The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-10-28
HORRIBLE LAKE DISASTERS.
The steamer Alpena Wrecked ON AXE
Michigan and n Lives Lost
Other Wrecks with Loss OF Life.

The steamer Alpena, with a crew Of twenty.
five and between sixty and seventy passengers,
left Grand Haven, Mich, October 16, at 8
p. m, for Chicago, and it is feared that in the
heavy gale prevailing on the lakes, she has
been wrecked and all on board lost. The
steamer belonged to the Goodrich Line, who
bought her to replace the Inflated steamer
Seabird at a cost of $780, 600. A mail-carrier
from Clay Banks arriving at Montague, reports
that just as he was leaving Clay Banks with the
mail a Mr.. A. r. Wheeler told him that the
deck of the Alpena had been discovered on the
beach on Stoney Creek. The mail-carrier did
not stop to get particulars. Many vessels have
been wrecked by the storm. A special from
Muskegon says: 'Not a vestige is left of the
schooner Grenada, which went to pieces off the
shore here. The only two survivors are VIM.
Bissell, the mate, and Angus Tinklater, the
Captains broteer. The latter reports that the
vessel left Chicago with a smart breeze, Friday
evening, but the steering apparatus soon be-
came worthless, and the schooner was at the
mercy Of the waves, and the storm hourly in
creasing in violence. Saturday noon the
steward and a sailor died of exposure, and he
himself prayed for death. Sunday noon land
was sighted, and they began to make a raft.
One sailor was caught between the parts of the
rocking vessel and nearly crushed, but was
wrapped in canvass and put on the raft. The
waves washed him overbroad The Captain
lost his hold by the breaking of the raft, and
was drowned when near the shore. Tinklater
held on for awhile, and then swan ashore. All
the rest of the crew, number not stated, were
drowned before their eyes," Between fifteen
and twenty schooners have been wrecked OF
completely disabled.
Further accounts of the late storm on Lake
Michigan tend to increase rather than diminish
the extent of the disaster, both to life and
property. The steam barge Trader, which
plies between Chicago and Muskegon, and does
a lumber business, and which, according tt
advices and reports of officers of schooners WHIT
have seen her wreck, has been lost and gone t.
pieces on the east shore of Lake Michigan
She was captained by Frank Brown and manned
by a crew of ten. She measured $50 tons
classed B, and was valued at Sc, 900. AL hand
have probably persisted.
The steamer Alpena, with all on board, it i
now almost positively known, has gone down
Later accounts give the number of passenger
as somewhere between seventy-fve and eighty
and the crew numbered twenty-six. Says
muSheSou (nllCA.J OlbpdtCh' IL 5lSdnc
Alpena left this port with over seventy passen
gers, and took on more at Grand Heaven, leav
ing that port with seventy-fiye, a large percent
age Of them being women. The weather wa
so fine on Friday, the day she sailed, that man
were induced to make the trip"
From Holland, Mich, comes the following
dispatch: 81 have been to the shore and abou
the beach for a distance of five miles and fin,
large quantities of apples, heading, and othe
freight; also portions of the upper decks
stanchions, and rail ~gangplanks and matches
one door panel with the name of the steame
Alpena; also two life-preservers, a n oar, an
a chair marked with stencil, steamer Alpena
A piano also came ashore during the nigh
which is recognized by the agent of the Good
rich line, from Grand Haven, as belonging t
the Alpena. The body of a lady came ashor
this morning, which was recognized by tn
agent as being Mrs. Bradley, who, with her tw
daughters, had been stopping at Grand Have
during the summer, and were on their wa
home to New Mexico. Captain Batlin, of til
Goodrich Line, has just arrived at the wrecl
and watchmen are patrolling the shore watcl
ing for wreck of bodies. The wind has gon
down, but the sea is running heavy. Sma
pieces of cabin, the upper-deck furniture an
; berths are coming ashore"