Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-04
BURNED IN M[DLAKE,
OF THE DISASrER IN
THE STEAM BARGE Il. G. PETBkS.
Burned to the Waters Edge Thirty Miles
OFF Milwaukee-The Entire Grew of Thir-
teen Men Perish-Her Tow Unable to
Help the Dying Men-A Narrowing
Scene.
Especial Telegram to the Globe. !

Especial Telegram to the Globe.1
CHICAGO, Dec. 3.-Tuesday 8. afternoon
the tug Tom Brown, Capt. Jno. Sweenie,
picked up the barge A. W. Lucky, con-
sort of the steam barge R. G. Peters.
Capt. johnson, the master of the Lucky,
as soon as the tug got his vessels line, in
formed Capt. Sweenie that the Peters had
burned in midlake, and that all on board
OF her had perished. After landing the
Lucky at the Peshtigo Lumber com
pany's dock, the Brown brought the cap
tain of the barge to the Union Tug line
office, where he was seen by the GLOBE
representative, to whom he related the fol-
lowing
PARTICULARS OF THE DISASTER:
We left st. Joseph Friday evening in
tow of the steam barge r. G.. Peters,
bound to Manistee, on our last trip
of the season. The lake was very rough,
stiff northwest breeze blowing, accom-
panied with snow. A short time after we
left st. Joseph our centerboard got out of
order, and would not work. About mid
night the wind increased greatly, and our
mainsail split, rendering it useless, leav-
ing us with only light fore and mizzen
sail. We managed to get along pretty
well, however, considering all the circum-
stances. About 2:15 yesterday morning,
all hands being on deck ON account of the
heavy seas,we observed a bright light flash
up on the Peters, and Immediately realized
that the steamer was on fire.
The fire spread rapidly, and soon
the Peters was one mass of flames.
Shortly after our tow line parted and we
commenced to drift. We could see the
people on the Peters rushing about wildly,
as though trying to launch the boat. The
whistle of the steamer kept blowing all
the time. Our barge was hard to m anape
in our disabled condition, and it was i'm
possible for us to get up to the burning
boat. We hove to, expecting to pick up
the Peters boat, but don't think they
succeeded in launching it. Soon the Pet
ers gave lurch and went down, and then
all was dark. We lay to for two or three
hours, hoping that the crew had escaped
in the small boat, and that we would be
able to pick them up, but were finally
forced to the sad conclusion that
ALL ON BOARD PERIsHED
with the doomed boat. The sea was run
ming very high, making it impossible for
US to do anything. The Peters burned
like tinder, and she was rapidly destroyed.
how tie 1fre origt-
mated, as our tow line was very long, and
as consequence we were some 100 feet
astern. don't see how a single one on
board could have escaped, even had they
got their boat launched, which is hardly
possible, as we surely would have seen it.
l think the crew numbered thirteen-at
least that is the number the Peters usually
carried. After being satisfied that all had
Perished, we set sail for Chicago, and were
picked up by the tug Tom Brown when off
the Marine hospital. That is all know
THE Mates STORY.
.'We left st. Joseph Friday evening" -
said Ole Swanson, the mate, s'behind the
steam barge R. G. Peters. The weather
was very rough. There was a stiff north
east wind, and it was showing thick.
Everybody on the Lucky was in good spir-
its, for we did not forget that this was our
final trip of the season. As we got out, I
think the storm increased. The wind was
terrific, and the snow made it binding.
There was heavy sea, but we did not
mind that, for I think we were in good
shape to weather almost any squall.
Sometime after 2 o'clock this
morning we saw flames breaking out of
the Peters, and knew that the steamer was
on fire. At this time, as near as I can cal
culate, we were about thirty-f miles off
from Milwaukee. The Peters burned rap
idly. We had long line, and I don't
know how it left the Peters. Whether it
was cut OFF or burned off. We we're in no
shape to be of any assistance to the crew
of the Peters, as we had lost our center
board, and had burst our mainsail. We
were in fact only little better than help
less ourselves. The captain ordered the
barge hove to, and we were obliged to see
the flames die away and remain utterly
Powerless to rescue the crew of
the burning steamer. 1t was
pretty tough, but it had to be done. The
wind increased until it blew a perfect hur-
ricane, and although the captian was dis
posed to take any risk that promised to
help the crew of the Peters, it would have
been
SURE DEATH TO PUT OUT BOAT
with such a sea on. We continued to lay
to for some time, thinking we might pos
sibly pick up some of the survivors, but we
saw nobody. The storm was a mighty one
and the water was running higher and
higher. am not able to say how many
men went down with the Peters It was a
tough sight to sec that steamer burn right
before our eyes and moi be able to lift a