The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-10-25
ANOTHER HORROR
Added to the Long List Of Lake
Disasters.
dered on Long Point, Canada Twelve
Lives Lost-OnIy Three of the
Steamers Crow Reach
the Shore.


already long list of fatalities resulting
from the terrific northwest gale that
swept the great lakes Saturday and
Sunday last tits now definitely known
that the steamer Wocoken, Of Cleve-
land, foundered in ten fathoms OF
water just above Long Point on the
northern coast of Lake Erie in the re-
cent storm, carrying down with her
all but three of the crew. The list Of
those drowned is as follows:
Albert Meswald, captain, Marine City.
Miss Sarah Meswald, his sister,
Capt John Mitchell, Cevelend
Capt David Jones, hrst mate Cleveland
Matthew Hasler, second engineer Marine
City.
Michael Hinkelman, chief engineer Cleve
land
Charles l. Minard steward, Marine City.
Henry Cranch, watchman, Marine City.
Edmund Eldriige, watchman, Marine City.
Mike Kenney, deckhand, Marine City.
William Eachle, wheelman. Marine City.
Snved-J. F. Saph, second mate.
Robert Crpwding, deckhand
J. H. Rich. wheelman, Cleveland
The Wocoken was bound from Ash
tabula to Duluth with cargo of coal.
She sailed on Friday, on the eve Of the
great storm, from near the starting
point Of the ill-fated Dean Richmond,
and must have encountered the storm
at the height of its severity while
making for shelter, as was the case
with the Richmond.
Long Point, on the north shore OF
Lake Erie, was the haven sought by
both vessels, but both became prey to
the dangerous coast along that part OF
the Canadian border. The Wocoken
made her way TO Erie with safety.
There she picked up her consort, the
Joseph Paige, aud proceeded up the
lake The vessel had proceeded we'll
out into the lake before she was struck
by the storm. She faced the gale and
prepared for the battle for life. She
had been swept fore and aft by the
tremendous seas and had been almost
dismantled. Capt. Meswald saw that
further efforts to combat the storm
were useless. His boat was being rap
idly torn to pieces and the only hope
was to seek the protection of Long
point. The sea was too much for her
and 1t was soon found necessary to
drop the Paige.
The vesseIs had clung together in
the hope that IL either must succumb
the other might prove the means OF
saving Of the lives Of both crews. II
was only as a last resort that the haw-
sers were cut and each set out with
grave misgivings TO make the fight
itself. The Paige had thus far wealth
cred the gale much better than the
steamer, and having the advantage Of
position, rode westward before the
storm and found safety behind Long
Point with all canvas gone. The Wo-
eolSen was not so fortunate. Her fight
had been made and although she
righted for a time after the consort
had been cut loose, her rigging was
gone and her hull had been badly
sprung as she buffeted the heavy seas.
The matches were the next TO go, and
rs she rapidly filed the last hope OF
the despairing crew vanished. Each
man made preparations TO save him
self single-handed, II possible. Life
preservers and portions OF the ships
furniture was called into use and every
provision was made after the fate OF
the vessel became certain, TO save the
lives Of the human beings TO be cast
adrift on the surface Of the water
As the boat became waterlogged and
II became evident that IL was n ques.
ton of but few minutes until she
must go down, the men began TO jump
overheard with the faint hope of being
cast ashore without being beaten Ia
death on the rocks that abound in that
locality. The women and less skilled
swimmers were easy prey TO the fu'
rious waves and hurled out of sight OF
one another by the tremendous waves
that lashed the sinking hull, they went
down in quick succession. Three only
Of the sixteen souls that were aboard
the WocolSen were saved. These, j. p
Saph, second mate, Wheelman ]. II.
Rich and Robert Crowding, all hardy
and experienced scamen, skillful swim
mers, succeeded in keeping themselves
we'll out from the dangerous coast un
til the storm abated, and they were
able 10 make n landing.
The Wocolken was owned by Johr
Mitchell, Of Cleveland, and was valued
at s56 OOO Insured with Smith, Davis
g. Co., OF Buffalo; David Vance, of Nil
waukee, and c. A. Mcdonald g. Co., o
Chicago. Her cargo OF l,sOO tons o
coal, consigned to w. l.. Scott & Co.
was valued at $40 900; insured.