Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-02-05
NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 5. 1881.



the loss of the Northern Transit prOpel-
ler st. Adams, one of the best boats of
the line, we gather from a special tele-
gram to the Inter-Ocean from Milwau-
kee. The propeller left Milwaukee last
Sunday morning and while twenty-five
miles northeast of that port, en- route for
LudingtOn, laden with $500 barrels of
-four, sprung leak at 10 o'clock and
sank about noon, the crew, twenty-five
men, and five passengers taking to the
boats, well provided with blankets and
provisions. The first intimation of the
disaster was early Monday 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 well together, and were
in charge of the captain, mates and en-
gineer, respectively. The lifebOat in
charge of Captain Casey. was the first to
land, and the others gradually worked
through the ice to points opposite the
city. At half-past one that morning
snow had set in and the storm caused
great suffering among the shipwrecked
ones. Toward IL o'clock i'm the forenoon
one of the boats was drawn in from a
point nearly opposite the passenger de-
pot of the Chicago and Northwestern,
citizens having made their way out on
the ice by means of boards and ropes
The police and fire departments then
turned out and rescued the second boat
load from point opposite the North
western railroad freight depot, several
squares below the passenger depot. Five
policemen and two citizens showed a flat
boat out on the ice mile, leaving drag
rope in the rear, in case of emergency
and the firemen 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 Oh
short ladders and carry them to the life
saving station, just south of the harbOr
Thus all were saved. The sufferers were
so benumbed that they were almost help
less when the citizens reached them
The propeller Nashua steamed out
to pick up the boats, but, owing to the
whirling, binding snOwstOrm, was un
able to reach any of them. Tugs Were
out of service, and so was the life-saying
crew, so all depended npOn the bravery
of the citizens.
The rescued were at once made as
comfortable as possible. One of them, q
wheelsman, was badly frozen in the
neither limbs, and others were more OF
less frost-bitten. All will recover.
The st. Albans was boat of $50 tons
capacity, was built in Cleveland ffteer
years ago, and rebuilt at Port Huron last
year. Philo Chamberlin, the owner
states the boat was staunch, and thai
her load consisted of 1000 barrels o.
flour and quantity of sacks, equal tt
1900 barrels. This cargo was insured
for $14, 900 in the Orient Mutual Insur
ance company. The boat was wOrtf
about $4,000, and, as far as could be as
certained, was insured for $4,000.
The cause of the sinking of the boa
can only be cOnjectured. 1t is supposed
the ice cut through her while she wa!
blowing through field of it in Milwau
kee bay. When it was discovered hel
hold was filling, the pumps were set il
motion, and about a thousand barrels o.
flour were rolled overheard, but the water
gained and quenched the furnace fires
just as the captain had resolved to heat
the boat for Port Washington.
The passengers were A. Clark, Miss L
Marsau, Mrs. C. Kull, Miss Josie Miller
and Miss Carrie Brown, all of Milwau
kee.
One deck hand is reported missing
and is supposed to have gone down will
the boat.
L