River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-07-16


husband died about two weeks ago, and she
death
Gen. Miles has been ordered to take the
field in the Indian territory, to suppress the
Cheyennes.
The Western Union Telegraph has COB
BLEED up the American Rapid company.
Belfast, Maine, has been devasted by
fire.
TERRIBLE DISASTER AT LAKE MIN
NEToNKA.
One of the most terrible disasters which
ever befen this region of country, occurred
at lake AIiunetonka, on Sunday the 18th inst.
Mr. Coykeudau Of Minneapolis, who is a
souin-aw of ex Mayor y. c. Rand of Min
ueapolis. occupies a cottage at Breezy
Point Ninnetonka and on the day in ques-
ti5n he had invited the Rand family to
spend the day with him. Accepting the in
vitatioD Mr. Rand drove out from Mime
apolis early in the morning, arriving at
Breezy Point about noon. The members Of
family Joined him there and they proceeded
to the EIygIa cottage, which was the sum
mer re,tlen 80 of the Coykendalls. After
passing few hours happily they arranged
for am excursion to Upper lake on the little
pleasure steamer Minnie Cook. owned 10y
Z y Newell grocer of Excelsior The
steamer was not a handsome one. and was
not particularly noted either for beauty or
speed She has been used each morning by
Mr. Newell in receiving orders and deliver
ing goods at various points on Lower lake,
while during afternoons and Sunday she
was At the service of the Blue line of Ex-
celsior for small parties. Her boiler was
an upright one, aud was not of a character
to make the boat the safest in the world
Her engineer. George Mcdonald, was expe-
rienced in the work and had served for a
number of years under his father, Lou Nc
Donald. who is among the leading steam
boat men in the Northwest. He has been
considered a very safe engineer, and receiv-
Ell his license for the season less than two
weeks ago, He began his duties as engineer
If the Minnie Cook about July !. Soon af-
ter two O'Clock yesterday afternoon she
steamed up to the wharf at Breezy Point
and received a happy but fated party, who
were to meet an untimely death.
The party as it was then made up was
composed as follows:
Ex-Mayor \. c. Rand, aged 81 years, and
wife
Their children, Miss Mary Rand, aged 16;
Harvey Rand, a years.
Frank Rand aged 70, son Of A. B. Rand
and nephew Of a { Rand
j r Coykeudau. aged - years. with his
wife and their daughter Katie, aged five
years.
+ Robert Hussey, aged u years, son Of a.
b HuSSey, Of Minneapolis
Geo Mcdonald, aged p, engineer Of the
steamer and son Of Capt, Lew Mcdonald Of
the CITY Of St Louis.
All preparations being made for an after
noon Of pleasure, the party left for Upper
lake 1t Is supposed that the Upper lake
was reached about3 O'Clock, when evidences
of the approaching storm were manifest
and the steamers bow was turned home
ward The storm burst upon them with all
its power and fury while opposite Big
island and in sight of their destination.
The engineer apparently used every effort
+ to increase the speed Of the boat, and she
responded nobly The elements were too
powerful for the boat, and it was with diff
ticultv that she kept right side up as long
as she did Alternating rain and hail ac-
companed by a terrific wind blowing from
the south, swept across the lake. The
storm was binding one, and the last seen
Of the boat was when She was off Spirit
island. Just outside Wayzatta bay, strug-
Cling against the mighty forces Of wind and
water
When the wind cloud lifted, Mr. c. NJ.
Hardeuburg, who resides at Bithewood,
Point Lockout. across from Breezy Point,
saw hats, caps articles Of clothing, etc,
floating upon the water, but nothing was
seen of the boat he had noticed few mo
mentS before
He Immediately called some friends and
put out to the scene aud was soon Mortified
to see the body of a woman floating upon
the water. He rowed quickly and soon
caught the body, which he recognized as
at of Mrs Rand The horrible truth then
lawued upon him that every person on
board the boat when he had first seen it,
had found awatery grave. Conjecture has
it that the boat was struck by the wind and
upset The curtains had been dropped To
keep OF the rain. and as the boat turned
the passengers naturally occupying the cur
tanned stern of the boat, found themselves
imprisoned beyond the possibility
of escape The boilers and the heavy
machinery naturally carried tb, boat to
the bottom and with it all on board The
water is fifty feet deep where the boat
went down.
Search was made until darkness
prevented. for other bodies and that Of the
engineer was secured. his father being one
+ of the graphing party During the follow
ing day Monday all Of the bodies were
+ recovered, divers, graphing hooks and the
explosion of dynamite in the water being
resefted to in the work. It was only after
twenty four hours work that all were OBJ
tanned Katie Coykendall was the only
body found by the divers in the boat. the
Others having drifted away.
Exmavor Rand removed 70 Minneapolis
III 1873 and in ISIS was elected Mayor,
serving two terms. He was the owner of
the Minneapolis gas works Mr. Coykendall,
also came 70 Minneapolis in 1873 and was
/ the head of the Wholesale dry goods house
+ of Coykendan. Bro, & Co In 1873 he
married Miss Luella, oldest daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs A. C. Rand.
The surviving members Of the Rand
family are the children Rufus, Alonzo
Harry, Leavitt and Miss Kate Rand who
did not 60 on the excursion.
The watch which Mrs. Rand wore was
stopped at 40 p. m, and that is the proba-
bic moment when the boat was capsized.
Within half an hour after the storm the
sun shone out bright and clear and the lake
was entirely calm. As soon as the disaster
was known, people hocked from all parts
Of the lake, and in less than two hours, a
hundred boats Of various descriptions were
on the spot, and graphing parties were i'm
Imediately organized Old residents of 2;
years standing, say that they have never
seen such storm ON the lake. 1t is feared