Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-09-12
AWFUL CATASTROPHE.
The Propeller Equinox ,and All on Board,
Swallowed Up by the Angry Waves
During Storm on Lake
Michigan.
4 Daughter and Grand Daughter Of Her
Commander Among the Victims
The Fury Of the Storm
Terrible.
The NhriekS Of the Women Heard by the
Grew OF Another EeSsel-Captain
Lusk's Narrative.

CHICAGO, September IA terrible
disaster occurred on Lake Michigan
early yesterday morning which has just
been reported here. The propeller
Equinox on her way from Chicago to
Bay City, Michigan, with q cargo OF
salt snd towing the schooner Emma Z.
Mayes loaded with lumber, was over
taken by the storm about two o'clock
yesterday morning near Point Au Sable,
two hundred and eighty miles north OF
Chicago. Captain Woodwork, OF the
Equinox, came TO the stern OF the pro-
psller at that time and called out to cut
the lines. This was done, and the pro-
peiler careened and sunk in a few
minutes after. She had on board q
crew Of nineteen men, and CaptaiR
Dwight, Of Cleveland, well known
lake captain, who was accompanied by
his wife and grand daughter, making
total Of twenty-five. The first intima-
ton had OF the cstastrOpe was the
shrieks Of the drowning. The Mayes
could render no assistance whatever in
the terrible sea that was going, and the
entire crew of the Equinox went down.
The Msyes arrived here this morning.
The Post and Mail publishes the follow
ing ac"Ount Of the disaster TO the prOpel.
Ter Equinox: "A most terrible disaster,
arising from the great storm Thursday
night, comes TO light this morning, the
disaster involving the loss Of the pro-
pelleT Equinox, with all on board.
Twenty-Five persons were on board, not
one Of whom is known to have escaped.
The angry waters Of the lake swallowed
the great vessel at one gulp, leaving no
sign of where it had been few mo-
O. l.-F Fruyg,
gers on board, the O.her nineteen being
the captain and crew. The drowned
captain wss Dwight Scott, Of Cleveland,
and was formerly owner of the IrOu-
sides, :. L. Caldwell and Governor
Cushman, the last named having been
blown up at Buffalo three years ego.
The two passengers were Miss Minnie
Scott, his daughter, aged nineteen, home
on vacation from convent where she
was being educated, and Miss Hattie
Scott, aged seventeen, the captains
granddaughter, who lived in Cleveland,
snd was travelling for pleasure in the
Equinox. Captain Scott was about six
ty years of age, and has son in busi-
ness at Cleveland. The names OF the
crew are not yet known. The Equinox
started from Saginaw, bound for Chica-
GO, on Sunday evening last, laden with
salt, consigned to Mr.. Stewart, OF the
Exchange building. She was near
Point Su Sable, ab3uE one hundred
and eighty milss + n Chicago,
when she went dow II story
Of the disaster is told Uy CHptaiI LusE,
Of the schooner Emma A. Mayes, which
arrived off the barbor at eight o'clock
last night, a1d was brought in this
morning. This schooner was being
tOwed by the lost propeller up tO within
few minutes befpre she went down.
TIE storm struck the lake with great
force, but the two vessels plowed their
way through without misfortune until
three o'clock Friday morning. Tne
crews of both vessels were ready for
DUTY, and were on the schooner con-
stanuy engaged ab,ut the sa Is and rig
g!ng. The fury CT the storm was terri
ble, and, it seemed, several times as
though certain destruction awaited
them. No signs, however, came from
the Equinox that all was not right Oh
board. Her speed was very much re-
tsrded, but she held to her course, and
steamed ahead. The night was pitch
dark, and the water was running high.
The storm created a fearful din, making
il almost impossible to hear anything
bu5 the warning Of the elements. AS
tie lightning flashed across the scene il
gave it The only idea to the unfortunate
mariner as TO the look of things as to
what was likely to haTpsn at any
minute They had only TOO f0rciable an
impression. They were off Poiut Su
Sable, at about two Friday morning,
when Captain Lusk heard voice from
the propeller shouting, "Cast off your
line" Wbich was Immediately followed
by the shrieks of women. For q few Sec
onds all was still, the crew of the Mayes
meanwhile loosing the line. The voices
of the women from the propeller were
sgain heard, and it sounded to those on
board the Mayes as though they cried
"We are drowning" The line was al
ready loosened anu the connection be-
tween the two vessels severed suddenly.
While Captain Lusk was peering
through the darkness at the receding
propeller, it appeared ID tip and, almost
before be could make a motion, the i'm
mense craft weEt down, the Kissing and
bubbling Of the wster only telling where
she had been. 1t was so quick that no
one on board the schooner seemed to
have al idea CT the true state Cf facts.
For a moment it seemed as though it
might be that the propeller had steamed
away aud was lost ID sight in the storm,
but the spectacle Of the sinking steamer
was too plainly impressed on his mind;
there could be no mistake; the steamer
bad been swallowed up; there had been
no warning, no sig0 that anything was
wrong until the order came to cut loose,
aud from that instant all seemed to have
been lost. Captain Lusk weatheTed the
70 ma Of ha Tnh !,
and last evening arrived in the haroor
the worse for wear. Captain Edward
Busk, Of the Emma Mayes, said to a
reporter that he had known the prOpel-
Ter tut short time, but he considered
her seaworthy, or he would not have
kept her in tow so long. She gave no
sign of distress, either whistling or
showing her lights Captain Lusk
says, 81 had scarcely noticed the
csreening Of the propeller, when Cap
tain Woodworth shouted to me, "Cast
eff your tOw-line." As soon as l had
done this | noticed she was sinking, and
/ heard the women shout that they
were drowning, and the propeller sank
completely out of sight. |. was not five
minutes from the time the captain told
me TO cast off before she GissI peared be-
meath the waves. We could render no
assistance, as. a small b at could not
live in such sea, and 70 Try to bring
the schooner alongside would have been
certain death to all. 1t was all | could
do 10 weather the gale, and as it was
my f0reasil was badly split, and my
cargo was shifting some. She went down
so quicklY that there was no chance for
escape. Toe propeller must have opened
her seams at once and been literally
swallowed up by the great suction
caused thereby, | have no doubt at all
but what every one on board met with
almCst instant death. The vessel was
an old one, and when once she sprang
e leak al OF her seams probably opened
right up. ] don't believe the captain had
auy idea that she YVES going down un-
Ill he spoke his last wOrds-"Cast off
your towlinE." There was plenty of
time 70 signal me il he
had realized his danger, but
3 signal would have done no good, as
could not come slOugside. The wind
was flowing a perfect gale from the
northw ard, and the sea WAS running so
high as TO make it impossible for any
thing but a clear sailor to weather it
The ak ht was dark, and / could hardly
make cut the propeller, but could see
her as sne swuT z over on her side, and
her other me tious. As soon az she went
down there wss nCthiBg but compl:ts
darkness, and the night was the most
horrible l ever passed. hope 10 God l
will never have another such expert
eDce. ! managed to get through with
little damage to my craft. though, and
wss lowed in by the tug Protection
about nine o'clJCk last mig /.
ADJUSTMENTS.