She remained partially uncon-
scious through the night, and, when
your. reporter left, she had just begun
to regain her consciousness. Her
daughter Jennie, aged Il, was one OF
the drowned.
Green Lake is about four miles wide
and eight or nine miles long. It is
romantically situated among a lot Of
low hills, and its waters have dark
appearance, which gives it the name.
Its depth varies from few feet to six.
ty and seventy feet. Your reporter
had talk with Mr. Walker, the owner
| of tEe Ructio P,1lo ~ -; ! L -,