Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-09-17
NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
ntered at the Postofsice at Cheboygan
Mich. as Second Glass Matter.
SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER II, 1881.
Marine Disasters.

been general over the lower lakes and
disasters entailing great loss
of life are reported. The saddest of all
being the laundering of the steamer
Columbia, off of Frankfort, lake Michi-
gan, with loss of sixteen lives. Mon
day the Lawrence brought four of the
survivors and from them we gather the
following particulars. The propeller
left Chicago Friday evening with cargo
of 10000 bushels of corn, 5000 of which
was in bin on deck. The heavy gale of
Saturday night struck her and getting
intO.the trOughs of the sea, at 1O:45 her
cargo shifted throwing her upper rail
under water and in Is minutes after she
went dOwn-in the meantime the two
passengers and crew, with the exception
of the cabin maid, taking to the small
boats. Mate McPhee says those in his
boat fingered around the wreck for
sometime trying to rescue Miss Sims, the
cabin maid, but were unable to do so on
account of the floating wreck and heavy
sea. They could hear her pitiful cries
for help but were unable to reach her.
One of the men says it was by accident
that the lives of those in their boat was
saved. They had wrong impression as
to which side Of the dock at Frankfort
the light was on and steered their yawl
for the opposite side of the pier to that
which the yawl in command of the cap
tain was steered and this he claims is
what saved their lives. The other boat
was capsized among lot of driftwood
and its occupants were literally pounded
to pieces among the drift, the bodies
that We're recovered being badly cut and
bruised. Their yawl was capsized by the
breakers but having no driftwOod to
contend with they managed to get ashore
with the exception of Miss Fitzgerald
the lady. passenger, who was drowned
The men think that when the boat cap
sized it struck her and stunned her, as
she did not rise to the surface. They ex-
press great sorrow over her loss and say
that during the whole time they were
working the boat ashore she displayed
wonderful courage and done just as she
was requested.
The steamer was 40S tons register;
length, 1877 feet; breadth, 23 feet inches;
depth, 13 feet 5 inches. She was built at
Hamilton in 1873, and Overhauled this
spring: classed,A and valued at $25 900.
She was owned by John Fairgrieve, of
Hamilton. Of those lost Captain j. B..
MalcOlmson belongs to st. Catharines,
and leaves wife and seven children,
four girls and three boys. One of the
latter, Robert, was first mate of the ill
fated vessel. Another, George, is captain
of the propeller Argyle. First Engineer
CrOssley leaves wife and one small
child. Second Engineer Mapham leaves
wife and several children. Both the
latter belonged in Collingwood.
A telegram from CollingwOod to the
Chicago lnter-Ocean says. "An unfortu-
nate woman, whose husband was on the
ill-fated steamer, on hearing the news
and seeing no mention of her husbands
name among those saved, rushed to the
lake and jumped into the water, deter
mined to follow him. By strenuous
efforts of those at hand she was rescued.
The sight that followed at P. NJ, when
fuller report was received, was most
painful and heartrending."
That same night the schooner Regina,
bound from Goderich to Owen Sound
fOundered and all on board are supposed
to have been lost. From Capt. Keliher,
of the steambarge Erin, who called in
Thursday to report at the custom house,
we learn that the schooner left GOderich
Saturday afternoon and that she found
cred off Cove island. Monday clock be-
longing to the Regina was picked up on
the shore by some fishermen. 1t had
stopped at o'clock, which would indi-
cate that hour as the time when the ILL
fated vessel went down. She now lies
in seven fathoms of water, with her top
masts visible.
The large schooner David Dows and the
schooner G. X. Minis collided off Point
Au Pelee, Lake Erie, resulting in the
sinking of the Minis, and the Dows being
considerable damaged losing three of
her spars and jibboom, she came to
anchor and was afterward picked up by
tug and towed to Buffalo, Numerous
other disasters are reported and vessel
men who encountered the gale pro-
nounced it the worst Of the season.