Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-13
BEACHED In A BIG GALE.
A THRILLING EXPERIENCE ON
LAKE MICHIGAN.
The Passengers and GROW Of the Steamer


Reach an Island-PerilOus Trip
Through the Ice to the Mainland in n
Yawl of Part Of the Grew.
DETROIT, MICH, Dec. 12.-The steamer
Oconto left Oscoda on Friday, Dec. A, at
o'clock and soon encountered a terrible
gale. When the storm set in it became
impossible to see and the lights went out.
There were twenty-five passengers and
twenty-five members of the crew on board.
At IL o'clock Friday night, Charity Island
light was sighted. Within fifteen minutes
the Oconto struck the bottom of the south
east point of the island. Frank Teiper,
first assistant engineer, who arrived here
yesterday, describes the wreck as follows:
"Our starboard bulwarks were stove in,
and all the upper ratings. Two OF the
| life-boats and all the light freight on the
hurricane deck were washed away. We
were in a gale Of wind and blinding snow
storm.
AHEAVY SEA.
''The sea was so heavy that We could not
keep the boat going. Finally the light
was sighted. Everybody took 1t for Tawas
| light. In fact, it was the Charity Island
! light. The Captain set The boat around
to feel for the entrance, and the next thing
we knew there was terrific shock. We
had grounded In about Elk feet Of water,
| but whether on rocks or sand we could not
| tell. We could see that we were about
mile from land. AS soon as the boat
struck, the crew began dealing out life
preservers. After we got ready for the
ice bath, in which none Of us could have
| lived fifteen minutes, we discovered that
there was no leak. When day broke we
set our colors at half-mast and began
| blowing whistles.
| MAKING THE SHORE.
"About 10 O'Clock we sighted the light
| house keeper and his assistant on shore.
| We got our small metallic life boat over
the side, and in 1t five of us went ashore.
There we found two fish huts. We then
brought the passengers, twentY-three in
all, ashore. Two ladies and child were
taken direct to the lighthouse keepers
house, and the men began keeping house
in the fish huts. They have food enough
to last them two or three weeks and plen-
| ty of blankets. On Monday morning our
party came away in large yawl. The
party consisted Of John Van Slyke, son Of
one of the owners of the 0conto;
Thomas Croker, John CavaDaugh, Wal
ter B0stwIck, James Ross, all of the crew;
Anthony Potts, of Forestville, and N.Y.
self. We took aboard a compass, two
bushels of salt and some provisions.
STARTING IN THE ICE.
s'We started in the mids' Of cake ice.
Every minute or two spray would dash
over us and freeze as It struck. When
we got within four miles OF Caseville, we
found that the ice was frozen sOlidly, yet
was not strong enough to walk upon.
We hoisted our storm signal and began
cutting our way with axes. Two boats
started out to help US, but could not reach
| IT, - n H. 4 49,
| the solid ice detached from the main
shore was increasing in thickness every
minute. and that it was drifting down the
bay. taking us with il. We cut, pushed,
rowed and struggled like mad, reaching
| shore at last at O'Clock Monday evening"
eight miles below Caseville, having drifted
that far in the Ice"
LIST OF THE CREW.
EAST TAwEs, MICH, Dec. 12.-Charles
Reardon, first mate of the wrecked steam
er 0conto, arrived here yesterday with
the steward and 6 passengers. MIR. Rear
don reports that the crew and passengers
of the Oconto numbered AZ. The crew
was composed of Capt. G.. w. McGregOr
Of Lexington, Mich, first mate Charles
Reardon of Port Huron, second mate Jas.
Ross of Detroit. the engineers who are not
known, steward y. McLeary Of ROches-
ter, N. Y, clerk r. Vanslyke, second clerk
j. Vanslvke, cook Joe Levi, porter Fred
Stevens, pantryman A. McCarty. The
deck hands were all cOlOred from Detroit.
| The Captain, first engineer and passen-
gers are in sbanties on the island. There
are provisions for a few days.
ALL D0wNHEARTED.
All are very downhearted. They have
one deck hand and one passenger very
sick, but no medicine. The mate and
steward left Charity island in a yawl
boat yesterday morning, and walked from
Point Lookout here. There were two lady
passengers and one child. Capt. Plough
and life saving crew have
started for the islands. The mate says
their experience on the night Of the storm
was frlghtful, and that the danger was
greatly augmented by number OF horses
and some cattle. which were on board
breaking from their stalls and stamped
ing. Several OF the animals were so
severely injured that they had to be
killed. There Is report that seven OF the
crew left the islands In boat on Tues
day and have not yet turned up, but this
lacks confirmation.
A dispatch from Port Austin SAYS that
the steamer WinslGw with a barge In
tow passed there this morning for the re.
lief OF the stranded propeller Oeonto. The
relief vessels were making good progress
through the drift ice. Mate Reardon says
&c will be useless TO try 10 pull the OcOnt0
of this season. and that she Will prOba-
bly, become total wreck where she lies.