The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-25
A LAKE DISASTER
STEAMER BALTIMORE LOST WITH
TWELVE OF HER CREW.
FLEEING FROM THE STORM
SHE CRASHED ON THE BOTTOM AND
WENT TO PIECES.

Only Two Out of Crew of Fourteen
Both LOst-Engineer Murphy Tells
Thrilling story of His Expert
ence-FIOated All Day in the
storm "a Piece of Cabin with
Crazy Companion and Picked Up
as He Wns About to Give Up Hope.
East Tawas. Mich, May 24-The wood
en- steamer Baltimore foundered in Lake
Huron near Au Sable this morning, and
twelve of her crew of fourteen were
drowned. The men were tossed about in
the lake for several hours, lashed 20 a
piece of wreckage, and were finally picked
up by the tug Columbia and brought here.
George McGinnis a deck hand, one of
the rescued. became insane from his ex-
perience. The other survivor, Thomas
Murphy of Milwaukee. second engineer.
was able to tell the story of the disaster.
1t was some time after the Columbia
had brought the shipwrecked men into
port before Murphy was revived sufficient
ly to tell his story. The Baltimore foun-
dered about o'clock this morning and he
WIS ~ tAi1 WettA ublll ldtG III ZIG dAlci-
noon. exposed to the buffeting of a flu
rious northeast sea.
I'VE were bound from Lorain to Sault-
ste-Marie" he said, land had in tow a
large steam drill and scow. When Off
Thunder Day last night Capt Place saw
that the steamer was making bad wealth
er, for the waves had smashed in the en-
eineaF's nd ha y "a
the water was running into the hold.
Run From the storm.
Capt Place decided TO turn about and
run for Tawas for shelter. Everything
went all right until we were off Au sa-
BILE, when the steamer struck heavily on
the bottom. The seas broke over her at
the same time ard carried away the deck
house, then the after cabin, and finally
the smokestack fell. Both rails forward
broke In two just aft OF the forward
deckhouse, and We knew that it was only
a few minutes before the steamer would
go to pieces" continued Murphy.
1t is every man for himself, now
shouted Capt. Place" continued the en-
gineer. The look of despair on Mrs.
Places face was something / shall never
forget. II was awful. We took the cap
tain's advice and every man started 10
save himself as best he could Some
OF the boys took to the rigging. but Nc
Ginnis and | lashed ourselves to a ring
bolt in piece OF after-cabin and we were
washed overheard shortly afterward
The strain. was too much for McGin-
MIS- and he went crazy before we had
been In the water very long. He tried to
throw me off the wreckage. but 1 talked
to him and encouraged him TO hold on
Twice he got loose and tried to drown us
both, but each time 1 succeeded In quiet
ing him. i told him a boat was coming
TO take us off, and then / would get him
tied fast again.
Steamer Passed Them BY.
'The passenger steamer City Of Holland
passed by us this morning. but we were
too far away for her crew to see us, /
believe. II made me feel pretty de-
spondent for a time. for l was getting
very weak and the seas broke over my
head so as to drive the breath out of my
body at time.
The Columbia finally came along and
picked us up just as / was about 10 give
up hope. / am afraid all OF the rest of
the crew were drowned, including Mrs.
Place. / only wonder how 1t was that
we lived through it ALL Our wreckage
was big enough to make a raft, but 1t
was small, and the seas swept it con-
stantly."