Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-11-22

Lives.
MANIsTEE, Mich, Nov. 22.-During the
terrible gale of Thursday night the barges
Menekaunee and Marinettee broke from the
tow of the steambarge ManistiFie and both
went to the bottom with their crews with
the exception of one man, c. w Annis. The
Manistique arrived safely in port at Frank
fort Saturday morning.
Only one of the bodies has as yet been re-
covered. II is that of man who belonged
to the crew of the Menekaunee He was ap-
parently about 80 years old, had black,
stubby hair, a sandy mustache, and was
about five feet ten inches in hight. An en-
velope was found on his person addressed
to William Lewsry, 1Sl Madison street. Chi.
cego. c. W Annis, the survivor of the
Marinette's crew, is from Port Huron. He
does not know the name of the Marinette's
captain. The latter however, was Capt W.
F. Mitchell, Chicago man, about 30 years
old He was washed overheard and drowned
at : O'Clock Friday afternoon,
The Menekamee had crew of seven
Capt. Cox, Mates Dan Wheeler and John
Cotton, two young men whose names are un-
known, and Mike johnson, of Port Huron.
The lost barges left Oscoda for Chicago in
tow of the Manistique last Sunday. They
were laden with $1,000 feet of lumber,
part of which was owned by the Uscoda Salt
and Lumber company and part by Robinson
& Frettyman, of Chicago. The barges We're
owned by the Oscoda Salt and Lumber com
pany They were valued at sl6,0O each,
and insured in the hull pool for sl2, ,5tOeach
The cargoes were estimated at about 81 800
The Manistique was valued at s45, 900, and is
insured IN the hull pool for SS7 900
{. W. Annis, the sole survivor of this dis
aster, tells the following story:
We loaded at Oscoda with humber for
George Loud, the owner of the lost vessel,
and left for Chicago Sunday The tow con
sisted of the steam barge Manistiaue and
schooners Marinette and Menekaunee We
met heavy weather on Lake Huron aud were
driven for shelter to Presque isle We then
left and made fair passage on Lake Micbi,
gan, passing Frankfort Wednesday noon.
The wind was southeaSt--a gale with rain
and snow. At midnight while abreast of
Ludington. six miles out, the gale increased
to almost a hurricane. The barge reached
Tor the Wisconsin shore, and made Two Riv-
ers light, hut could fetch nothing.
At daylight the ManiStiaue squared
away for the Manitou islands to Is
cape the onslaught of the storm. The
tow broke up at 2:30, and the steamer left
us TO our fate. We signaled to her to stav
by us, but she steamed away and was lost TO
sight in a snow-squall The Marinette
pitched and rolled terribly, so that we could
scarce keep foothold She unshipped her
Tudder becoming unmanageable, and then
sprung leak, soon becoming water-logccd.
She rolled her deck load off, taking both
rails and bulwarks with her, and rolled her
mainmast out, which, in falling, took the
foremast and mizzenhead We were hud.
died in the cabin where we built a TEN.
porary floor over the water The captain, a
Chicago mani do not know his name-5O
years Old, was washed overheard and
drowned at , o'clock in the afternoon We
lowered the yawl at s o'clock and attempted
to reach land, but in lowering We sprung a
leak, rendering the boat useless and We let
her go adrift.
AT 1870 she struck the beach hroadside
and swung head TO. We rushed out of the
cabin. Our crew was eight all told. Some
huddled under the lee of the cabin, clingine
to the timber heads. took 10 the mizzen
rigging, the stewardess Mary, clinging te
me and crying piteously: Save me- Oh
save me- helped her up in the shrouds,
where she clung with her little white hands
while | sought to fasten her. She could moi
stand the cold, and suddenly gave up her
hold and fell down across me, nearly carry.
ing me along and fell into the boiling s,a I've.
meath us, Her daughter, Minnie, our pet.
never left the cabin, but drowned there. She
was Is years old. Clinging 10 the rigging
with me were French John and Mr. Cum,
frey. Soon the mast fell across the
cabin. We then chung to the davits Of the
STERN the seas dashing over lis The others.
we think, gradually washed off one after
the other. AT ! O'Clock Cumfrev and John
said they would try and reach the shore
The schooners deck had broken off and Iunl-
ber was washing out at every wave They
each took plank. | watched them as they
neared ! halloOwed How do YOU get
alongF The answer came: All rishtr AMI
all was silent. a heavy sea swept over her,
carrying me along. ! grappled a small piece
of deck plank, and after a terrible experience
was flung upon the shore | craulei to the
house of Mr.. Mortenson, who took care of
me-
A dispatch from Ludington, Mich, an
nounces that the schooner William Jones has
been driven high and dry on the beach at
Big Point au Sable Considerable excite
ment has been felt for The safety of the Jones.
ss among thoSa on board vi, Capt. David
Dali, one of the oldest and most popular of
Chicago ves3elmen The crew stepped ashore.
nnd are no" engaged in stripping the vessel,
which VIII be allowed to stay where she Is
until spring.
ASHLAND, Wis, Nov. 22-News has Just
been received that the schooner Bucerne,
which left here last Monday evening with a
cargo of ore for Cleveland, has gone to the
bottom of Lake Superior with all on board.
Three men were found dashed in the rig
gins. They were cut loose and brought TO
this city Friday night One is recognized as
being the second mate The vessel Is nov,
lying in forty feat of water. The Lucerne
left this port with crew of nine men, all
Of whom are supposed TO be lost.