Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-12-17
sEAxn HuHov eArB.


Crew of the StennR9r Ocnmtos
DETROIT. Dec. i2.--The steamer Oconto
left 0scoda on Friday, December 4th at 4 p.
M, and soon encountered terrible GAY.
When the storm set In 1t became impossible
to see and the lights went out. There were
20 passengers and 25 members OF the crew
on board At ~ O'Clock Friday night
Charity Island light was sighted. Within
is minutes the Ooonto struck bottom At the
southeast point of the Island. Frank
Teiper, first assistant engineer, who. arrived
here yesterday described the wreck as FOL
lows: =
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 gale
OF wind and binding snow.storm. The
sea was so heavy that We could not keep
the boat going. Finally light was sightea,
everybody took II for the Tawas light. In
fact II was the Charity Island light.
The captain set the boat around to
feel for the entrance, and the next thing we
knew there was terrible shock. We had
grounded In about feet OF water, but
whether on rocks or sand we could not tell.
We could sec that we wero about a milo
from land. As soon rs the boat struck, the
crew began dealing out life-preservers.
After we got ready for the icy bath in which
none of us could have lived 10 minutes, we
discovered that there was no leak.
When day broke we set out our eolors at
half-mnst and began blowing the whistle.
At about 10 o'clock we sighted the light
house keeper and his assistant on the shore.
We got our small metallic life-boat over the
side and In It Ave of us went ashore. There
we found two fish huts, We then brought
the passengers, 23 in all, ashore. Two
ladies and child were taken direct TO the
lighthouse keepers house and two men
began keeping house in the fish huts. they
10 aa fhafn fpfn thrap
weeks and plenty of blankets. On Monday
morning our party came away in a large
yawl.
one of the owners of the 0conto; Tom
Crocker, John Cavanaugh, Walter Bostwick,
James Ross, all Of the crew Anthony Potts
of Forestville and myself. We took aboard
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 itstruck. 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 us. To add to our dis
may we found that 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 It. We
cut, pushed, rowed and struggled like mad
reaching shore at last at 9 o'clock Monday
evening eight miles below Caseville, having
| drifted that far in the ice.
THE PASSENGERS IN sHANTIEs OK AN ISLAND
--FRIdHTFUL EXPERIENCES IN THE STORM
EAST TAwAs, MIcH., Dec. 12.--Charles
| Reardon, first mate OF the wrecked steamer
oconto arrived here yesterday with the
| steward and six passengers. Reardon re-
/ ports that the crew and passenger OF tht
| Oconto numbered AZ. The crew wa.
| composed of Captain G.. W. Me
Gregor of Lexington, Michigan, FRS
mate, Charles Reardon of Port Huron
second mate, james Ross Of Detroit; thu
engineers are not known; steward, Davit
MeLeary of Rochester, N. "; clerk, II
Manslyke; second clerk, John Manslyke
cook, Joe Levi; porter, Fred Stevens; pan
tryman, A. McCarty. All tho deck hand
We're colored, and from Detroit. The cap
tain, first engineer and passengers are Il
shanties on the island. There are pro
visions for few days. All are YER
down-hearted. They have one deck-han,
and one passenger very sick, but no med
| cine. The mate and steward left Chart
Island In a yawl yesterday morning an
walked from Point Lookout here. Their
Were two lady passengers and one chile
Captain Plough and the life-savin
crew have started for the island.
The mate says their experience tho nigl
of the storm was frightful, and that I'll
danger was greatly augmented by nun
Der of horses and some cattle, which wei
] on board breaking their stalls and stamped
3 | ing. Several of the animals were 80 severe
injured that they had to be killed. There
I | a report that seven of the crew left the l
lands in boat on Tuesday and have n
| yet turned up, but this lacks confirmation