Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-02-28
DISASTERS ON THE GREAT LAKES.

Squalls, storms, aud tempests made
more havoc among shipping in the
great lakes in 1879 than in many .
previous year. Navigation is always
attended by dangers there iu conse.
quence of the suddenness with which
storm bursts fall upon the mariner.
and the lack of sea room when caught
by them. The skipper, too, from the u
frequency of harbers and the notieu 5
that, after all, the lakes are mere mill
ponds, runs more risk than docs hls
brother who navlgates the broad AtJa
lantic, goiug out in the face of gales
in vessels long unseaworthy, aud not
turning back until driven BY
the storm. Even In tempestu-a
GUS November the temptation =
to carry last load Of grain. at,
the increased freight rates Overcom-
es all considerations Of safety, as isS
shown by the fact that in that month
last year, there was an average Of
nine disasters a day for the entire
thirty days, resulting in death 70
elghiy-three persons. In the year a
2O8 lives were lost through accident
to shipping in those inland seas. -,
While many of the shlpwrecks
could not be avoided, it is anques-a Z
tionably true that large proportion
of them were due to carelessness. At
its best the season in which grain
may be carried from Chicago to-
Buffalo aud Oswego 10 short. 1t 10
late in the spring before the ice melts
from the Mackinaw Straits, and carly
in the fall it forms there. October
aud November the most dangerous
to shipping OF the year, are the most
profitable to vessel owners. Then
there il a rush Of new crop gratnIt0
the seaboard. Rates are much higher
than in the summer months, Every
old hulk between Ogdensburg aud
Duluth is brought into service, how
ever rotten or unseawerthy 1t may
be 4; if she only aoats that 10 oil that
is required. What matters 1t though
tho lakes be tempest tossed, though.
storms burst from the clear. sky,
though decks be, slippery with Ice,
aud pulleys and cordage be frozen
stiff; cash is to be made by getting
wheat tolthe canal, aud to thei canal
or the boLtom the wheat must e.
Bepumbed fiugers, frozen feet, and
death itself are brsved with . ,reck-
lessness unknown even among the
plucky shippers Of the Atlantic e0sst.
The sending OF rotten schoouers
from port nas been an evil RgAinst.
which grain inerchsnts have protest.
Ell for many years. 1n their best es-
tate the craft Of the lakes are not 20
substantial as those intended 70
Withstand the pillows of the ocean.
Although some of them might live In
the Atlantic, almost all would soon
20 under. There is not that great
swell III the lakes that there is in the
Vastly deep. The waves are cboppy,
dashiug into foam under q gale, and
not striking ship or shore with the
tremendous force of the ocean. & But
the gale itself is more severe. Caught
in it, the skipper must make q har-
Dor or 60 ashore, for the narrowness
of the lakes rarely permits Of Esoud-
ding under bare poles for any dis.
tance or laying to. 1t 10 his narrow.
confines that puts the navigator In
danger. When once driven upon
shoal or beach, the trail hulk 10 soon
| crushed and the crew shift for them
selves. If snow accompanies th6
gale, aud not infrequentiy 1t does
the danger is greatly increased.l for
land is hidded from si2ht. .g5 .aa..
Although the Government Life
Saving Service has been sxtehdetl'
very much along the lakes il the hast
three years, the loss of life ehins 1870
was greater than in 1873; yet, most
valuable aid was rendered in some
two score instances, and without the
service the cases of death must Have
been double the number Of the year
before. What seems to beu needs1
most to decrease this mortality isl the
enforcement of law that will pre-,
vent the clearing Of unses worthy
vessels. .1t -"'i"i!S ~ ss'