Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-09-24
LAKE MICHIGAN DISASTERS.

$40; medium, $4.250i.5O.
LAKE MICHIGAN DISASTERS.
The Sinking Ofthe PrOpelIers Equinox
and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Stories.
The Chicago morning papers of the
14th contain detailed accounts of the loss
of the propeilers Equinox and Mendoza,
as given by rescued parties The only
known survivor of the crew of the former
vessel reached Chicago on the 18th, hav-
ing been picked up by the schooner
Havana. His name $ given by one of
the papers as Charles Burns, and his story
is condensed as follows:
Burns who was wheelsman, remained
in the wheelhouse until five minutes of
the time the Equinox went down. When
the lire by which the Mayes was towcd
was cut the propeller had nearly eight
feet of water in her hold. Her gangway
had been stove in by the heavy seas and
the salt between decks was washing over
board. She had only two boats. One
had been launched, containing Capt.
Dwight Scott, the mate, two firemen, six
deck hands and another man, unknown.
There were twenty on board in all, in
down by the stern, and Just before the
sinking Burns and Capt Woodruff had
been working to get the second boat
launched. The tackling caught, however,
and neither having knife with which to cut
the guys it became too late, and Burns
and Capt. Woodruff took to Tenders, of
which the former secured two. The up
per works of ,lle propeller tlOated of, and
Burns seeing the deck of the pilot-house
within short distance of him, struck out
for il and succeeded in getting upon it.
thus losing sight of Woodruff. The
Equinox went down about ten miles Oft
Point Sauble, at about two O'Clock Friday
morning, or little after, and Burns feels
quite certain that all, except those in the
boat, perished, as also Capt. Woodruff, as
the latter could not possibly live in that
sea on the Tenders. The young ladies, the
daughter and niece of Capt. Scott, were
so overcome by fright that they were easy
victims. Besides these ladies there were
left on board five persons \ blanket and
sheet, from the berth below the pilot
house, were secured by Burns, and he
lashcd himself to the uprights in which
the wheel was rugged, and 80 ilOated. lie
went through a terrible ordeal, and became
so chilled and exhausted that had it not
been for his prccaution in lashing himself
he must have been washed off and per-
ished. An hour or two after the sinking
of the propeller the second cook came
drifting in the vicinity Of Burns, who says
he unlashed himself, swan to the man and
got him aboard the pilOt-house deck, but
he soon aiterward died and washed off.
Later, the boat containing those mentioned
above came along. Capt. Scott asked
Burns to enter it, but he preferred not, and
the boat and raft soon afterward separated,
the boat going Burns does not know
where. The gale was at its height, and
Burns does not think Capt Scott's party
weathered it. At least, if the boat had
outridden the storm or been picked up,
she ought to be heard from by this time.
Burns took to the Tenders at about two a.
m. Friday and was taken off his raft about
sixty miles off the Manitous, the middle of
the lake at nine p. IN. Saturday, the raft
going to pieces soon after.
Eight of the survivors of the Mendoza
also reached Chicago on the 18th. One
of their number, seaman, tells the fol-
lowing story:
There were twenty persons on board the
| propeller, including two ladies, the Cap
tain's wife and the Stewards wife. They
had prosperous voyage until they
about four o'clock Thursday afternoon,
when the wind began to blow gale from
the northwest. A few hours later the
wind changed to the north, and fearful
sea was making. They passed Point Bet
sey at quarter past twelve Friday morn
ing, and the propeller, though laboring,
went along all right, At about two O'Clock
one of the barges, the Morning Star, broke
adritt BY this time the arches of the pro
peller broke away and she began to make
water. They then let go the other barge
This was about eight miles east of Point
Sauble. When it was observed that sht
was sinking one of the boats was lowered
The Captain was the first to enter the
boat and the mate the second
Everybody that could crowded into it
The crew were told not to get in 1t by
the Captain, but to launch the secOnC
boat, though he knew there was not time
enough to do it. Ten persons crowded il
the boat, and when the Captain saw hi
wife was not in it he tried to have he
saved, and in the effort to do so he fell on
of the boat, and was iammed between tn,
arch and boom. The Captain got bacl
into the boat again, and more tried TO &C
in, but they were driven back by the mate
The Captains father fell out, and wa
killed by being iammed between the bul
warks and the hawserboX In the etior
to save the Captains wife, who was seel
clinging TO the hawser-boX, the owner
son, Billy Crossthwaite, and the secont
engineer were thrown out of the boat. M
effort was made TO save them, and MI
Crossthwaite climbed up on the pilothoust
on top of which he was last seen. Thi
left but eight persons in the boat The,
pulled fora quarter of an hour towar
the sinking boat, trying TO save the CAP
J tain's wife. At about three o'clock In
vessel went down stern first, Nothin
could be heard from those left on board .
the wreck, except that the Stewards VIII
! cried: n OH my God" Ihewind wa
terrible, and the waves were filling tn
small boat in which they've but by bail
ing they managed to keep il aioat, The
were on the boat twenty-nine hours, an
{ were once passed by vessel which he
confident was the schooner Emma A
Mayes, and, though they made signs (
distress no notice was taken of them, an
the schooner passed on. When they neare
} land they saw small schooner comm
toward them, which proved 70 be the AZ
/. die. of Manitowoc, THEY were taken o
board and kindly treated by the Captai
and crew and taken into Manitowoc.
THE census Of Kansas, just completed
shows loss Of population In twenty-five
: counties in the State. The grasshoppel