The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-05-31
)EATHM RAG[NGFL
DISASTERS BY STORMS AT
OHIO LAKE PORTS.

Fourteen Lives Lost at Cleveland,
Conneaut and Ashtabula-Life
Savers Drowned While Trying to
Effect a Rescue-A Drcdge and
Schooner Go to the Bottom.
A storm of rain end wind which lasted
hree days produced food unprecedented
n the history Of Northeastern Ohio. Four
:een lives we're lost, great damage was done
% shipping, and the loss to other property
amounted to hundreds OF thousands OF dol.
lars. There was o long list OF disasters by
storm and food from Ohio Lake ports.
At Cleveland, shortly otter noon, Captain
Stanley Flannigan and Michael LIE Blonde
were going down tho river In rowboat
which they used for peddling milk along the
docks When near the mouth OF the angry
stream one of LIE Blondes oars broke
and the two men were left OF
the mercy OF the waters. They
were quickly carried into the lake, and
as 1t was evident that their frail craft could
not live In the sea that was running, prepa-
Life saving crew. Seven men manned the
neboat, and they pulled away toward the
east pier of the breakwater, toward
which point the boat containing Flan-
nigan and LIE Blonde had drifted.
When the life savers were well out OF the
mouth Of the river an oar broke and instantly
the cork-like vessel swung broadside to the
angry waves. Before assistance could be rem
dered the boat was overturned and oil the
men were thrown into the water. Three OF
them succeeded in catching hold Of the over
turned hfeboat, where they hung on until they
were rescued in terribly exhausted condition.
nj
back to the nfeboat, and were drowned.
Their names were: Chester Simons, Nicholas
Seryas, John johnson, Albert Currier.
Captain Distell and the other two life savers
who escaped we're brought ashore by q tug
boat. The lifeboat was found after the acci-
dent near the east end of the breakwater.
Flanagan and Le Blonde, the two men
whom the ife-saviIg crew were attempting
to rescue. were also drowned.
At Connesut, Ohio, the tug Walter Rich
ardson, the dredge Continental, and scow
anchored in the harbor during the night.
The creek rose rapidly, and at 6 o'clock tho
scow was carried out into tho lake with the
tug. In cutting away from the scow the tugs
wheels were disabled and the tug was washed
ashore. The crew was saved. The dredge
was then carried into the lake and capsized.
There were seven persons on board, two OF
whom were washed ashore on the wreckage.
The five others perished. The following Is a
List OF the lost w. Wilson, Captain, thirty,
of Philadelphia; George O'Rourke, twenty
seven, Of Detroit; J. Fife, twenty-five,
Conneaut; Maggie White, cook, forty,
OF Cleveland; watchman -, name
unknown, about fifty years old.
The sea was running high, and no bodies
from the dredge were terribly exhausted.
The property was owned by ]. F. Baldwin,
of Rochester, and valued at $4,000.
It Is nearly total loss. Two
miles Of the Shenango Railroad
were washed away, and it was feared large
piece of the new dock would be lost. The
bridges oil along this section were damaged.
There was o current fifteen miles in the
river and the water was rising rapidly, threat
ening every moment to break the big vessels
loose at the head of navigation, and thus do
damage to the rest and tako out the swing
bridge.
At Ashtabula, Ohio, the schooner Pelican
foundered at her pier during the storm.
Three of her crew of seven men were
drowned, and two of those rescued were
badly injured. The lost were: Peter Mel
son, first mate; John Erickson, sailor John
c. knight, sailor. The steamer Ketohum
and the Pelican, with ore from Es-
CANADA, arrived OF the port during the
afternoon, but on account OF the gale and
heavy seq remained at anchor outside
rather than risk entering the piers In the
night. The matches Of the Pelican became
loosened, and the water began to pour into
her hold. She made signals OF distress, and
the tue Sunol went to her assistance Only
one man was got of before she went down,
but three more were afterward picked up.
The Pelican was owned by Captain William
Mack, OF Cleveland.