The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-09-19


Barber the artist, Of this city, and two
companions, on Sandusky bay. A full re-
lation of the circumstances converts the
affair into one OF the most thrilling ad-
ventures in the records of the lakes, by
far transcending in interest any of the
publications that have been made about
i.
Mr.. Barber, accompanied by his broth
erin law, Mr.. John Chandler, ofSt. Louis
and Mr.. Chandlers daughter Amy, aged
nine years, was out on Sandusky bay in
a fat.bottomed, cat-rigged sail boat
twenty-five feet long and seven feet wide,
on fishing and hunting excursion. Some
symptoms OF a storm appearing, Mr.
Barber, who had charge ofthe boat, and
who is an expert in the management Of
such crafts, set sail for Sandusky. When
about two miles from his objective point
the evidences Of coming squall were so
apparent that he took in all sail and pre-
pared for trouble. The squall, which
was very eccentric one, struck terrific.
ally, and without any admonition as to its
force or direction, lifting the rear of the
boat, rudder and all, out of water, and
placing it beyond the power Of the most
Skillful skipper to straighten things. In
a twinkling the boat was capsized and
the three passengers thrown into the wa.
ter. AS they went down, Mr.. Barber and
Mr.. Chandler both seized the little girl,
with exceedingly slim hopes of saving
either her or themselves. At that mo-
ment there was but fractional distance
between them and eternity. AS they
splashed into the water both gentlemen,
by the margin of hair, having the bur.
den of the little girl between them, got
flimsy grasp on the side of the boat, and
throwing Amy into the floating sail, got
additional purchase on their precious
charge.
The boat was not yet bottom side up,
the mast holding it partially on its side,
and the unfortunate trio clinging to the
side highest from the water. The storm
increased in fury, and the waves dashed
with terrible force, sometimes going over
the boat and drenching the wrecked par
ty. The gentlemen tightened their holds
as we'll as they could, not for a moment
relaxing their grasp upon the little GIRL
agreeing that they would survive or 60
down together. The bottom OF the boat
was Shiny and slippery, rendering it inn
possible to improve the situation, and
the sea was raging with fury which
momentarly threatened to end the last
Vestige of hope.
To ComphCate the situation the mast
gave way, letting the boat over so that it
rested bottom upward. The weight be-
ing on the side opposite the direction
from which the wind was coming it was
evident that in very few moments it
would turn over in such way as to en-
gulf the whole party, without possibili
ty of being saved. They had been in the
water long time, and were becoming
weak, but desperate effort to overcome |
the new danger was determined upon.
Mr.. Barber lifted, with his foot, one of
the ropes attached to the rigging, and,
by almost superhuman exertion, he and |
Mr.. Chandler managed to get it around |
the body of Amy, and secured to the last |
named gentleman, leaving him for the
time in sole charge of the little girl. 1t
was a difficult performance in the surging
sea, each one having to maintain a
treacherous grasp on the boat and hold
to Amy at the same time.
Mr.. Barber then took the end of the
rope in his teeth, and by swimming, and
availing himself of whatever aid the boat
offered, tediously worked his way to
windward, having to carry therope high
enough to clear the bottom of the boat
After hard fighting with the cruel ele-
ments, he reached his destination Just in
time to avert the calamity which was ex
pected--another flop Of the boat With
Mr. Barber pulling from the windward
side, and Mr.. Chandler heroically " boost.
ing from his perilous position to the lee
ward, with all the might that was left him,
little Amy, whose behavior was heroic
was placed on the bottom of
the boat, and held to the center board
by her father and uncle. She was now
safer than she had been since the squall
struck, if the gentlemen could maintain
their positions and keep the boat in its
present position till assistance might ar,
rive, though at exceedingly briefintervals
the whole party was covered by thewaves.
- Now shut your mouth, Amy here
comes another one, Barber or Chandler
would say, and the child would receive
the dreadful baptism as best she could
under the circumstances.
The prospect now was indeed disheartt
ming Night was fast coming on, the
frenzy of the waters was unabated, there
was no sign of assistance, the point of
utter exhaustion had almost been reach
ed, and to add to the misery the mast,
still attached to the boat by long rope,
worked around to windward, and at
every motion of the pillows, acted as a
battering ram, the heavy end violently
punching Barber in the back, and threat
ening to break his bones.
In this predicamentthe distressed party
deserted the smoke Of tug. By mere
chance, somebody had been looking with
a powerful glass from high building in
Sandusky for one of his boats, and
caught sight Of Barbers upturned craft,
and the steam tug Mystic, Captain Toe
Wholesome, was dispatched with all pos
sible haste. The tug cruised about for
some time, but the waves were so high
that they lost sight of the boat or rather
they did not get sight of it, the Captain
taking the general direction indicated
by the man with the glass. The tug turn
ed around and headed for Sandusky.
Here was moment of intense ankle
ty, bordering on despair, to the nearly
Wornout crew of the demoralized sail
boat They had now been IN the water
nearly two hours, and had drifted mile
the little girl was unconscious, and the
care of her was doubly difficult it was
to live through the night in
that situation. Barber made one last
frantic effort Holding on to Amy as ii
we'll as hecould, but, necessarily making
new drafts on the declining strength Of
Mr.. Chandler, to the imminent but nee