The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-11
LOST In LAKE UNION.
Three Hunters Lives Sacrificed
to the Storm.
ONE HAS a NARROW ESCAPE.
Cspsfsed by . Wave In Early Morning.
Three Duck Hunters Perish
The Survivors, story.


duck shooting. party Of four men left the
Seattle steam Laundry, on the shore Of
LAKE. Union. yesterday morning At 3 20
e'cioek. Within thirty minutes III. boat
80 b@en submerged By huge wave and
" 80 sfruggls that followed three lives
.sv~ est sad the fourth saved after hard
4 80 alrnost incsiculabIe.
70 drowned are:
IsHrs EIs~. aged - years. bookkeeper
o. the seattle Steam Laundry; body not
recovered.
FswErr B.Krrx. aged . years. driver
for the Model Steam Laundry; body not
recovered.
JosErH wERSrTr. aged - years, marker
~ the Seattle Steam Laundry: body re-
covered
The rescued:
wrrrrax sTKuAsr, driver for the Seattle
Steam Laundry.
For three days, beginning with last
Thursday, there were great preparations
at the Seattle Steam Laundry for day
with the ducks. The weather had been
watched until IL was thought things were
working around 30 the ducks would tiy.
and Sunday, being the day when al were
at leisure, was decided upon for the
slaughter When the rain commenced to
TALL Saturday night and the wind to
switch around the corners OF the
houses In that gusty manner 80
pleasing to the sportsmen and dis
agreeable to mothers, there was hasty
collecting OF shotguns, ammunition. rub
Der boots. fDsckintoshes. lunch baskets
and old clothes. The party was made
beforehand and consisted of William Sew
art. James Elan. nephew OF Samuel III.
Vincent proprietor of the Seattle Steam
laundry. and who has been in the city
only short time; Emmett Ba.bee, one OF
the Model laundry drivers and brother
OF Policeman J.. A. Barbee, and Joseph
Wcrnett, one OF the old employees of Mr.
Vincent Everything was gotten ready
and the double-oared boat hauled up at the
iaundry on the shore of Lake Union. near
the foot of Lake and Naterton streets.
Like true sportsmen, they decided 10 start
at 3 o'clock in the morning. long before
the first streak OF dawn from the east in
forms the restless bguebilIs, maIIards and
canyasbacks that il is time TO hunt food
and take their morning exercise. Stewart
lives in cosy house near the laundry, and
IL was decided to start from his home. In
order TO get good rest he retired
early, but not before he was joked
considerably about the number of
ducks he would wing. All night
the wind howled and At intervals
the rain would come down in an angry.
splattering manner. The general course
was from the southwest, striking Lake
Union and following the natural course of
the lake aroun nd to the Lake Washington
portage. In everyday talk Lake Union is
spoken of as "A small body of water, but it
Is true nevertheless that, when u strong
wind blows, the waves run in an ugly
manner and beat against the shores with q
fury hardly imaginable.
When the party assembled yesterday
morning. clad in heavy rubber boots and
mackintoshes, they had every reason To
think the weather prophet was on their
side. The wind was still blowing, but the
place where they got into the boat with
their traps was in n nook sheltered from
the extreme force of the wind. Four men
were in the boat. Barbee and Wernett at
the oars. one and all IN good spirits, with
visions OF feathers flying and ducks falling
INFO the water with splash. They started
out, ink.noing to follow the east shore as
far rs As'sham's wharf, at the foot OF Vel
iow and Roanoke streets. shoot across to
La; a, get another boat and then away
to the portage and Lake Washington.
Hugging the east shore closely, the boat
with its merry, weatherproof-olad party
crept along until the wharf was reached
Then the prov was turned out into the
lake and toward Latona. Two hundred
yards had been passed. when the strong
wind sweeping through the Lake Union
valley hurled a large breaker down upon
the frai craft. So sudden VAS the attack
and so unexpected. that before n word was
said the boat was filled with water
and the four unfortunate hunters found
themselves tioundering in ice-cold water
more than five times a. deep rs their
height, The tirsi words spoken came from
Stewart when he said; Boys. grab for
the boat. Three oheyed, but poor Bar.
Ice. borne down 5v his heavy boots and
coat, seemed 70 have given up ia the first
clash. Down he went like a stone. mo-
mrnt later TO be thrown high on tho
crest of n wave aud then 80 dis
appear for good in the angry waters.
Stewart aud WeTnet both had hold of the
boat. hich was now overturned and Kent
revolving at the heat Of each lsrge wave.
IL was fully 30 yards to the shore. but
Elan. being deceived hy the dim. uneer-
tain light. thought It nearer and believed
be could make IT.
II viii swim 20 the shore, " he cried 10
his companions on the boat, and as he
struck out Stewart and Wernett both
yelled:
Come hack. cone back: you can't
make it.
Elsm breasted the waves for fifteen or
twenty feet. when the weight of his eloihe.
commenced TO tell on his rather frah con.
.aiai'on. and he turned around, yelling 10
the others.
Il guess you are right. I will have 10
come back"
He struggled With all his might aad
bssied with the elements ia fuu r~a!fss.
tion that the few feet that separated b II,
from the boat could be passed over only by
. mighty effort. Stewart and Wernet,
tired 20 push their support toward him
hut when fully essht feet away The ana
came. Without \ word. IN sight Of friend.
snd land, Elsm went aowa and vas seen
no more.
For fully twenty minute. Stewart and
weTuest eiuue 10 tAc overturned boat. try
ine 90 pa38le tosard shore. Their rr,,.-rrs.
sss 80 unsatisfactory that Wsrarit con.
suied 70 swim ashore aua come bs.k
AFTER Stewart ia n boat lie r!uoeei ~,
md after swimming only = tew feet f~er,
he boat. gave u Up and returned % nj,
>osidon - temporary safety. Zach uox
sity realiEed the danger q their position.
nd ossan - thihk and plaa Ter tae bes.
ssthot - reach the shov-. A;iast thrs & =
Sod g. " EA; the boat and sw ttn A.onr witA