Huntsville gazette., 1893-10-21
VOICES FROM THE STORM.

Erie, Above Long Point, on the North
ern Coast, and OF the Crew OF Sixteen
Only Three Escaped with Their Lives
A Gallant But Intellectual Fight Against
Imdending Destruction.
BUFFALO, n. ", Oct. 16.-Thirteen
more victims have been added to the al
ready long list of fatalities resulting
from the terrific northwest gale that
swept the great lakes Saturday and
Sunday last. 1t is now definitely
known that the steamer Wockken, of
Cleveland, foundered in ten fathoms of
water just above Long Point, on the
northern coast of Lake Erie, in the re-
cent storm, carrying with her all but
three of her crew.
The last few weeks of the naviga-
tion season of 1898 will live long in the
memory of the lake mariners, for no
such awful list of fatalities has been
known in shipping circles for decade
as the one to which additions are be-
ing made daily, as reports come in Civ
ing details of the terrific gale that
swept the inland seas steadily for
more than forty-eight hours at the
close of last week.
The story of the fate of the Dean
Richmond in Lake Erie and the Min
nehaha in Lake Michigan is supple
mented by the news of the loss of one
or two lives from number of vessels
composing the lake fleet; and now
comes the loss of the Wockken with its
human freight.
1t is too early to estimate the money
loss by the sinking of small craft at
various points in the chain OF great
lakes from Duluth to the mouth of the
st. Lawrence
All incoming vessels are minus part
of their rigging, are badly stove in, or
otherwise show marks of their terrible
experience with the wind and heavy
seas. The Wockken was bound from
Ashtabula 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 en-
countered 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 Wocl5ken made
her way to Erie with safety. There
she picked up her consort, the JOS.
Paige, and proceeded up the lake.
The vessel had proceeded we'll out into
the lake before she was struck by the
Ia nd
pared for the battle for life.
After she had been swept fore and
aft by the tremendous seas, and had
been almost dismantled, Capt. Mes
wald saw that further efforts to COM
bat the storm were useless. His boat
was being rapidly torn to pieces, and
the only hope was to seek the protec-
ton Of Long Point. The sea was too
much for her, and it was soon found
necessary to drop the Paige. The yes
sells had clung together in the hope
that if either must succumb the other
might prove the means of saving the
lives of both crews. 1t was only as
last resort that the hawser was cut,
and each set out with grave misgivings
to make the fight for itself.
The Paige had thus far weatheedr
the gale much better than the steam
er, and having the advantage of posi-
ton rode westward with the storm
and found safety behind Long Point
with all canvas gone.
The Wockken was not so fortunate.
Her fight had been made, and although
she righted for time after her con-
sort had been cut loose, her rigging
sprung as she buffeted the heavy seas.
The matches were next to go, and as
she rapidly filed, the last hope of the
despairing crew vanished. Each made
preparations to save himself. Life
preservers and portions of the ships
furniture were called into use and
every provision was made, after the
fate of the vessel became certain, to
enable the human beings that were
about to be cast adrift to remain on
the surface of the water.
AS the boat became waterlogged, and
it became evident that it was ques-
tion of but few minutes until she
must go down, the stronger men began
to jump overb board with the faint hope
of being cast ashore without being
beaten to death on the rocks that
abound in that locality.
The women and the less skillful be-
came easy prey to the furious waves,
being hurled out of sight of one an
other 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 wreck escaped. J. R.
Sapp, the second mate; Wheelman j..
H. Rice, and Robert Crowding, all
hardy and successful seamen and skill
full swimmers. succeeded in keeping
well out in the dangerous seas until
the storm abnted, when they were able
to make a landing in terrible exhaust
ed condition
The Wockken was owned by John
Mitchell, of Cleveland, and was valued
at $50, 900; insured with Smith, Davis
s. Co.. Buffalo; David Vance, Milwau-
kee, and David Mcdonald, of Chicago.
Her cargo Of 1900 tons of coal, con-
signed to w. L. Scott & Co., was valued