The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-11-18

while steaming up Detroit River from
Lake Erie to St. Clair, she had burst
her seams by running upon sunken
anchor in the shadows. The leak
proved 80 threatening that Skipper
Green put in at Detroit, patched up
the injury and took aboard q wreck
ing pump in the hope Of Keeping his
vessel ahoat until she would reach her
destination. All went well until the
Calumet left the straits of Mackinac
and entered Lake Michigan. Then
the storm broke in all its fury and the
thermometer dropped suddenly to
twenty degrees below the freezing
point. A tremendous sea was stirred
up by the gale and the steamer, labor
ing in cross sea, pitched and rolled
so violently that her timbers, were
strained and the wounded seams opened
afresh. With all the pumps working
at their full capacity the ship con-
tinued to fill and soon got beyond
control of her master. However, she
made the vicinity of Milwaukee not
long after darkness came on Thanks
giving Eve, going quite easily before
the gale as she shaped her course for
the harbor. But the weather was 80
thick that, even close up, the keen
eyed watchman could not make out
the hsrbor lights. In the emergency
Captain Green decided to head for
Chicago. The ships course was,
therefore, changed again, bringing
her once more into violent cross sea.
To add to the evils of the situation the
wrecking pump, upon which all de-
pended, gave out at the very moment
when it was most needed. The water
gained rapidly on the ordinary ships
pumps, so that it became only ques-
tion of time, and very short time at
that, when the Calumet would go down
in the deep waters of the lake. There
was an alternative, frightful to think
OF, but yet preferable to foundering
beyond all reach of aid. That was to
take chances and beach the helpless
ship. Putting on steam the captain
headed for land and the vessel grounded
easily 1000 yards from the bluffs oppo-
site Fort Sheridan, Illinois. It was then
half-past 10 o'clock at night. One
danger still threatened, that was that
the lifting and pounding of the terri
BILE seas would break the vessel to
pieces, bit by bit, before daylight and
succor should come. Although heavy
with the water in the hold and her
full cargo, still she moved. In order
to steady her the captain opened all
the valves in The bottom SO that she
filed completely and rested like huge
rock in the sand. What a prospect
those eighteen helpless men had be-
fore them for that long and terrible
night. The waves beat upon every
part of the ship, the thermometer was
still falling and the decks and rails
and cabin roofs were covered with ice
from the freezing spray. There were
boats on board, those frail skiffs car.
ried upon lake steamers, but to have
risked lives in them in that terrible
sea wonld have been madness.
The life-saving station nearest the
scene OF the wreck is at Evanston, ILL.,,
twelve miles from Fort Sheridan. 1t
is station of the United States coast
life guard, under o regular keeper ex-
perienced in the perilous duty, but
the crew consists of volunteers from
among the students of the Northwest
ern Academy.
At the time of the wreck Keeper
Lawrence 0. Lawson was in charge of
the station and the following six volun-
teer surfmen were subject to his call !:
George Crosby, William E. Ewing,
Jacob Loinine. W. L. Wilson, F. M.
kendig and Thomas NJ. Webb. Soon
after midnight Keeper Lawson re-
ceived q telegram from Highland Park,
saying: "lhere is q large steamer
ashore oil Fort Sheridan. Come! -
Lawson hurried to the railway station
and asked what time the next train
would 60 north. "Not before 7.3O
a. m.," was the reply. There was one
chance left, very faint one consider.
ing the terror of the night. Thinking
that there might be an extra freight
train on the road Lawson wired the
dispatcher at Chicago and learned
That an extra, or wildcat train, u
| would pass Evanston about 2 o'clock.
Stating the urgency OF the case, ne
| - 10 n