The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-20

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC.
The season when both life and prop
erty are hazarded by daring crews an'
captains with recklessncss that thrill:
ones blood has now begun on the Grea'
Lakes. From the end of Ontario TO Du
luth heroic life savers stand on guart
like SO many ,watchdoss guarding the
shores.
1t is during these days that lake cas-
Ualties multiply with alarming r,ipidity.
Heavy fogs hide the heacons that mari
the danger line. Binding snowstorms bloi
out the most powerful lights.
Driven by fierce gales. weighted by ice
with heaven and the sea meeting in a pail
that conceals the guiding stars ashore
scores of vessels continue to beat onward
in the hope of adding one more success
full trip to the seasons record.
With the frightful peril of winter navi'
cation on the lakes the risk run by YES
sells in the Southern tropical seas during
the hurricane season can hardly be CON-
pared.
While the fury of wind and waves makes
traffic there decidedly uncertain. the ter
rifle blizzards which strike across the
lakes raise seas which are not surpassed
The uncanny disappearances which have
long been supposed TO belong exclusively
to the ocean have become more and more
common among lake shipping. and vessels
have disappeared on the lakes as COM
pletely and mysteriousiy as on the
ocean. leaving no trace of the tragedy
behind them. In the majority of such
cases the victims are those adventurous
souls who prolong navigation far beyond
the danger point.
For many years Lake Erie has been re-
glrded the GRAVEYARD of Aneriri =
great inland seas.
From the day Perry met the British its
Tourists abroad have pointed at it as
the rival of the turbulent Atlantic. it IS
looked on by sailors as the danger Oh
stacie in their path from Duluth to Buff
falO.
The most beautiful Of the five sister
lakes In calm weather, it IS the most
furious when stirred by storms But the
''grareyard'' of the Great Lakes has grad
ually changed.
The growth of traffic between Duluth
ana more Eastern ports has each year
carried more ard more vessels across
Lake Superior. the most dangerous stretch
of water in America
In its cold. deep waters lie many of the
unsolved mysteries of the Great Lakes.
THE LAKES GRAVEYARD.
Walled in by bleak. desolate. rock
bound shores. with few harbors. and from
early winter until late spring furious
region of blizzards and binding snow
storms. Superior now claims more than
Its share of the unlucky souls who find
graves in the fresh-water seas
Soundings have proved that the bed of
ms lake Is filled with huge caverns and
assures. and once 1t comes into posses
sion of a snip or body it seldom gives il
yup. Rarely Is a ''floater" found along its
bleak shores
Should 1t some day become possible to
explore ITS bottom. perhaps century
hence. the bodies of its victims will be
FOUND SUI Ia Preserved 1 in its ice.cold pits.
last year. nearly seventy met their fate
in the waters of Superior. and while the
majority of the bodies Of those lost on
the other lakes We're recovered, this grave
yard of the North gave up less than a
dozen Of Its victims.
The history of a Lake Superior tragedy
is simple. One more trip from Duluth may
mean thousands of dollars But freight
rates are high.
There are no augurs OF storm No risk.
no gain. argues the ship owner. and he
nf anxiety for captain. crew and owner.
In a few hours the clear sky gives place
to banks OF snow clouds.
The air turns bitter cold. darkness
comes IN the middle of the afternoon, and |
II Is far worse than The blacklist night. |
Tor the clouds of falling snow shut out |
the guiding lights along the dangerous |
tains.
=, Upon the captain alone now depends |
Ihe salety of his vessel. for the Govern |
nent 5 attempts 10 guide him are futile. |
n he IS near where he thinks the Big |
Sable light Should be. his nerves are |
drawn to the highest tension.
score OF eyes eagerly search where |
me eoas. nne should be for Glimmer of
Lakes. VAC ''ea'
Perhaps the vessel is miles from the
coast, or 1t may be that it is driving |