The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-09-16
A MILn AND WEIRD SCENE.

A WILD AND WEIRD SCENE.
THE CAPTAINS DAUGHTER AND GRAND
DAUGHTER GO DOWN WITH THE CREW
THE SAD STORY OF THOSE WHO VIII
MESSED THE CATASTROPHE, BUT WERE
PowERLEss PREVENT IT.
CHICAGO, ILL, Sept. 1.-THE Post and
Mail, of this evening, publishes the follow
ing account of the disaster to the propeller
Enninox: A most terrible disaster arising
from the great storm Thursday night comes
to light this morning, a disaster In
volYing the loss of the propeller 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 where 1t had been
a few minutes before. There were two pass
eneers on board, the other nineteen being
the captain and crew. The drowned captain
was Dwight Scott, of Cleveland. He w8s
formerly the owner of the Ironsides, s. ID.
Caldwell, and Governor Cushman, the last
named having been blown up at Buffalo
three years ago. The two passengers were
Miss Minnie Scott, his daughter, aged lS, at
home on vacation from a convent where she
was being educa ed, and Miss Hattie Scott.
aged IL, his granddaughter, who lived in
Cleveland, and was travelling for pleasure In
the Equinox. Captain Scott was about sixty
wears of age and has a son in business in
not yet known. The Equinox started
from Saginaw, bound for Chicago, Sunday
evening last, laden with salt consigned to
Mr. Stewart of the Exchange building. She
was near Point Au Sable, about one bum
dred and eighty miles from Chicago, when
she went down.
TIE STORY OF THE DISASTER
is told by Captain Lusk of the schooner EN-
ma A. Mayes, which arrived off the harbor
o lazf in
this morning. This schooner was being towed
by the lost propeller up to within few
minutes before she went down. The storm
struck the lake with great force, but the two
vessels plowed their way through without
misfortune until O'Clock Friday morning.
The crews of both vessels were ready for
duty and we're on the schooner constantly
engaged about the sails and rigging The fury
OF the storm was terrible, and it seemed
several times as though certain destruction
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
water was running high. The storm created
fearful din, making it almost impossible
to hear anything but the warning Of the
elements. As the lightning flashed across
the scene il gave the only idea to the
unfortunate mariners as TO the look o..
thiugs,and as to what was likely to happen at
any minute. They had only too forciole an
impression. They were of Point au Sable at
about two. Friday morning, when Captain
Lusk heard a voice from the propeller shout
ing "csst off your line" which was immed-
lately followed by
THE saRIEKs OF WOMEN.
For a few seconds all was still, the crew of
the Mayes meanwhile loosing the line. The
voices of women from the propeller were
again heard, and it sounded to those on
board the Mayes as though they cried, ave
are drowning" The line was already
lOOsened, and the connection between the
two vessels severed suddenly. While Capt.
Lusk was peering through the darkness at
the receding propeller it appeared to tip,
and almost before he could make motion,
the immense craft went down, the Kissing
and bubbling of the water only telling
where she had been. 1t was so quick
that no one on board the schooner seemed
to have any idea of the true state of facts.
For momentit seemed as though it nigh,
be that the propeller had steamed away and
was lost to sight in the storm, but the spec
tacle of the sinking steamer was too plainly
impressed on his mind. There could be no
mistake. The steamer had been swallowed
up. There had been no warning, no sign
that anything was wrong until the order
came to cut loose, and from that instant all
seemed to have been lost. Capt. Lusk
weatheTed the remainder of the night as
best be could, and last evening arrived IN
the harbOr considerably the worse for wear.
Capt. Edward Lusk, of the Emma Mayes,
said to reporter that he had known ths
propeller but q short time, but considered her
seawOrthy or he would not have kept
her in tow 80 long. she gave no sign of dis
tress, by either whis;ling or show
ing lights. Capt. Lusk says: al
% had scarcely noticed the careening of the
propeller when Capt. Woodwork shouted
to me, Cast off your tow-hne.' AS soon as
had done this L noticed she was sinking.
heard the women shout, 'We're drown
ingi we're drowningr The propeller sank
minutes from the time the captain told me
to cast of before
SHE DIsAPPEAREE BENEATH THE WAVES.
We could render no assistance, as a small
boat could not live in such a sea, and 10 try
to bring the schooner along side would have
been certain death to all. 1t was ali could
do to weather the gale, and it was my
foresail was badly split and my cargo was
shifting some. She went down so quickly
there was no chance for any escape. The
propeller must have opened her seams al
once and been literally swallowed up by
the great suction caused thereby.
have no doubt at all but what every
one oD board met with almost in
slant death. The vessel was an old one
and when once she sprung leak all of her
seams probably opened right up. / don't
Ooio'e sno captain hao any loea sne was
going down until he spoke his last words
Cast off your tow line There was plenty
of time to signal me IL he had realized bis
danger, but signal would have done nc
good as could not have come alongside
The wind was blowing perfect gale from
szthe==sn0rthward,=a nd@the sea was
running so high as to make II
impossible for anything but clear sail tc
weather it. The night was dark, and we
could hardly make out the propeller, bu
could see her as she swung over on her side
and her other motions. As soon as she went
down there was nothing but complete dark
ness about her. The night was the mos
horrible ever passed. hope to God viii
never have another such experience.
to- M -, IL.