Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-11-25
TERRIBLE LAKE DISASTER.
Wreck Of the Schooner Menekaukee on
Lake Michigan.
Graphic Account OF tho Trip and tho
Wreck. as Given by the Only
survivor.

DETROIT, Nov. 20.--Duriug the height OF
the storm Thursday afternoon, at intervals
through the binding snow storm three.
masted schooner could DO seen about three
miles southwest OF Frankfort. Her poles were
almost bare, and the deck seemed clear OF
cargo An attempt was made TO anchor her
and she held for time, but soon broke loose
and drifted helplessly before the gale, The
wind Increased In violence and the seas were
growing every moment larger when darkness
settled over the lake, At a neighboring farm.
house was bruised and battered sailor with
lacerated hands from which the flesh was
stripped, aud his feet were badly swollen, H.
is c. w, Annis, Of Port Huron, sailor on his
first trip and Is the only survivor OF this ve'-
sci, He said; ave loaded at 0sceola with
lumber for George Leoud, the owner OF the
lost vessel, and left for Chicago on SUNDAY
The tow, consisting OF the steam barge MANS
tlQue aud the schooners Marinette and Meme
kaukee, met heavy weather on Lake Huron
and was driven for shelter 10 Pcesque Isle
We then left and met fair passage on Lake
Michigan. Wednesday noon a southeast gale
set In, with snow and rain. At md
night while abreast OF Ludlng.
ton, six miles out tho gale increased
TO almost hurricane. The barge reached for
the Wisconsin shore; made Two river light but
could fetch nothing, At daylight the MANS
t'que squared for the Manirou Islands TO es-
cape the outslaughter OF the storm and the
tow broke up at $780, Til, steamer left us to
our fate. We sgnaled TO them to stay by us
but she steamed away and was lost to sight
in the snow squall MarInetto pitched and
rolled terribly 80 that We scarce could keep u
foot hold. She uushIppcd her rudder, bccom-
ing unmauageable aud then sprung a leak,
Water logged, she rolled her deck load of
taking both rails and bulwarks with II, She
rolled her main mast out aud In falling Il
took the foremost and the mizzen head. We
saw the Menekaukee drifting apparently near
us all day. She shovel no distress signal all
dav while we tied ours 10 the mast. We sight
ed Frankfort during the afternoon. We were
huddled IN the cabin where We built tenn ~
rarv floor over the water The captain, Chi
cago man fifty years OF age don't know bis
name, was washed overheard and drowned at
2 o'clock In the afternoon. We lowered the
yawl at 3 o'clock aud attempted to reach land,
but In lowering she sprung a leak rendering
her useless and we let her 60 adrift At 1890
head to and we rushed out Of the cabin. Our
crew was eight men all told Some huddled
under the lee of the cabin, cl!uging TO the
timber heads. took to the mIzzen rigging,
The stewardess Mary was clingng to me cry
Ing, "Save me oh, save mer' helped her
up the shrouds and she tried to hold on until
I could fasten her. but she could not stand tho
cold and suddenly let go and fell down across
me, nearly carrying me along, and fell into
the boiling sea. Her daughter, aged 10, the
pet OF the crew, never left the cabin, but was
drowned there. Clnglng 10 the rigging with
me were "French john and Mr..
Cumfrey. Soon mast fell across the
cabin. We then chung TO the davlts at her
stern, the sea dashing over us. The
others, we thought were gradually washed of
one after anoth n. At | o'clock Sunday Cum
frey and John said they would try and reach
shore. Each took a 10 Sc plank and started.
As they neared land halooed, allow do you
get alongi The answer came, can right"
and then all was silent. A heavy sea swept
over wreck carrying me along. ! CRASHED
small piece of the deck and after terrible cx-
perloncc was flung upon the shore. ] crawled
TO the house Of Montcnsew, who took care Of
me. Our crew consisted OF captain, name I'M
known; william Cumfrey French John, OF
Alpena; 8. W. Annls, Norwegian, from
Capetown, Norway, Mary and daughter;
Minnie from Port Huron, and another named
John. think the Mcnekaukee was water.
logged. ] did not see her after II grew dark
She had crew Of seven men-CaptaIn Cot,
mates, Dan Wheeler and John Cotton OF Port
Huron. The body found is probably John
Cotton, married, OF Port Huron. While at
the wreck fresh wreckage was discovered out
in the lake. Sailor Annis says: 81 looked out
at daybreak and saw small steam barge
standing on the outer bar abreast Of here.
She had fan top on her smoke stack and an
exhaust pipe half way up. The stack was
about 70 tons, had a taperng mast, no cross
trees aud a fly hoisted at her mast head. She
came on broadsIde, headed SOUTH and pound
ed fearfully, gradually filed and fank beneath
the surface. As she went down the steam and
smoke was still issuing from the stack, which
is now sticking out Of the water. Her mast
broke and is now hanging to the wreck. He
saw nothing Of the crew AMI thinks there was
no one on board. She lies 600 feet from the
shore, and nothing has been found to identify
her. The body has been In the breakers since
dusk but was washed ashore before It could be
secured 1t is reported that the Manlstiqueis
sheltered at Manitou Island.