The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-10-11

colo anu TlgOr OF Winner SGOEluS ana CO0Q1-
lions which render the victims powerless
to act for their own salvation, the case is
one where most people would prefer death
outright to the lingering misery of sus-
pense and suffering. For that reason per-
haps it is well that men who go down to
the sea in ships are buoyed up by the sim
tious are as quick to see sign of hope as
warning of disaster in the incidents
touching their lives.
On the 9th of November. 1899, the lum-
Der barges Mears and Midnight were NOV
ing down Lake Huron, towed by the
steamer Wilhelm, when they were overtak-
en- by a fierce northeasterly gale and snow
storm, and about the middle of the after
noon the water became so rough that the
tow line parted under the strain of the
plunging and rolling Of the vessels The
accident took place in OTTAWA bay, one
mile from land and some distance from
Fish Point. The Wilhelm at once put
about to recover her consorts, but the driv
ing snow thickly yelled the bay, and
they were soon completely out of sight
The people on the barges made ready to
cast anchor, hoping to outride the storm,
but almost Immediately both vessels were
scraping the bottom and were driven by
the furious gale hard and fast upon the
point. AS they were close alongside, the
crew of the Midnight determined to cast
their fortunes in with the men on the
Mears, the latter vessel being three mast
er, strongly built, and clambered on board
without mishap. The wrecks were ~
ing 200 yards off wooded beach, were
without signals or boats, and darkness
coming on added to the hopelessness of
chance discovery. Twelve souls, including
two women, tho wife of Captain Hazen of
the Mears and the cook of the Midnight,
were in the party. One of the younger
men, Daniel Mowat of the Mears, stripped
off his Oilskin suit, and mounted the rail,
intending to leap overheard and swim
ashore for help, but while he stood watch.
ing for smooth sea great waves fell upon
the vessel with a power that nearly swept
all hands overheard. Mowat's suit was
carried beyond reach, and his shipmates
prevailed upon him to abandon his rash
purpose of Drawing that terrible sea. His
light undersuit was drenched through and
quickly froze to his person, causing ago
MES from which there was no relief, and
which ended in death after a few hours.
A water cask broke loose under the force
of the great waves and plunging across
fracturing his Leg and added another to
the utterly helpless victims, which now,
| including the two women, numbered four.
The waves continued to beat over the yes
sci, and the people, thoroughly drenched
with freezing water and incased In scales
of snow and ice crowded into the fore
castle, where there was barely room to
move. In this forlorn condition, with
out lights or fire or food, tho darkness of
stormy night set in.
When the steamer Wilhelm gave up the
search for her lost consorts, she bore away
up the harbor, sounding whistles of dis
tress. She passed on her way the Ottawa
Point life saving station and on hearing
the signals the lifeboat, manned by Keep
er Ocha and a. crew, rowed out into the
lake to find out what was up. After speak
ing the Wilhelm, Ocha proceeded down the
lake to East Tawas, where there was tele-
graph connection with Au Sable, point
several miles up the shore and in the vi
entity of the scene Of accident. But the
wires had been torn down in the blizzard
and no news could be had Of the hapless
barges. The lifeboat put back to its sta