Connecticut western news., 1875-09-17
Terrible Disaster on the Lake.

The Chicago Post of last Saturday pub fishes the following account of terrible disaster on Lake Michigan: .....
 A most terrible disaster arising from the great storm of Thursday night comes to light this morning-a disaster involving the loss of the propeller Equinox with all on board; twentY-two persons were on board, not one of whom is known to have escaped. There were two passengers on board and the captain and the crew, consisting of 19 more. The drowned captain was Dwight Scott of Cleveland the two passengers were Miss Minnie Scott, the captains daughter, aged nineteen, going home, and Miss Hattie Scott, aged seventeen, grand daughter. Captain Scott was about sixty years of age. The names of the crew are not known. The Equinox started from Sag
 inaw for Chicago Sunday evening last, la
 den with salt consigned to Mir. Stewart of
 this city. She was near Point au Sable,
 about 18o miles from Chicago when she
 went down. The story of the disaster is
 told by Captain Lusk of the schooner Elm
 ma A. Mayes. which arrived this morning.
 His schooner was being lowed by the lost
 propeller up to within few minutes before
 she went down. The storm struck the lake
 with great force, but tue two vessels
 ploughed their way without misfortune un-
 til two o'clock Friday morning.
 The crews of both vessels were ready for
 duty and that of the schooner was constant
 ly engaged about the sails and rigging. The fury of the storm was terrible, and it seem- ed several times as though certain destruc-
 tion awaited them. No signs however,
 came from the Equinox that all was not
 right on board. Her speed was very much , retarded. but she held to her course and steamed ahead. The night was pitch dark and the waves were running high. The storm created such fearful din as to make l it almost impossible to hear anything, while } the lightning afforded only glimpse of the scene.
 They were off Point au Sable about two o'clock Friday morning when Capt. Lusl heard voice from the propeller shouting | Cast off your line,' which was immediately
 followed by the shrieks of the women
 For few seconds all was still. The crev 0 of the Mayes were meanwhile looseninl e the line when the voices of women iron s- the propeller were again heard, soundin o to those on board the schooner as thoug e they cried We are drowning The lin > was already loosened and connection be > tween the two vessels thereby severed, whe }, suddenly as Captain Lusk was peerin n through the darkness at the receding pro l. peller, it appeared to tip, and almost befor r he could move the immense craft disaI l. peared from sight beneath the hissing WI ters. The action was so sudden that n a one on board the schooner seemed to hay }. an idea of the position. For moment if seemed as though it might be the propelle n had steamed away and was lost sight of Ia the darkness, but the spectacle of the sink # ing vessel with it's living freight was to J. plainly impressed upon his mind, and thel r. could be no doubt but that the steamer ha n been swallowed up without warning or sig o of wrong until the order came to cut loose IT Captain Lusk weathered the remainder C e the night as best he could, and last evonin e arrived in harbor considerably the wors f for wear.