Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-12-13
WRECKED ON An ISLAND
Terrible Experience Of Crew aud
Passengers of the 0conto.
Terrible Suffering 10 the Icy Waters
of the Lake.
Thirty-FOur Persons Left Almost
Destitute on Charity Island.

DETROIT, MICH, December l2.-The
steamer Oconto, which was wrecked on
Charity Island, left 0sceola on Friday, De
cember 4, at 4 p. m. With 26 passengers
and crew numbering rs men. Shortly
after she encountered terrible gale and
binding snow storm. The sea was so
heavy that the boat would not answer her
helm great part of the time. The star
board bulwarks were stove in, and all the
upper ratings, two of the ifeboats and all
the Light freight on the hurricane deck was
washed away in o short time. The vessel
labored heavily in the trough OF the sea
I'LL nearly midnight, when light, suppos-
ed to be Tawss was sighted. Itproved to
be Charity Island light, and in about IF
teen minutes the boat struck.
THE ENGINEERS STORY.
Frank Teiper first assistant engineer,
who arrived here yesterday, describes the
wreck as folloWs: Our starboard bnl'
warks were stove in and all the upper rail
iDgs, two of the ifeboats and all the light
freight on the hurricane deck were washed
away. We were in gale Of wind and q
binding snow storm. The ses was TO
heavy that we could not keep the boat GO.
ing. Finally light was sighted. Every
body took it for the TswGs light In fact
it was the Charity leland light. The
Captain set the boat around to feel for the
entrance, and the next thing we felt was
terrible shock. We had grounded in
about six feet Of water, but whether on
rocks or saud We could not tell. We
could see that we were about mile from
land. As sooR as the boat struck, tbs crew
began dealing out life preservers. After We
got ready for the ics-5srh in which none of
us could have hvet fifteen Minutes we
discovered that there was DO leak. When |
day broke We set our colors at hslfmast
and began blowing the whistles About 10 |
o'clock We sighted the lighthouss-ke keeper
and his assistant on shore. We got our
smaller lift-bost over the side. and in it
fv. of us went ashore There We found two
fish huts We then brought the pssseu.
gers ashore; there were twcnty.three in sill
Two ladies and child we're taken direct
TO the light-ksepers house, and the men
began keeping house in tie fab hints.
They have food enough to last them two or
three We els ard plenty OF blankets.
STRUGGLE rOa LIFE.
Monday morning our party came away
in large yaSl The party consisted Of
John Vanslyke, son of one Of the owners
of the Oconto; Tom Crocker, John Caya-
naueh, Walter Bostwick James Ross, all
of the crew; Anthony Potts, Of Forestville,
and myself. We took aboard a compass,
two bushels of salt and some provisions.
We started in the midst of cake ice
Every minute or two the spray would dash
over us and freeze as it struck. When we
got within four miles Of Caseville we
found the ice frozen solidly, yet not strong
enough to walk upon. We hoisted
our distress signal and began cut.
ting our way with axes. Two boats
started out to help us, but could not reach.
To add to our dismay we found that the
solid ice detached from the main shore was
in thickness every minute, and
that i, was drifting down the bay taking
US with it, We cut, pushed, rowed and
struggled like mad. reaching shore at last
at ak o'clock on Monday evening, eight
miles below Caasvilla having arittea that
far in the ice.
Eight more of the shipwrecked crew and
landed at Tswss yesterday at
iernoon. This party consists Of Charles
Reardon, first mate; David Leary, steward,
and ak passengers. They left the Oconto
at one o'clock on Thursday afternoon in
yswl. Three OF the passengers are Mr..
Mccullough, Of Forestville, and Moses
Haurve and Thomas Dickson, Of Alpens.
At the time of leaving they had heard
nothing of the fate of the seven members
of the crew who left for the shore Tuesday
in a small boat.
THE THIRTY FOUR PERSONS REMAINING
on the Island have enough to eat for few
days, but are all very down-bearted. All
are in the shspty except Cspt. McGregor,
the First Engineer, and one passenger,
who are on the boat. The steward, mate
and six passengers walked from Point
Lookout to TaWss and are completely
Frustrated. Just before the Oconto struck
Charles Brown, colored cook, died Of
fright. He wss buried on Charity Island
The lite saving crew have started for
the island from East Tswss. The follow
ing names Of passengers on the Oconto are
ali that are obtainabe at preset G. Doug.
lsss, Lexington, Mich; Fred Wolf, Forest
vile; Vim. Carr, Canada; VIM. Bradley
Lexington; Mr.. Richmond, Sand Beach.
Moses Lsvor, wife and child, Alpena,
Mich Miss Henry. Nuskegon; Thomas
Dixon, Alpena; James Farlay, Ssnilac,
Philip Medlough, Alpens; VIM. Savage,
Detroit; Anthony Potts, ForestVillei Fred.