Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-03-07
MYSTERIOUS TIDES.
THOSE or THE LAKES THAT THE
SHIPPERS CALL sWAsHEs.

They Rise Suddenly From Calm water and
display MANY strange caprioss-An Ola
lake Erie skipper Talks Interestingly
on the suhIeos.
"Tidal waves on tho great lakes nro
not Of uncommon occurrence, said an
old Lake Eric skipper. land although
meteorological experts havo for moro
than 100 years tried to study out thcir
cause wo don't know any moro about 10
now than they did at tho timo tho great
wavo roso suddenly On Lake Eric, 90
Rookport, and destroyed Colonel Brad
streets nect In October 1904 That
was tho first tidal wavo on the lakes
that wo have any record o.
II have seen many Of these swnshcs,
as wo call them on the lakos, tho last
one about ten years ago. when my
fohoonor was swept high and dry 90
Port Stanley by wavo that seemed 20
rico on Tho lake like some monster ma.
rine animal coming from tho depths 20
the surface Wecould SEQ 10 rushing 90.
ward M mile away Il came with q
boiling front ten feet high. Kissing ike
loud escaping steam ns 10 swept toward
Us. That IL q peculiar thing about Tho
lake tidal waves Thoy do not como
with n roar, like tho ocean surf but
with q loud. Kissing sound, and there S.
only ono instance on record where thoy
arc other accompanied or followed by
strong winds
"That ono instance was at Toledo, IN
December. 1860. when tho wind, which
had been blowing still ogshoro, sudden.
ly whitfield into q bowling nor caatar
aud ns quicl, rs tho change IN tho wind
that wavo loaprd out Of tho lako and
camo hurting upon tho shore, avid and
angry mass, eight foot high In evory
other recorded occurrence Of these mys-
torious freaks Of the Lake waters tho sur.
face Of tho lake has boon perfectly calm
and tho air scarcely porooptiblo
"Such was tho condition whom that
big wave attacked ua No Port Stanley,
ewamping my schooner and drowning
ono Of my men. Tho wave rooodod as
fast rs It had rushed In, and tho lake,
IN less than ten minutes, was ns smooth
"a n mirror
"within tho next hour thoro woro
four moro swashes, zach ono OF less
forco and volume, until tho last was
scarcely moro than % ripple
almost tho first thing 1 remember
for was but throo years old at tho
time was ono Of these tidal wavca IL
appeared early In hosprng on tho Can.
ada shore. OF Otter Crock There was y
piece Of woods there then. with n long
stretch Of beach between it and tho
lake My father had a 90 ton schooner
lying of tho shore half q milo or moro.
Tho water was q dead calm, whom.
without warning OF any kind. o wave
lifted itself from tho bosom OF tho lal,o.
probably x miloa out, and swept shore.
ward with iis mighty hiss My mother
and l wcro with father on his schooner.
As that Bwash cnmO runhing upon us u
seemed 10 mo as II tho loaping foam Of
its white crest was higher than the
fohoonor's mnsts. but 1 know now that
Il was not moro than i2 foot high
Tho wavo was high enough aud strong
enough, though. 10 sweep tho schooner
ashore ns II IL had been cocklosholl,
and across that stretch Of beach into tho
woods. whore It was loft among thu
trees, a hopeless WRECK.
'In ton minutes tho Lake was as calm
ns ever. but an hour later similar
wave appeared at Kettle Creek, 90 miles
from Otter Crock, aud tumbled all sorts
OF lako craft ashore
81 guess tho greatest tidal wavo over
seen on any Of tho lakes was tho ono
DIR. Foster and his party OF voyngou
saw on Lake Superior, between Copper
harbor and Eaglo river That was IN
August. iSi5. This swash was moro
than 20 feot high. and, like all Of 10
kind, sprung suddenly from tho Lake At
dead calm. IL was q quarter Of mile
distant from DR.. Fosters boat, which,
when tho disturbance began. was direct
ly In thopath Of tho wave TWAS crest
ed with foam, and ourlod over like O
mighty ocean surge Before reaching
tho boat, however. the wayo turned b,
that It's nearest extremity swept past Il
at distance OF 90 foot, tho water ho
twoon that oHtromity aud tho boat boinl
scarcely RULED by the influence OF tn,
rushing tide
"Tho wave was only half u milo from
shore but Notwithstanding IT, Rroa
size and velocity IL never reached thore
The Same mysterious caprice that cause,
it TO change its course aud pass harm
lossly by the vessel suomed 60 seize b
onoo more, and II sunk rapidly from ID
great height IA Il approached the shos
and struck tho beach with no moro fore
or rise Of water than might hayo CONT
from tho wash OF q passing vessel.
"IrOmCmber notable swash on LAX
Michigan at tho mouth Of tho Muuomi
nee, That one appeared In April, 1855
md rushed into tho river with sucI
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