The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-07-17
~MiNNfiT60Ns'KiiA DISASTER.
The Steamer Goes to the Bottom
With all ON Beard, Ten
Persons in All.
Including Ex-Mayor Rand of M-inneaDolis
His Wife and Six Other Members of
the Family.

Including Ex-Mayor Rand of Minnaaro,,.
His Wife and Six Other Members 4,
the Family.
4 sudden and Sc we're storm, which strncL
Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota, between 4 and
5o'clock last Sunday afternoon, a2th inst
added to the long list oiioss ofliie by disaster
on the water ten names, including cx.may.
or Rand and wife Of Minneapolis, and aL
most all OF their immediate family. and
contri buted to the annals OF the lake the
most terrible casualty in the history Of
Minnetonka.
There was succession OF brilliant electric
displays, followed by sharp peals Of thun.
der. This al followed, as observed from
the east shore OF the lake, first by a torrent
oil rain, falling in clearly defined sheets, and
followed by a wind blowing a gale, from Ex-
celsior towards Wayzata, and sweepino the
lake at it's broadcast point unbroken for
the entire sweep. The storm lasted less than
half an hour was followed by sunshine and
had no more than cleared away before n
revealed a disaster more horrible thar the
most vivid imagination had painted.
Among the boats caught in the storm,
was the small steam aunch OF yacht known
as the Minnie Cook, and belonging to n. u
Newell OF Excelsior. She is one of fifteen or
more small steam pleasure boats doing
service on the lake, and had been Chartered
for the afternoon by John r. Coykendall.
There was on the boat when it took its
leave, Mr.and Mrs. A. @. Rand, Mr.. and
Mrs. John r.. Coykendall and their
daughter Katie Cc-Lendal, between
four and five years old; Miss Mary
Rand, aged sixteen, Harvey Rand, aged
thirteen, children OF Mr.. and Mrs. A. n.
Rand; Frank Rand, the son OF Mrs. A. B.
Rand; Robert Hussey, son Of N. B. Hussey
Of Minneapolis, a friend OF Frank Rand. and
George Mcdonald, pilot and engineer OF the
boat--ten persons in az. From what is
known OF the intention of tine party. and
what followed, it is evident that the storm
cloud was accepted as a warning and that
the teamer was put about and started
to return to the point OF starting.
People observed the boat before the storm.
but the rain and hail fell in such torrents
as to completely obscure the vision, and all
that is known OF the manner of the lisas-
ter is conjecture. Mr.. G. M. Hardenburr
was probably the last to see the steamer
from his cottage at Point Lookout. The
rain had already begun to fall, and the
boat was then just of Spirit Island, at the
entrance OF Wayzata bay. When the storm
lifted he looked again ard the steamer was
nowhere to be seen, but on the troubled
waters there floated a pail and some arti-
cles OF clothing that told q tale too horri-
BILE for ready realization,
The steamer had sunk with all on board.
Mr.. Hardenberg as soon as prudence would
permit, pulled away in a skiff to the point
where the steamer was last seen, and the
articles were found floating, and picked up
what proved to be the body OF Mrs. Rand,
floating on tho water with her face down
ward. Beyond this sad evidence and the
floating clothing, etc., there was nothing to
tell the story OF the calamity.
There is nothing to indicate carelessness
or ignorance on the part OF the engineer.
The steamer was chiefly used by the owner
for carrying on q supply business to the
cottages, and was valued at about 81, 900.
In common with most OF the smaller boats,
she was withouta supply OF life preservers,
though it is not clear that these wouldhave
been OF service at the critical moment,
whether the boat eapsized or was simply
swamped and went to the bottom with its
imprisoned occupants.
As above stated, ten lives were lost, as
follows:
Ex-mayor AlonzoC G. Rand.
Mrs. A. G. Rand.
Mr.. and Mrs. John r. CoykendalL.
Miss Katie Coykendall, aged five.
Miss Mary Rand, daughter OF A. @. Rand,
aged sixteen,
Harvey Read, SON OF A. Q. Rand, aged
fourteen.
Frank Rand, son OF Mrs. A. B. Rand.
Robert Hussey, son OF N. B. Hussey.
George Mcdonald, engineer ofthe steamer
and son OF Capt. Lew Mcdonald, OF the
City OF st. Louis.
The bodies OF Mrs. Rand and George Me
Donald were soon found, and the Others
next morning. The news was transmitted
to Minneapolis and created q tremendous
sensation. a special train was immediate
" sent from the city. Among the friends
OF the family who went out from Minneap-
oils on this special were: r. b. Langdon,
O.. +. Hatch and Mrs. Hatch, w. Il. Bur-
we'll, G. NJ. Loring, p. M. Babcock, Judge
Koon. John Bradstreet, George Moulton,
Louis Watson, DR.. Tuttle. O. A. Pray.
"a. g. Rand was one OF the most prom
inent citizens oil Minneapolis. He located
here early in the history Of the city, and
actively identified himself with the business
interests and the growth and ~deyeiopmen1
Of the then small but promising clty. ne
established. together with II. W.. Brown,
the Minneapolis Gas Light company .ne
first organization which mrnisneu nlu III
ination for the city. Fortune favored his
efforts. and he succeeded in amassing q
large fortune. Mr.. Rand was q Republican,
and although he was never particularly ac-
tivein political circles, heaccepted the nom,
nation OF the party for mayor IN loIz anu
was elected by Il good round majority. ne
was very much liked by all classes.
John X. Coykendall was aged years anu
the senior member Of the firm Of Coykenaar
Bros. e. Co., composed OF ] K. Coyken9an
and Charles f. Hamblen. Mr.. ooysenuah
was a pioneer merchantin minneapolis; r
Frank Rand was a nephew OF mr.. an.
Rand, being the son oil Mr.. "A. .; nanu. 81
1900 tx, 80 81. -. Af,rroanOiia having uNeu