The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-11-20
4 TERRIBLE DISASTER.
NOT A SOUL LEFT TO TELL THE
STORY
or the Awfal Misery Of a Stranded
Vessels Crew--DrOWAed In
Freezing Water.

he binding enow storm a three |
masted schooner could be seen about |
tx miles southeast OF Frankfort. Her |
poles were almost bare and the deck |
seemed clear OF cargo. An attempt |
was made to anchor her and she was
for a time, but soon broke loose and
driitsd helplessly before the gale. The
wind gradually increased in violence
and the seas were growing every mo-
ment larger, when darkness settled
like a pail over the face Of the
lake. Help was asked from
the life saving station at Mans-
tee, but it was impossible for
a tug TO live in such gale. Alter
great trouble the life saving station,
seven miles north of here, WIS
reached, and the apparatus hauled
down the coast by few volunteers
over steep bills and ravines, tree
trunks and heavy snow drills, and
psltsd by the driving snow and hail.
rhey arrived at the scene Of the disas-
ter at Herring creek at o'clock this
morniDg, after q twenty mile struggle
against the elements. The scene beg
CARS description. The vessel was to-
tally broken up and with the
cargo upon the beach, everything
beng completely destroyed. Broken
masts, ehrouds, lumber and debris,
all were mixed aud piled up together.
Capt. Matthews thinks che must have
had her anchor down snd pounded to
pieces on the outer bar. One body
wss found, that Of a man about 80
years old, with black hair, sandy mus
tache, and clothing to resist the
weather. In the pocket of his coat
vas a letter bearing the address,
civilian Laurie, 1871 Madison street,
Chicago" His face was badly jammed
aud his haudS cut. The vessels
yawl, with the name Menekaunee, was
near by, unipjured. 1t is thought she
had crew OF nine men and that she
broke aB soon as che struck. No other
bodies have been discovered. Another
wreck WAS discovered two miles
south, where the same chaotic wreck
age was seen by the Free Pres CORE
spondent. The entire stem of the
schooner Marinette, OF Racine, Wis,
was discovered. At a neighboring
farmhouse was bruised and battered
sailor with lacerated hands, from
which the flesh was stripped, and bis
feet we're badly swollen. He is @. W.
Annis, OF Port Huron, sailor on bis
frat trip, and is the only survivor of
this vessel, He says: 1--WE loaded at
Oscoda with lumber for George Loud,
the owner of the lost vessel, and left
for Chicago Sunday. The tow, con-
sisting OF the steam barge Manietique
and the echooners Mannette and
Menekaunee, met heavy weather
in Lake Huron, and was driven
for shelter to Pressure Ise.
We then left and made
a fair passage on Lake Michigan.
Wednesday noon southeast gale Get
in, with rain and snow. at midnight,
while abreast Of Ludington, six miles
out, the gale increased 10 almost q
hurricane. The barge reached for the
Wisconsin shore, made Two Rivers
light, but could fetch nothing. At
daylight the Mauistique squared for
the Manitou Islands to escape the on
elaught of the storm, and the tow
broke up at 2: 80 o'clock. The steamer
left us to our fate. We signalled to
them TO stay by us, but she steamed
away, and was lost 10 sight in storm
squat. The Msrinette pitched and
rolled terribly, 30 that we could
scarcely keep bflost. She uushipped
her rudder, becoming unmanegeable,
then sprung a leak. Water logged,
she rolled her deck load off, taking
both rails aud bulwarks with 1t. She
rolled her mRiumast out, aud in fall
ing u took the foremost and miszen
head. We Jaw the Meneksunee
drifting apparently near us all day.
She showed no distress signal, while
we tied our oolors TO the mast. We
sighted Frankfort during the after
noon. We were huddled in the cabin,
where we built temporary floor
over the water. The Captain, Chi
osgo man, so years o'd-don't know
his name-was washed overheard and
drowned at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
We lowered the yawl at s o'clock aud
attempted TO reach land, but in lower
ing she sprung a leak, rendering her
useless, and we let her 60 adrift.
At II o'clock she struck the beach
broadside and swing head to, and we
rushed out Of the cabin. Our crew
was eight men all told. Some hud-
died under the lee OF the cabin, cling.
ing to the timber heads. took to the
misEen rigging. The stewardess, Mary,
was olinging to me crying "Save me
Oh, cave meW l helped her up the
shlouds and she tried to hold on until
/ could fasten her. But she could not
stand the cold and suddenly let 90 her
hold and fell down across me, nearly
carrying me along, and fell into the
boiling sea. Her daughter, ageo IS,
the pet Of the crew, never left the
cabin, but was drowned there,
Olingtrg to the rigging with
me was French John" and Mr..
Cumirey. Soon the mast fell
across the cabin. We then chung ia
the davits at her stern, the seas dash.
ing over us The others, we thought
were gradually washed of, one after
another. At l o'clock Mr.. Cumfrey
aud John said they would try and
reach the shore, They each took 9
loose plank and started. Az they
ne'red land l hallosd, "How do you
get along?" TIE answer came, "Al
rightW aud then all was silent, A
heavy sea swept over the wreck, car
ryiug me along l Rrappled q small
piece of deck plank, and after terri
BILE experience was flung upon thu
shore. l crawled TO the house Of Mr.
Mortenseu, who took care Of me. 0u
crew consisted Of the captain (name uu
known, VIM Cumfrey, French John,
Of Alpena; o. w. Annis, a Norwe
giaD, from Capetown, Norway; Mar
aud daughter Minnie, from Por
Huron, and another named John.
think the Kenkannee was waite
logged. Ibid not see her after II grew
dark. She had a crew OF seven, Capt
Cole, Mates Dan Wheeler and JohI
Cotton, two young men, the cook
John and Mike johnson OF Por
Huron. The lady found is prob
ably Mrs. John Cotton OF Port Huron
While at the wreck fresh wrecksgI
was discovered out in the lax,