Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-27
STRUCK THE REEF.
Three Ships Driven Ashore in the
Lake Near Chicago.
LIFEBoAT GOES TO THE RESCUE,

Thirty-Five Men In PeLii, but All Taken
on safely In the yeeth sf the G.le-r.,.
egraphic Cor.amusication Re-EstablI.hed
and the Storm Abated-Enect Of the
Wind ut Niagara Falls and Bufalo-Loss
OfPrIperty on the Ohio River.
CHICAGO, Nov. 27.-The most sev,re
storm of the season has abated and Chi.
cnso, which was cut of from the outside
world Tor nearly twelve hours-from mid
Night Monday to midday yesterday-is
again In touch with the world outside, al
though ut this writing the connections arc
not oil complete and dispatches take q
roundabout course in some cases. The
hsost sensational incident of the storm
here was the wreck off Evanston Of the
steamer John Emory Owen and her con.
sorts, the schooncr.barges Michigan and
Elizabeth a. Nicholson. They wero from
Buffalo, bound to this city with coal, and
struck the reef off Evanston at a. m.
Men Lashed to the Rigging.
When first observed from the shore there
ecrc three men lashcd in the rigging and
every one thought them dead The sight
was thrilling one as the life-saving crew
got away and was watched by thousands
who lined the shore. Over thirty sailors
were on board these three ships when
they struck. The old salts who hang
around the shipping offices said it would
d. well nigh miracle IL three vessels
were wrecked on an unprotected Shore
in u blizzard and not man were lost.
But that Is what happened. The vessels
were first sighted by hardy longshorc-
man, who was patrolling the beach near
Glencoe and Winnctka and caught tho
flash Of n rocket shooting up from out OF
the storm-hiddcn lake. The signal Of dam
ar WINS repeated several times, always
growing nearer and brighter. At last tho
rockets seemed scarcely block away.
Telephone and Telegraph "Bu.ted.~
Above the shricking of the wind he
heard the rattling Of chains and the hoarsc
shouting Of the sailors rs they called to
each other through the storm. The
guarlsman thought only one ship was
aground. But he could see that this was
IA big one, and he hurried to the village
and tried to telephone the lifc.saving sta
tion Mt Evanston. The wires were down.
Tho telegraph worked no better No
trains were running. But Harvesting up
horse the patrolman rode the six miles
into Evanston through the storm. 1t was
dawn when he reached the life saving sta
ton. Not u mintc did tho life savers lose
The lifcboat was already mounted on its
rollers. Bat without waiting To draw the
heavy boat To the waters edge and then
pull II through six miles Of surf, the crew
rushed along the beach ON foot. The crow
who ran to the rescue is composed Of Cap
Inc aud -. n n.
bcrton, Springer. Thornc and Perry.
Lifeboat sent Down on SIctis.
Meantime the lifcboat was put on sleds
and rushed of after the crew. Still it was
10 %. IN. before tho boat WIS ready to put
of ON its mcrciful mission. The three
wrecks were rot far apart and about go
yards of shore. 1t was a pcrilous pull
through the heavy sea that was rolling i'm,
but the student lifc.savcrs bent Justify to
their oars and were soon under the lea of
the vessels and i'm due time had taken off
and landed every soul on board. all alive
and not seriously injured by their terrible
experience.
Jast Thirty-Rve In All.
The John Emory Owen, was commanded
by Captain Marion Tcnncy, and carried a
crew Of sixteen men. The Michigan and
Nicholson carried crews of eight men each,
Captain i. j. Cadotte in command Of the
former, and Captain William Smith Of
the latter. just year ago the Nicholson
was I'm collision at the lime kilns cross
ing ut the mouth of Detroit river with
the steamer Charles Il. Lockwood. Tho
Lockwood went To the bottom and the
Nicholson was badly battered up, but rc-
manned atloat. The value of the three YES.
sells and cargocs Is about S200OO0
Late yesterday afternoon word was re-
ccivcd here that the steamers Jay Gould
and City of Traverse are safe at Mackinaw,
and that the Peerless is Mt Dctour All
are snowbound. The City of Duluth; elso
reported missing, has arrived Mt Duluth.