Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1877-10-13
Loss Of the Minnie sutton.

where she was going with the lighter
and some men to move some wood be-
| longing to our townsman, p NJ. Lathrop,
to Detour. Besides Capt. Elmer A.
Sammons, and Engineer Field. belong
ing to the tug. there We're on board Miss
Alice Seaman, Murray Seaman, Captains
VIM. Weaver and nj. Marsilliot, Mr. Ii.
Shadbolt, and William and Michael An
drews. IC had been the intention to
have started early in the day, but it was
blowing quite fresh,' and their departure
was postponed. In the afternoon the
wind had died down, and there did not
seem to be much sea running, so that
Capt. Sammons concluded to make an eff
fort to get across, and started about three
o'clock. During the night it began to
blow, and many Were apprehensive for
the safety Of the Sutton and those on
board, but it was hoped that she had sue
ceedeeel in getting in the lee of the
north shore before the blow came up.
Nothing was heard from the. Sutton un-
til Monday afternoon, when the tug j.
w, Bennett came into port with those
who had left on tine Sutton the Wednes-
day Previous and whom she had taken
from the Spsct;.cle Reef light house. TLey
brought the Information that in all prob
ability the Sutton had gone down i'm
Lake Huron. From those who were on
ner we learn the following particulars:
| They experienced no difficulty until
after they passed Bois Blanc island, when
they encountered heavy sea. but
thought they could weather it. and kept
OF. About half past five the sea became
so heavy that they were obliged to change
their course slightly, and bring the tug
head to the sea, which brought their
course diiect for Spectacle, Reef light,
for which point they made, hoping to
find lee where the tug and lighter
cot.ld be moorcd in safety. The sea con-
tinued to increase, and the tug made
more water than could be kept clear
with the siphon, and they were COM
PEELED TO bail her to keep from being
swamped.R They succeedt d in reaching
the pier about half-past eight o'clock,
bnt by this time the wind had changed,
and was blowing quite fresh from the
northwest this, with the sea running in
an opposite direction, made it doubtful
about saving the tug and lighter Those
: on board were with difficulty got off on
to the pier, and the tug was attached to
the stern of the lighter by a line to her
tow post, the timber head forward hay
ing been previously torn out. The
lighter was made fast with two lines,
| one new one, kindly furnished by Mr..
McCann, keeper of the light, in hopes
that they might weather the blow.
About three o'clock Thursday morning
they broke loose from The pier, the line
belonging on the lighter having crafe,l
| off, and an eye-bolt one and half inches
i'm diameter, to which the new line was
attached, breaking off. The lighter and
: tug was watched as they were carried
| away by the sea, and as late as 1 O'Clock
Thursday forenoon the lighter could be
r seen from the tower by the aid or q
glass, and it was thought that the tug
r could also be seen yet afloat. Those res
:. cued from the Sutton remained upon the
S pier until Sunday, when Engineer Field
the two Andrews took small boat be.
: longing to the light keepers and succeed
ceeded in reaching BOis Blanc light
where, seeing Lake Superior steamer
Il passing toward Mackinac, they were pu
aboard by the Bois Blanc light keeper
a and were landed at Mackinac. Monday
e the j. w. Bennett went to Spectacle
Reef and brought the rest of the party
j to ChebOygan.
Tuesday the Leviathan ran down as
). far rs Middle island, and lookout was
q kept and inquiries made. but nothing
could be seen or heard of either the
e lighter or tug. We do not think there
(: can be any doubt about the Sutton hav
. ing gone to the bottom of Lake Huron
O The lighter may have been carried
3 ashore, and may yet be heard from.
Mr.. Sammons valued the Sutton al
9 $4,000, and to him the loss is a great one
, The lighter was worth in the neighbor
!; hood of $1,000 and belonged TO MIR. P
NJ. Lathrop. Messrs Weaver and Mar
o silliot lost property valued at about 5000
9 and Miss Seaman quantity OF wearing
A apparel, but all considered themselve
fortunate in getting off with their lives
e Since the above was written Capt
e Bentley, OF the schooner Mosher, reports
having seen the lighter last Saturday
d near Duck islands, and that the lighte
e was borne down at the stern as though
. some heavy weight was attached. From
s this fact it is supposed that the Suttol
z was yet fast to the lighter, and unles
the line parted during the heavy blow
y since, there may be possibility of tn
u tug and lighter both being recovered
Mr.. Sammons has chartered the tug W
, b. Minter, and was to have started thi
e morning in search of the missing crafts
Il "A telegram from Port ColbOrne
l. the Iufpr-Ocoau cayc fbot ho Canada