The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1875-05-06
A Terrible Casualty at sauk
Centre.
4 SAIL BOAT CAPSIZED.
4 Man and Three Boys Drowned.
A YOUNG HERO.

sAuK CENTRE, May 4th, 1875.
EDITOR JoURNAL.-A terrible accident
occurred here Sunday afternoon, by which
four persons lost their lives. A party Of
twelve men and boys started out for sail
on the lake in large boat owned by Mr..
Getchel. The party consisted of Mr..
Getchel and Mr.. Heyford, of this place,
Mr.. Beach, Of Birchdale, young gentle
man from Ohio, a son Of Mr.. Getchel, two
sons Of Mr.. BURGESS (who was once q
residsnt Of st. Cloud = son Of J. J. Weber's,
Frank Winberg, = boy who worked at
8. Psndergasts, whose parents live near
Fort Aberbrombie, and some other boys
whose names I have not been able to learn.
They sailed up the lake TO the "narrows,"
about q miles from town, when they IT.
tempted to turn and come back. There was
a stiff breeze they tackled three times, when
squall struck them, capsizing the boat.
They were about 50 rods from the west
bank and nearly opposite the farm house
Of Mr.. Smith. The party all managed to
get hold and climb upon the boat, but ow-
ing to the large amount of ballast confined
in the hold, the boat would not float
them but Immediately sank 80 that the
party were thrown off: They continued to
crawl upon it, some getting upon the mast,
and shouted Justify for help. No enc heard
them except boy that was out hunting
nearly mile below and was watching the
boat and saw it capsize. He started up the
lake on run, notified Mr.. Smith, threw
off his coat, vest and boots and kept on up
the lake over mile further, got a boat
aud came to the rescue. During all this
time the party hung to the boat. Mr..
Smith made raft and launched it, but
found it would not float himself even and
80 put back to shore. By this time the
party in the water were getting so numb
that it was impossible for the weakest to
hang on any longer. A large wave struck
the capsized boat and threw off some,
among whom was young Winberg. The
poor boy was 80 stiff that he could not re-
gain his hold, and the rest were 80 numb
that they could not help him, and he wen.
down. The others managed to regain the
boat and stick on for q few minutes longer,
when they were again thrown off and one
Of Burgess boys got Mr.. Beach by the neck
and they went DOM together. In q few
minutes more the other Burgess boy let 60
his hold upon the boat and sank to the bot.
tom. By this time, from one-half to three.
quarters of an hour, the boy that had gone
up the lake came in sight working like a
hero. He went up to the wreck, usine
great presence Of mind, allowing only one
to approach his boat at time. He pulled
in the gentleman from Ohio, who was too
numb to help himself, and Mr.. Getchel
who had worked until entirely exhausted
keeping the boys to the wreck, and was
just going down himself when the boat ar.
rived. The boy made two trips to the
shore and safely carried off all the survi.
vors, eight in number. The brave boy
then started for Sank Centre for medical
aid, and DR.. Palmer Immediately repaired
to the scene with stimulants and the rescued
were all restored, and to-day are thank.
ing Providence for their escape. Yester.
day parties were dragging all day for the
bodies and recovered that of young Win
berg, to-day they recovered one of the Bur-
CESS boys. The former was inferred to.
day. A purse of $4,000 was raised and
given to the boy that worked so bravely to
save their lives. 1t is believed that if the
boat had not been 30 heavily ballasted the
whole party would have been saved. S.