The Forrest City times., 1893-10-20
VOICES FROM THE STORM.

BUFFALO, N. r., Oct. 16.-Thirteen more victims have been added to the all ready long list of fatalities resulting from the terrific northwest gale that swept the great lakes Saturday and Sunday last. It 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 1893 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 giv 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.
 It 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 it's 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 Wockken 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 well out into the lake before she was struck by the storm. She faced the gale and pre- 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- tion 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. It was only as a 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 CT, and having the advantage of posi- tion 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 was gone and her hull had been badly sprung as she buffeted the heavy seas. The matches were next to go, and as she rapidly filled, 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 a ques- tion of but few minutes until she must go down, the stronger men began to jump overheard with the faint hope 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. k. Sapp, the second mate; Wheelman J. H. Rice, and Robert Crowding, all hardy and successful seamen and skill ful swimmers, succeeded in keeping. well out in the dangerous seas until the storm abated, when they were able to make a lapdiup ip a terri bla ayhauSt-