Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-19
Ful1 Details of tho Aootdent.

In this connection the GLOBE presents the
following accurate account of the lamentable
accident. Mr.. Oswald D. Curtis, one of the
three survivors of tho party of six, was the
narrator. He stated that Sunday the Sd
inst, the party under Mr.. Rufus Davenport
reached Lake Pokegama about noon. The
party were composed of MIR. Rufus Daven-
port, in charge, and Messrs. VIM. Crooks,
Jr., George Cunningham, Stewart Bliss, Os-
valid D. Curtis, John Taverner, Charles
Hers and half-breed named George Flat.
They had walked rapidly from Grand Rapids
and were very much heated, when they
brought up on the shore of the lake. Here
they found two brothers, named Sewall, who
after some negotiation agreed to ferry them
across the lake, at this point half mile
wide The Sewalls brought out canoe, the
only boat at hand, capable of carrying over
at one time four OF the party.
1t was agreed that VIM. Crooks Jr., Geo.
Cunningham. Stewart Bliss and Oswald D.
Curtis should be first ferried over by the
Sewalls. The boat was brought and the
party boarded; the comrades, Davenport
Taverner, Herrs and Flat went into bivouac
on the shore to await their turn to be ferried
over. AS the boat neared the middle of
the lake, Curtis and Crooks observed she was
leaking. Crooks took up a cup and attempt
ed to bail out the water; it however, gained
fast, and within ten seconds the boat COM
menced to settle. Everybody sprang from
the sinking craft; as she filled she
turned keel upwards, and the whole party
caught to the sides, excepting Bliss. He
made struggling effort, and sank with tho
gurgling cry of "Save me-" One of the
Sewalis sank once, but was rescued by his
brother and brought to the boat, which
acted as buoy for all hands.
Among the ili-fated passengers was dog
belonging to young Crooks. 1t seemed his
first care to rescue his dumb companion,
when they struck the water. He brought
the dog with him to the upturned boat, and
placed him securely on it. The dogs efforts
to keep on the boat threatened to sink it,
and at the suggestion of the alf-drowned
crew, he was pushed off. but Crooks held to
his friend and partly kept him out of the
water. Just about this time Curtis started
out for the shore; he swan q short distance,
and becoming half paralyzed with cold, he
returned to the boat. Going back he en-.
countered Crooks swimming towards
the shore. Curtis cautioned him,
and told him he had not been able to make
the distance. Almost immediately on reach
irg the boat he turned about to look for
Crocks-he was gone. Shortly after reach
ing the boat Cunning ham asked to be raised
up; he was almost helpless, being benumbed
with the intense cold of the water. An Of
fort was made to raise him a little higher on
the boat, but his grasp relaxed, and shutting
his eyes, he sank out of sight.
Of the six stalwart happy youths who
started from the farther shore but
three remain. They were in condition
bordering on helplessness; when the boat
overturned the oars were lost; almost perish
ing with cold, they propelled the capsized,
water-loRged boat inch by inch along to the
shore, which they first destined to reach.
At last, they, after one hour and half's
immersion to the neck in the ice-covered
water, got on shore. One of the Sewalls was
SO benumbed he could hardly walk; the other
started off on trail to lumber camp.
Curtis was nearly crippled with cold and ex
haustion. He dragged himself to log, and
beat warmth into his frozen limbs. Shortly
he was approached by a lumberman,
taken to camp and cared for.
If the agony and suspense were great to
the sufferers, 1t was to a great degree shared
by their comrades on shore. These latter
were eye-witnesses to the frightful disaster
Luty NltueSSeu IuSlE COInfaQeS OYlnS Stfug-
giles, saw them one by one as they sank to
rise no more; witnessed the struggle and
sufferings of the survivors and we're powerless
to aid them. No boat at hand, nothing out
of which even a float could be made. Loud
shouts and encouraging directions were all
that could be given the benumbed and stricken
strugglers around the boat.
After the lumber camp was reached, Cur
It's was rejoined by those he had left on shore.
sad meeting, and one impressive with
regrets at the loss of their light
hearted companions. Measures were insti-
tuted to recover the bodies; graphing irons
were employed. The Thursday folio wing
VIM. Crooks body was recovered; next day
the waters were made to give the remains of
Cunningham. Bliss has not been found
George Cunningham, one of the victims of
the sad accident, lived in Pottsville, Pa;
Stewart Bliss was resident of Ann Arbor,
Michigan.
Mr.. Curtis tells his story with the pathos
of actual experience. His mind is not yet
relieved from the horrors of his late appal-
ling and perilous situation.