The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-02-17
Sinking of the Propeller St. Adams in
Lake Michigan.


MILWAUKEE, Wis, Jan. 31.--The pro-
peller st. Adams, Of the Northern
Transit Line, while twenty-five miles
northeast of this port, en- route to Lud-
ington, laden with $500 barrels of flour,
sprung a leak at 10 o'clock Sunday
forenoon and sank about noon, the
crew, twenty-five men, and five passen-
gers taking to the boats, we'll provided
with blankets and provisions. The first
intimaticn Of the disaster here was
early this morning, when four small
boats were seen in the ice near the
water works pier, off north point about
a mile from shore. The boats had kept
we'll together, and were in charge of the
captain, mates and engineer, respect
lively. The lifeboat, in charge of Cap
tain Casey, was the first to land, and
the others gradually worked through
the ice to points opposite the city. At
half-past one this morning, snow had
set in and the storm caused great suf-
fering among the shipwrecked ones.
Toward II in the forenoon one of the
boats was drawn in from point near
ly opposite the passenger depot of the
Chicago & Northwestern, citizens hay
ing made their way out on the ice by
means of boards and ropes. The pe-
lice and fire Departments then turned
out and rescued the second boat load
from point opposite the Northwestern
railroad freight depot, several squares
below the passenger depot. Five po-
licemen and two citizens showed flat
boat out on the ice mile, leaving a
drag-rope in the rear, in case of mer-
gency, and the tiremen bridged out on
the ice with their ladders. Part of the
time the occupants of the boat were
hidden from view by the swell of the
lake.
The third boat was hauled in south
of the harbor piers. In this, among
others, were two women, so benumbed
that the firemen were obliged to place
them on short ladders and carry them
to the life-saving STATEN, just south of
the harbor. Thus all were saved. The
sufferers were so benumbed that they
were almost helpless when the citizens
reached them. The propeller Nashua
steamed out to pick up the boats, but
owing to the whirling, binding sn W.
storm, was unable to reach any Of them.
Tugs were out Of service, and so was
the life-saving crew, so all depended
upon the bravery Of the citizens.
The rescued were at once made as
comfortable as possible. One of them,
a wheelsman, was badly frozen in the
neither limbs, and others were more or
less frostbitten. All will recover.
The officers and crew Of the 81. Az
bans were: Captain, Edward Casey. of
Ogdensburg, N. Y; first mate, Thomas
Leahy, of Milwaukee; second mate,
Joseph Boyd; first engineer, G. Calder,
of Clayton, N. "; second engineer,
John Ferris, of Chicago; first wheels
man, VIM. Brown, of Ogdensburg, N.
Y; second wheelsman, Thos. Mcclure,
of Chicago; steward, Frank McQuil-
Ian, Of Ogdensburg, N. T.; lookout,
John Quinn, of Ogdensburg. N. Y;
Waterman, Fred. Greenough, of Chica-
go; fremen, II. Davis and Peter Lee
maer; cook, George Drake; porter, T.
P. Collette; six deck-hands and a cabin
boy. In the life-boat Captain Casey
had the silverware of the St. Adams
and the most valuable effects of the
passengers and crew.
The st. Adams was boat Of $50 tons
capacity, was huilt in Cleveland fifteen
years ago, and rebuilt at Port Huron
last year. Philo Chamberlain, the
owner, states the boat was staunch, and
that her load consisted of 1000 barrels
of flour and 2 quantity in sacks, equal