The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-14
RECKLESS LAKE NAVIGATION.
Shippers ana Sailors who brave the Perils Of
Our Inland Seas In Rotten Iluiks.

800 SNN@ scsto At.
THE loss of the steamer Idaho on Lake Eric
in last Saturdays gale" said n former for
warder Of grain and freight cnrgoes on the
lakes, lis but another example of the reckless
ness that characterizcs lake shippers and sail
ors. and Of the risks thoy will take to make all
that Is possible out of q seasons transportation.
They will start from port with vessels that arc
hardly seawortby even in fair weather in the
face of the most threatening weather, and
weather Is almost constantly threatening on
Lake Erie at this time Of year. Tho annual loss
Of life and property, although it is much less
now than formerly, because there are fewer un-
seaworthy hulks atioat, is proportionately
larger than it is on the Atlantic Ocean. The
reports that follow every severe storm on the
lakes are burdened with disaster.
n ocean sailor that ever lived would dare
to take the risk that the average lake skipper
will, and that not only without a word OF pro-
test. but with avidity. 1t looks sometimes as II
lake sailors rather courted risk and danger. 1t
is a fact. too, that there are more unscaworthy
craft Drawing the trcRchcrous waters of the
lakes during the most dangerous season of the
year-OctOber and Novembcr-than at any other
time. There is reason for this. though, for grain
shipments arc livelicr as the season draws to o
close. CarEocs arc consequently more plentiful
and frcights higher. Every. vessel that will
crs that were scarcely 1T to DO towed on a
canal leave port in November, loaded al:
yet ya'' the 20 sE shs sua Would T'! have aFei 70 ret anS
i many applications from sailors anxious to
sail on the shaky hulks. There is not a more
than these fresh. water sailors. although they
have the terrible fact constantly, before them
on the lakes, nine tenths OF them going down
with the rotten craft they begged the privilege
ling because it is we'll known that the dangers
OF Lake nayigntion-csprcially nayiRation on
vessels are frequently unable to weather them.
would rather cross he.Atlnntic Ocean a dozen
ST. Lawrence River to Chicago.
Storms E sweep over the lakes without any
indcscribab aS0 f Fef i f The s Ga aaks t depe srs
largely on landmarks for guides in navigation.
The binding rain or slcet that nearly always &C
companies these storms ouliterates these marks
sometimes for days. and as the sea room is lin
tied. vessels caught in these gales are in con
rocky shores or on some of the islands that stud
so thickly these inland seas, or being suddenly
s si"s SHORES as a sno a isSna Vas ma hnss onto 10
lako craft during storms. but, fortunately
this lake is not so liablo to be swept by
storms as some Of the others. II " vessel hcaves
to, in a storm it Is almost certain TO BIO cast
ashore, or il it runs down the lake toward the
many islands that abound there. Many skip.
pers annually wreck their craft in the always
The entrance to this harbor is very narrow, and
the vessel that is stccrea for 1t and does not
make 1t ls almost certain to go to pieces on the
rocks under Fort Ontario.
"The sailing season is comparatively short on
the lakes. for it is usually late in the spring
before tho Ice embargo is removed and early in
tho winter when it Is again placed on naviga.
tion. The skipper's desire is to take ADVANTAGE
of every hour OF his time, and he takes no pre-
caution that will cause him an extra moments
delay in port. or course all vessels that sail on
the lakes are subject to the control OF Govern
ment inspectors and none can sail without n
permit. But the pay of these officials is small.
They are human. and lake shippers are the most
willing people on land or sea. At any rate,
there is n host of hulks engaged in
the commerce of the lakes. There arc not sc
many OF them, though, as dared the dangers oil
tho trip before Government inspection began.
Reckless shippers would find their occupa
ton gone IL there were no reckless sailors eagei
to share their risks, and reckless lake sailors are
the rule rather than the exception. This Ia al
the more singular because, ordinarily. thess
sailors are the quietest and most modest of men
A curious thing about them Is that many o
individual land holding in the vicinity Of thu
lake ports OF some of these daredevil sailors i
considerable. The moment navigation close
they return to their farms, remain there until l
rcopens in the spring. and then hasten back I,
the lakes to tempt death on any old craft wher,
they can get the best wages, leaving their wive
and children to look after the FARMS"