Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-12-18
WRECKED IN THE LAKE.

on Friday, December I, and soon
encountered q terrible gale. 1t be-
came impossible to see, and the
lights went out. There were twenty
two passengers and twenty-five
members of the crew on board.
At ~ O'clock Friday night Charity
Island hight vas sighted. Within
fifteen minutes the OcontO struck
bottom at the southeast point OF
the island. Frank TeipeI first as
sistant engineer, who arrived here
yesterday describes the wreck as
follows: Our starbOard bulwarks
were stove in and all the upper
ratings; two of the lifeboats and
all the light freight on the hmri-
cane deck were washed away. We
were in a gale and a binding snow
storm. The sea was so heavy that
we could not keep the boat going.
Finally a light was sighted. Every
body took it for Tawas light; III
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 ground
ed in about six feet of water, bat
whether OH rocks or sand, we could
not tell. We could see that We
we're about mile from land. As
soon as the boat struck the crew
began dealing out life preseryers,
After we got ready Tor the ice
bath, in which none of MS could
have lived fifteen minutes, we dis
covered that there was no Leak
When day broke we set our cOlors
at half-mast and began blowing the
whistles. At about 10 o'clock we
sighted tho lighthouse keeper and
his assistant on the shore. We
got our small metallic life-boat
over the side, and in it five of us
went ashore. There we found two
fish. Then we brought the
passengers-23 in all-ashore.-
Two ladies and a child were taken
direct to the light-keepers house
and the men began keeping house
in the fish.h They have food
enough to last them two or three
weeks and plenty of blankets. On
Monday morning our party came
away in a large yawl. 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
that the ice was frozen sOldly, 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 dismay, We found
that the solid ice, detached from
the main shore, was increasing in
thickness every minute, and that
it wac drifting down the bay, tax
ing us with it. We cut, pushed,
rowed, and struggled like MAJ d,
reaching shore at last at Il o'clock
Monday evening, eight miles be
low Caseville, having drifted that
far in the ice.
EAST TAWES, MICH, Dec. r.
Charles ReardOn, first mate OF the
wrecked sleamer Oconto, arrived
here yerterday withthe steward and
six passengers. ReardOn reports
that the crew and passengers OF
the Oconto numbered Il. The
deck hands were all colored, from
Detroit. The captain, first engine
er and passengers are in shantles
on the island. There are provls-
ions for a few days. All are very
downhearted. They have one deck
hand and one passenger very sick,
but no medicines. The mate and
steward left Charity Island III a
yawl boat yesterday morning and
walked from Point Lookout here.
There were two lady passengers
and one child. Captain Plough
and the life. saving crew have start
ed for the islands. The mate says
their experience the night Of the
storm was frightful, and that the
danger was greatly augmented by
a number of horses and some cat
tie which were on board breaking
from their stalls and stampeding.
Several of the animals were 80
severely injured that they had TO
be killed. There is a report that
seven Of the crew left the island )
in a boat on Tuesday and have not
yet turned up, but this lacks con
firmatiOn.