Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-09-03

Captain Minch Was PROT Swsnsberg's
Cousin.

Cousin.
The wrecking OF the steamer Western
Reserve OF AuSable banks n Lake
Superior Tuesday night, as recounted
m yesterdays Herald, has a sad local
interest Tor the people Of Grand Rap
Ids, Ia that Capt. Peter g.. Miach,
wealthy vessel owner Of Cleveland and
the owner u the fatal vessel, who With
MS wife and two children and wlte's
sister are among the drowned, was a
cousin OF Prof. {. G.. SNensburg OF this
city. Captain Mnch and his family
were frequent visitors of Prof. Swens-
burg. Wednesday Of last week they
extended pressing invitation 10 the
professor and his daughter Bertha,
who were visiting them Ia Cleveland, 10
accompany them Oh the trip 10 Lake
superior, but the invitation was de-
clined on account of the near approach
Of the school term and the resumption
OF Miss Bertha's studies. Thus IA prov
ldental lnteTposltlOn saved the hYes Oh
another father and daughter.
The family, who together with all
save one OF the officers and crew, con-
sisted OF Captain Minch, ms WIFE, son,
Chsrles, aged 10 years; daughter, Flor
ence, aged o; sister-ln-law, Mrs. Bertha
Engleby of Nermillon, o., and her
daughter. Bertha. aged 3. Capt. Al
bert Myers and his son, Carl, OF Yer
million, with his officers and crew OF
nineteen men, make list or twenty
seven who met death amid the horrors
IF that fearful night.
The Western Reserve was one or Cap
tam Mlnch's newest boats, one OF the
largest and best of the new steel steam
ers on the lakes. Built by the Cieve-
land Ship Building company of Cleye-
land, sne WAS launched October !,
1890, she was 81 feet over all, Al feet
beam, with a tonnage of $40, 900 tons
aud was valued 1T 100000. Her last
trip was Intended tor pleasure eXcur-
sion and she had no cargo. She
cleared from Cleveland Sunday after
noon, bound for Two HarbOrs. and &C
cordIng TO the account gwen by the
only survivor, Wheelsman Harry Stew
art, all went well until O'Clock on the
evening of August 80, about sixty miles
from Whltetish Point, when amid the
darkness and a terrible heavy sea, a
crash was heard and 1t was found that
the huge craft was breaking in two.
She took IN the water fast and two
boats, the wooden yawl and metallic
life boat. were lowered. Captain Mlnch
and his family, the ,officers and crew
to the number of seventeen crowded
into the yawl, and the remainder
took the small boat, which soon
capsized, drowning all but two, who
We're with difficulty picked up by the
yawl. The steamer sank in few
minutes and the wrecked party headed
their course for Whitefish bay, sixty
miles distant. They managed TO
weather the fearful sea until O'Clock
IN the morning, when about ten miles
from llfe-savlng station No. 10 and
about a mile from shore, the boat cap
sized and Stewart was the only one who
succeeded in reaching land, thoroughly
exhausted. He says he saw none OF
his companions after the boat turned
bottom UP, but he could hear the
heartrending cries of the women and
children and the means of the men for
few moments, when all became still,
The bodies OF Captain Minch, recog-
nizable only by his tlme-pIece, of q
dark haired lady, believed to be his
wife, and one of the crew were washed
ashore.
Captain Minch was a genial, upright
gentleman, one highly esteemed by all
who knew him, and most prominent ID
the shipping interests of Cleveland and
the lakes. HIS family was an interest
ing beloved circle in both domestic and
social life. and their unumely taking
off is a sad blow to many friends and
relatives In both Michigan and Ohio.