New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-02
THE STEAMER BROKE IN TWO.
LOSS OF THE STEEL vEaSHN WESTERN
RESERVE IN LAKE SUPERIOR.
TwENTY-sIX PERSONS DROwNED-THE SOLE SUR
y:voR's STORY OF THE DISASTER.

v;voRs STORY OF THE DISASTER.
Sault ST. Marie. Mich. Sept. 1.-The fish tug f.
NJ b. A.. arrived down tonight. having as pas
senger Harry Stewart. of Algonac. wheeman'
the only survivor from the large steel steamer
Western Reserve. which broke in two and found
cred on Tuesday morning about 0 o'clock, sixty
miles above White Fish Point, on the course TO
Keeweenaw. The Western Reserve, upbound
and tight left the 500 Canal on Monday after
noon, having on hoard as passengers Captain
Peter Minch her owner; his wife, three children
and his wifes sister. besides the regular crew OF
twenty-five hands. The rest of her short history
is best told in the words of Stewart, who is the
only one left Of the twenty-seven persons on
board to tell the terrible tale:
Everything went we'll until about sixty mics
above White Fish, when the first warning any one
on board had Of impending danger was terrible
crash about 8 a. NJ, caused by the huge craft
breaking in two and breaking the mainmast about
half way up the rigging She took in water fast
from the start end the yawl boats were lowered.
Captain Minch, his family and the officers and crew
of the boat TO the number Of seventeen got into
tho wooden yaw! and the Others took to the me
tsic one The Reserve sank in ten minutes,
and before she had hardly gone out OF sight the
metallic yawl capsized. The otler went to her
assistance but only succeeded In rcscuing two OF
her occupants, the captains son and the steward.
The nineteen survivors started for White Fish,
sixty miles away. The wind was about west when
they started, but veercd to the north, making con
siderable sea. But the yawl weathered the break
ers all night and until the next morning, when
about ten miles from Life Saving Station No TO-,
and about mile from the shore, it capsized.
Stewart SAYS that he saw none of the occupants
after that He struck for the shore, but the crie~
of the children. the screams Of the women. and
the moaning Of the men were terrible for few
minutes Then oil became silent. Stewart was in
the water two hours. He struck shore about ten
miles above the station and had to walk there
before reaching any one to give him assistance
search failed to find trace Of any other survivor
Of the wreck: and there is no question that all
werc drowned.
Cleveland, Sept. tSpccal.-The news OF the
sinking Of the steamer Western Reserve of Au
Sable bsnks Lake Superior, caused profound
sorrow here The following persons are known to
have been on the steamer Captain and Mrs.
Peter G. Mnch, their daughter Florence and their
son Charles: Engineer W. II. Seaman, Engineer
Charles Wells, and Robert Simpson, all of Cleve-
land Mrs Mary Englebry aud her daughter
Bertha, Of Vermillion Members Of the crew on
the previous trip, Of whom nearly all are supposed
to be lost, are: Fred Engalb. first mate; Charles
lie Bean, second mate Burt Smith. steward
Ray Applebee, Schuyler Stewart, Daniel FORBES
John Satchan, S. c. Hatten, Horace Burroughs,
Martin Klauser, Daniel Suckney, r. Sansfred,
Albert Davenport, Daniel OConnell, NJ. Coffee
and John Wilson.
Captain Peter Mirch was one Of the bcs<-known
yeseel-owners and masters ca the Lakes. lie sailed
from his boyhood until about five years ago. when
he came ashore to manage his large vessel In
terests He owned the steamers Western Reserve
Onaho, Philip Minch, Horace A. Tuttle, A. Everett
and John n Glidden, and the schooners George
H. Warrington and Sophia Minch. The schooner
Fred A. Morse, which was lost few months
ago, was also owned By him. This was his frst
trip for several years He was several days max
ing preparations for it, and was looking forward
TO a pleasant time for himself and family. Ihe
steamer left here light for Two Harbors, at the
head of Lake Superior, Tuesday afternoon
The Western Reserve was 4O"ONon vessel,
900 feet long and Al feet beam. and was valued
at S220. 900 She vas built in 1890 by the Cleve-
land Shipbulding Co.