The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-08-15
BAWBEESE LAKE
& e DISASTER.
Funeral Services OF tho Drown
NJ ed at C0ldwater, Sunday
a August 5th., 1876.

Sunday the 5th., attended by four
thousand people. The following is
descriptive account Of the accident,
prepared and delivered by A. I. Lam
pbere. Esq., of that city. at the funeril.
MY FnrrSps:-rt is not without hest.
: tatiou, and a degree of difiidence
which I seldom feel, that arise to take
! the part assigned me upon this melan-
choly occasion. Deeply impressed
with the sorrow that peryadcs our en-
tire community. aud having witnessed
the tragic event which has called us to-
| gether, would fiin jnin in that silent
! sympathy which enshrouds all hearts,
as being most consopant with my feel.
| ings, aud in unison with that universal
law OF our being which 'tempers sor-
row with silence, aud clothes not sad
ness in the active livery of speech"
We have assembled upon this beau.
tiful Sabbath day-tLis vast concourse
to demonstrate our respect for the
memory Of the dead, aud our sympa-
/ thy With the sorrows II the living, and
IL has been thought that a brief I'D
dress descriptive Of the recent calami-
" would form desirable feature upon
this occasion. ii'
The first day of the present month
fis day that will long be remembered
! in our community. Bright and beauti-
fnl il came, relieving the anxiety Of
many who had feared that unfavorable
weather would interfere with their an
ticipated enjoyment.
Hundreds Uf our citizens assembled
I IA
anticipation, heightened by the remem-
brance Of the year previous WHEN all
xho visited the beautiful grounds Of
Baw Beese returned at evening happy
with the days enjoyment, unmarried
by accident, or any unpleasant incident
~ uetracI from the pleasures of the
day. AS the train moved of little did
| those who remained behind think that
some Of them had parted for the last
| tiue with those loved ones, who were
/ to return % them indeed, Int clothed
| in the habiliment Of death. Arriving
at the lake--a place familiar TO most OF
the excursionists from previous visits
the scene was soon one OF uualloycd
happiness aud pleasure. Bnoyed mp
by boats upon the bosom of the beau
tiful lake, or gathered in groups be-
meath the foliage upon the green hill
side, the party were soon actively en-
gagged IL the usual pastimes Of pleas
ure seekers, with no thought OF i'm
pending danger, and with no expecta-
/ iion Of the Wild scene Of anguish so
soon to follow. The forenoon passed
pleasantly away. Every available wa
torcraft was brought into requisi;ion.
including the ono which was 10 bear
those for whom we this day mourn to
their wntery graves. This boat vas
constructed Of two skiffs placed side
/ by side some eighteen inches apart,
aud deck or platform firmly fastened
over the whole. Prom this deck rose
I two seats made Of boards firmly fas-
tened aud capable Of accommodating
/ two persons each. Openings were
made through the deck on either side
for the accommodation of the rower-,
four in number, the deck forming the
seats while the feet and lower hnlbs
projected through the openings into
the skiiis below. There was Do railing
or bulwarks surrounding the deck aud
no seats for the accommodation Of
/ more than eight persons. The area of
/ the platform or deck was about seven
aud onc-half by fifteen feet; aud the
boat when properly managed had a
carrying capacity Of from ten to twelve
/ persons. On the right hand side OF
the boat when facing the bow there
| was a seam or opening near the top,
and several inches above water-maIk <
/ when loaded with niue or ten persons.
This seam appeared to have been canlk-
| ed, but at this time there was nothing
| To prevent tha watcr--when that side
OF the boat was sufficiently depressed
from pouring through. This seam
or opening was dangerous one when
/ The boat was overloalcd--or with AT
ordinary load when the Loat was not
properly trimmed. Thir l,At had been
/ ia constant use. Ii wa, ''ccnp..,l 4 dur
| ing the greater part of iht iVi,HOon by
/ a party OF nine persons ia rowing over
! different portions of tine Lake. A care
lul inspection convinced the gentlemen
having this party ia charge that the
boat was safe one for that number.
and their experience seemed fully to
justify this conclusion. Other parties
had used the boat, aud about two
o'clock ia the afternoon II left the land
ing on its last fatal voyage. having on
board the iOlioving named persons:
Mr.. and Mrs. Ingram aud child. Mr..
Finney. Mr.. q. II. Taylor. Mrs. j. Al
ger. Mrs. M,.sser. Mrs. Thornton and
chlld, Misses Mary aud Libbic Gun
ningham. Miss Mary keely, Miss Alice
Hayes, Miss Ella Cunningham, Clifford
Van Every aud Randall Blacknan.
This number--sixteen-w without
doubt more than the BOAT when ia good
condition was capable of carrying in
safety.
Proceeding quietly from the shore.
| the boat moved in southerly direction
to point some eighty rods from the
starting place. II had been discovered
that one of the skiffs was leaking bad
az aud the boat was turDed about aud
again started for the landing. OF the
position occupied by different members
Of tho party 4 will not now speak.
have not the time for minute detail,
but must refer my hearers TO the testi-
naony taken befo=c the corpners Jury,
aud tue varioas newspaper reports.--
The water continued 10 pour in, with
out doubt through the opening before
alluded TO. Au Intellectual effort was
made AZ bailing; the boat was headed
for the vest shore some thirty rods ,lis.
tsnt aud every effort made 10 hasten
It's speed. About this time Mr.. Taylor
ia his excitement rendered hrs oar use-
less--the water cams over the right
side of the bUa.--the aifrightcd com
pany rushed To the opposite side. and
the boat filled and went down bow
foremost into the watery depths. Al
this moment of Wild excitement ifnag-
nation must aid us in our endeavors to
picture the scene no person now liv-
ting IL able to tell all that trapspired. -
But in that moment Of agony, that
Wild struggle for life In the treachcr.
ous water, our friends went down.
Mother aud daughter, sisters, the
strong man and the fair hoy ali went
down. OF their last worls while liv-
ing. their struggles aud suffering,
whether clasped IN each others arms Or
sinking siugiy in the dark waters about
them NE know but little. We eau i'm.
sgiEe their frantic efforts for life, tlieiv
thoughts Of the loved oncs they were
leaving . rcver. their clasping each
other in silent embrace when hoIc was
over, but that is all. The exact history
Of that monen will never be known.
Mr.. Taylor sank before assistspce ar.
rived. Mr.. Phinney, Mr.. Ingram, hi,
xife aud child. aud Mrs. Algcr wer,
found clinging TO the boat NV fioatine
lotion up. Miss Ella Cunpinehnn
WAS reached ty The steamer, While lie
tle Clifford Van Every was taken mp b,
$50. a tb.. af,,.ffev boofs Will. s~t ~,