Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1892-09-08
rWENrY-slx DROWNED.
Terrible Loss of Life Reported on Lake
SuiSerlor:

20
Terrible Loss of Life Reported on Lake
Superior:
SAUh.r STE. MARIE, Mich, Sept. A.
The large freight steamer Western Re-
serve has been lost off Sable banks,
near Deer Park, and q the twenty
seven persons Oh board only one has
been saved. Six Of them were passen=
gers, one of the latter being Peter
Minch, Of Cleveland, O., the owner,
who recently became a millionaire:
The other passengers were the wife,
son and daughter IF Capt. Minch and
Mrs. Mary Engleberry and her daugh-
ter Bertha, of Vernillion.
On the previous trip of the Western
Reserve its crew consisted of twenty.
two men: No new men were taken on
in Cleveland at tho shipping office fot
this trip, so it is likely that most of the
old crew were on board when the yes-
sci went down.
The Western Reserve, bound from
Cleveland to Two Harbors, passed
Sault Ste. Marie Tuesday evening.
Although heavy wind was blowing
from the northwest the steamer paid
no attention to it and plunged
into the tremendous waves run
ming. No sooner had it passed out
of the protection of Point Iroquois
than it began to pound violently in the
sea, the gale continuing to increase in
force. When on the course from White
fish point to Kewenaw point the heavy
steel structure parted without warning
about amidships. The water poured
iuto the hold, and the crew and passen-
gers saw that their boat was doomed.
The crew managed to get both yawl
boats down, but not without much diff
fculty. It was new work for them,
for this was the first time the yawls
had ever been lowered In the one yawl
were placed Capt. Peter Minch, his wife,
three children and his wife's sister. The
rest of the crew who We're not in the
first yawl manned the second one, and
they pulled away from the Western
ward. The yawl containing Mr.. Nlinch
and his family soon afterward capsized,
and the remaining boat took on board
all the survivors.
It was a heavy load for the yawl
boat. The wind had steadily increased
and the waves were tremendous. When
within a mile from shore it, too cap
sized, and all were thrown into the
water. Of the twenty-seven only one,
Henry Stewart, of Algonac. Mich,
reached the shore. Stewart walked u
miles to the nearest life-saving station,
where he gave notice of the disaster.
The life-savers there began to patrol
the beach and Thursday morning found
two bodies. One of them was identi-
fed as that of Capt. Minch by his
watch. The other was that of dark
haired woman. Thursday night tele-
phone message to Newbcrry stated that
another body had come ashore.
Never was a jollier party on board a
steamer than on the Western Reserve
when it passed through the canal Tues
day night. Capt. Minch ana his three
children stood upon the bridge, and all
were in the best Of spirits. When the
news reached here that the Western Re-
serve had gone down in 600 feet Of
water the report was generally dis
credited 1t could no longer be doubted
when Henry Stewart, the only survi-
vor, reached here Thursday night on
the fish tug E. NJ. B. A. Mr. Stewart
said:
Everything went we'll until about 60 miles
above WhitekSh point when the first warning
anyone on board had of impending danger
was terrible crash about 9 a. ~, caused by
the huge craft breaking in two and breaking
the mainmast about halfway up the rigging.
She took in water fast from the start, and the
yawl boats were forward. Capt. Minch his
family ard the officers and crew, to the number
OF seventeen, got into the wooden yaWl and the
others took to the metallic one.
1.-The Reserve, sunk in ten minutes and before
She had hardly gone out OF sight the metal.
lie yawl capsized The other went TO her
assistance, but only succeeded in rescuing
two OF her occupants, Capt. Minchs son and
the steward. The nineteen survivors
started for Whitefsh, 60 miles away The
wind was about west when they started, but
vecred to the north, making considerable sea.
But the yawl weathered tho breakers all night
and until the next morning when, about ll
miles from life-saving station No. 10 and about
mile from the shore, it capsizcd.'
Stewart says that he saw none OF
the occupants after that. He struck
for the shore, but the cries of the chill
dren, screams of the women and moan.
ing of men were terrible for a few mo.
ments. Stewart was in the water two
hours He struck shore about 13 miles
above the station and had to walk
there before reaching anyone to render
him assistance. A search failed to find
trace of any other survivor of the
wreck, and there is no question that
they We're all drowned.
The Western Reserve was built by
the Cleveland Shipbuilding Company
and launched October 20, 1890 She
was owned by the b. G. Minch estate
and others of this city and was valued
at S220,0 600 in Lloyd's Inland Register
The Western Reserve was 500 feet long
and Il feet beam. She was considered
thoroughly stanch and seaworthy
boat.
Capt. Minch was one of the best
known vessel owners and masters OIL
the lakes. He was about SIS years old
He was born at Vermillion His father,
Philip Minch, was one OF the most ex-
tensiye owners of vessel property
in his time. Capt. Minch sailed
from his boyhood until about
five years ago. when he came
ashore 70 :o;tnage MS large veSSe
interests. lie with others owned the
steamers Western Reserve, Onoko,
Philip Minch, Horace A. futile, A.
Everett, John N. Glidden, and schoon-
ers George II. Warrington and Sophia
Minch. The schooner Fred A. Morse,
which was lost few months ago, was
also owned by him.
a sTEPMoTHER's CRIME.
Wisconsin Woman Kills Child 30
cause 1t Is Cross.
STEvENsPoRr, Wis, Sept. @ NJ,
Martin Valishka, the ste pn1other Of the