Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-01-01

The Ice i'm the Straits Breaks I'm
while a Party of Eight are Crossing
An Exciting Race for Life
Last Monday night Representative
elect Seymour and Collector Chandler,
from Sault Ste. Marie, arrived in town
and it was soon nOised about that they
had some exciting experiences in cross
ing the straits. Mr.. Seymour pushed
right through to Petoskey to make the
morning train, so a TRIBUNE reporter
embraced an opportunity to secure re-
cital of the eventful trip from Mr.. Chan
dler. In response to an interrogation
that gentleman gave the following ac-
count of the trip which we reproduce as
near as possible in his own words:
I'VE arrived at St. Ignace Saturday
evening, but concluded not to attempt
the crossing until Monday, and not
then unless the ice was undoubtedly safe.
In the evening Mr.. Seymour received a
telegram announcing the death of his
mother at BrockpOrt, New York. The
messenger reported the ice all right and
it was decided to make a start the next
morning. But the morning brought
with it heavy wind and snow storm.
and for time the start was given up
but Mr.. Seymour was anxious to cross if
possible, so it was decided to go to Jack
Lasley's, about four miles across the
country, where the ice was to be taken,
and wait for a favorable opportunity to
cross. Realizing that there was more
danger in crossing in such a storm of
snow and wind, three guides were secur-
ed, Louis Ryerse, DeFOrest Simpson
and Jack Lasley. About eleven
o'clock the snow abated and the guides
took prospecting tour out on the ice
and reported it all right. At half past
eleven, with some misgivings, a start
was made when it was discovered that
our party was augmented by three
French wOOdsmen. The baggage was
placed upon hand-sled and drawn by
the guides. Going out from shore far
enough to secure reasonably smooth ice,
the general direction followed was
toward st. Helena island. When near
the island the direction was changed
toward the other shore, gradually veer-
ing towards McGulpins point. By this
time the snow was coming again in
squalls and the wind increased to a gale.
We could detect upon the faces of our
guides traces of anxiety as they pushed
forward with increased speed. At times
there seemed to be an undulating feel
ing upon the ice, while we could see
cracks running across it in every direc-
tiOn. Then the order was given to put
on skates, while Mr.. Seymour and myself
were seated on the little sleigh. Then
with two powerful skates ahead and one
pushing with pole from behind the
race for life began, for although we did
not realize the danger they knew full
well that the ice was breaking up. With
almost the speed Of the wind we moved
toward the shore, but not soon enough,
for a fissure opened between us
and the shore, and we knew we
were upon a floating cake of ice.
Simpson and Ryerse then left us for
reconnaissance and were soon lost sight of
in the binding snow. We followed in
the same direction as rapidly as possible,
and although it seemed long time, it
was not probably many minutes before
they returned and reported good cross.
ing half mile below. Again the
start was made and every nerve was
strained to reach that point before the
crossing there too was gone. Several
times Mr.. Seymour asked what kind of a
crossing it was, and finally Ryerse re-
piled:
"a first class cake of ice."
We came to the proposed crossing
place. We could then see that the ice
we were on was moving down the straits
at speed of not less than five miles an
hour. Between us and the shore ice was
two hundred feet or more of open water,
but between were several cakes of ice.
Mr.. Seymour asked if it was possible to
cross there.
"We've got to SIR was the reply. With
that the perilOus passage was cOmmenc-
ed. From one cake of ice to another, !
can hardly now realize how it was done,
but we were soon on solid ice once more,
but as we looked around to see from
whence we came, we saw that the frail
bridge which had been our safety, was
gone. But the danger was not yet
over, although only about half mile
from shore, and we pushed on. As we
neared the shore we found that the ice
we were on had become detached from the
shore and was rapidly moving down the
straits. Soon before US, out of the snow
raised a wall of broken ice, eight or ten
feet high, and as we came near we found
the ice was being forced upon the shore
breaking up in every conceivable shape
and piling higher and higher. We were
cody informed by our guides that we
must get upon that wall of broken ice
This seemed impossible, but we were
obeying orders, not arguing, about that
time. The ice was foot thick, and
the sight of it breaking and grinding
and piling up would have been grand