The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-09-30
The Loss of the Propellers Mendoza
and Equinox.

The Loss of the Propellers Mendoza
and Equinox.
The, Chicago morning papers of the
18th contain detailed accounts of the loss
Of the propellers 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 is given by one, of
the papers as Charles Burns, and his story
is condensed as follows: -:
Burns, who was awheelsman, remained
in the wheelhouse until five minutes of
the time the Equinox went down. When
the line by which the Mayes was towed
was cut the propeller hid nearly eight
feet of water in her hold. Her gangway
had been stove in by the heavy seas and
board She had only two boats. One
had been launched, containing Capt.
Dwight Scott, the msfe, two firemcn, six
deck hands and aLJther man, unknown.
There were twenty on board in all, in
Guiding two ladies. The propeller went
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 the propeller tloated off, and
Burns seeing the deck of the pilot house
within short distance of him, struck out
for it and succeeded in getting upon 1t,
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
Wat, persisted, 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. A blanket and
sheet, from the berth below the pilot
house, were secured by Burns, and he
dashed himself TO the uluights in which
the wheel was rugged, and so tloatetl. He
went through terrible ordeal, and became
so chilled and exhausted that had it not
been for his precaution in lashing himself
lie 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
lie soon atterward 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 attcrward separated,
the boat going Burns does not know
where. The gale was at its height, and
Burns does not think Capt. SCOTS party
weathcred it. At least, if the boat had
outridd:n the storm or been picked up,
she ought to be heard from by this time.
Burns to TX to the tenders at about two Il.
M. Friday AMI was taken off his raft about
sixty miles off the Mantous, the middle OF
the lake at nine p. IN. Saturday, the raft
going to pieces soon after. i.
Eight of the survivors of the Mendoza
also reached Chicago on the 18th. One
of their number, a 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
reached Glen Harbor, on Lake Michigan,
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 a 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
adrift. 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 she
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 it by
the Captain, but to launch the second
enough to do it. Ten persons crowded in
the boat, and when the Captain saw his
wife was not in it he tried to have her
saved, and in the effort to do 50 he fell out
of the boat, and was jammed between the
arch and boom. The Captain got back
into the boat again, and more tried to get
in, but they were driven back by the mate.
The Captains father fell out, and was
killed by being jammed between the bull
warks and the hawser-box. In the effort
to save the Captains wife, who was seen
clinging to the hawscr-box, the owners
son. Billy Crossthwaite, and the second
engineer were thrown out of the boat No
effort was made to save them, and Mr.
Crossthwaite climbed up on the pilot-house
on top of which he was last seen. This
left but eight persons in the boat. They
pulled for quarter of all hour toward
the sinking boat trying to save the Cap
tain's wife. At about three o'clock the
vessel went down stern first. Nothing
could be heard from those left on board OF
the wreck, except that the Stewards wife
cried: "Oh, my God!" The wind was
terrible, and the waves were filling the
small boat in which they were, but by bail
ing they managed to keep it afloat. They
were on the boat twenty nine hours, and
were cnce passed by vessel which he i:
confident was the schooner Emma A
Mayes, and, though they made signs O.
distress no notice was taken of them, ant
the schooner passed on. When they nearet
land they saw small schooner coming
toward them, which proved to be the Ad
die, of Manitowoc. They were taken or
board and kindly treated by the Captain
and crew and taken into Manitowoc.
PERSONAL AND LITERARY.