Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-11-02
SANK IN THE STORM
An Unknown Vessel Founders
in Lake Michigan.
STEAMER W. h. GILoHER MISSING

| And Grave Fears That She Has Foundered
With Her Crew of twenty-five Men
The Sister Ship of the Inflated Western
Reserve Large Quantities of wreckage
Seen Neas Manitou Island-A Schooner
Bottom Up On the Island.
CHICAGO, Nov. 2.-The great gale of
| last Friday and Saturday wrecked large
| steamer and a schooner near South Mani
| tou island at the foot of Lake Michigan;
and it is almost certain that the crews of
both boats were lost. The steamer foun-
dered near the island, while the schooner
was cast almost bottom side up on the
beach. The name of neither boat can vet
be learned, as the gale, followed so closely
by another, this time from the east, has de-
moralized shipping. and it is too soon as
yet to determine what boats are missing.
Was It the w. H. Gilcher?
The steel steamer w. H. Gilcher, with
coal from Buffalo to milwaukee,, passed
through the straits of Mackinaw at 2:20 D.
IN. last Friday and put out into Lake
Michigan. An hour afterward the storm
was at its height. Since that time nothing
has been heard of the Gilcher, and it was
feared last night that she was the unfor-
tunate steamer. The Gilcher was a sister
boat of the steamer Western Reserve, lost
on Lake Superior Aug. 80 last with all on
board save one. She had powerful ma
chinery, and until the Western Reserve
was lost the pair We're supposed to be
capable of living through any storm.
Had Crew of Twenty-Five Men.
She is owned by J. c. Gilchrist and 9TH
ers, of Cleveland, is valued at 500. 600 and
is doubtless fully insured. She was built
by the Cleveland Ship Building company
in 1891. and for time held the banner for
big grain cargoes, having taken 10000
bushels of wheat out of Chicago the first
season. The Gilcher left Buffalo Oct 25,
and after unloading her coal at Mil
waukee was to go to Escanaba and load
iron ore for Ashtabula. From there so
Buffalo dispatch last night states, she was
to go TO Toledo and load soft coal for Lake
Superior. Size carries a crew of some
twenty-five men. :
Several Days Overdue.
a Cleveland dispatch this morning states
that the Gilcher is several days overdue.
Her owners have heard nothing from her
since she entered Lake Michigan last Fri
day, and they have grave fears for her
safety. She ought to have been in Milwau-
kee last Saturday. A dispatch from Frank
fort, Mich, says that Captain Redich, of
the steamer Columbia, reports a wreck at
South Manitou island. No name can be
found except the word Ostrich" which is
worked IN req on a pillow slip Inc mann
beam bears the official number, IS, 967,
tonnage 265 and fraction.
Passed Through Lot of Wreckage.
The schooner John Shaw, in tow of the
steamer John +. Eddy, reached Chi
caSo yesterday afternoon. "When off the
South Manitou, on our way to Chicago"
Captain George Dennis, of the Shaw, said
last night, I'VE passed through a large
quantity of wreckage. Doors. stools, win
dow sash, and part of steamers bridge
with the bell still upon it, were floating in
the lake. The stanchions TO the bridge,
which were painted white, were of stripped
oak. The bridge was about five feet wide
fore and aft, but do not know how long
it was. The doors had sash in the top pam
els. The glass, of course, was broken out.
No Doubt of Wreck.
1--WE could see nothing which would give
any Indication of what the name of the I'M
fortunate craft was There is not a par
ticle of doubt but the wreckage was from
some steamer which had foundered not far
from there" The finding of the wreckage
by the Shaw, taken in connection with the
discoveries of the steamer Pawnee when
cruising around the Manitous Monday,
leaves no doubt that the wreckage is from
some boat that went to the bottom.