The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-31
DRAMAS OF LAKE And SEA
A GOVERNMENT REPORTER WHOSE
RECORDS READ LIKE FICTION.
He Writes About shipwrecks and De-
scribes Life-Saving Work-Stories
Are All True.
New York Mail and Express.

Marryat in the opinion of some of the lead
ing experts on nautical lore. Members OF
the Maritime Exchange in this and other
seaboard cities have unsuccessIully tried
TO learn the name of this pseudo novelist
He is connected with the United States
life-saving service and writes the descrip-
tive matter of the big wrecks along the
Pacific, Atlantic and lake coasts. Those
who have read such books as The Wreck
of the Grosvenor," the kings Own" and
"Marooned' say that for stirring accounts
of wrecks along storm-whipped strands
they do not equal those turned out by the
marine editor of Uncle Sam. The stories
are succinctly told, but Notwithstanding
frequently attain real dramatic force. ~
naval officer who has been connected with
the Bureau of Navigation for the last five
years says that the life-saving yarns as
spun by this novelist have been subject
for general discussion at the Navy Depart
ment in Washington for some time.
In writing stories of the sea ordinary
novelists draw more or less upon their
imaginations, with the result that their
chapters are usually painted and embei-
lished to a high degree of luridness and i'm
possibility. The writer for the life-saving
service is compelled by conscientious gov
eminent to stick to facts and record things
as they actually happened. For this rea-
son he must forswear all imaginative work
and write his account of the loss OF snip
and her crew only as the coast guardsmen
furnish him with the details 1t would be
supposed that with this handicap all at
tempts at graphic descriptions and harrow
ing particulars must OF necessity s. SIT; De OUT
but there is no attempt made to excuse the
work of the life savers when their enorts
to preserve life and property fail, as is not
infrequently the case.
Some of the lines though simple in con-
struction. are fine specimens OF literature,
as may be judged from the Following &C
count taken at random and furnishing the
details of the loss of the schooner j. II.
Hartzell a mile south of the barbor OF
Frankfort. Lake Michigan: The schooner
belonged to Detroit and had cargo or 4so
tons of iron ore, and besides her crew OF
six men had on board a woman COOK named
Lydia Dale, who was seriously i'll when the
craft struck, and her master, Capt. Will
liam A Jones.
GRAPHIC TALE OF WRECK.
The official novelist says of this wreck:
Hard aground, the seas at once crashed
over her, and the awful staving and rend-
ing usual in such cases began. All that
remained for her crew was to take to the
rigging. 1t took the united efforts of four
men to get the cook aloft into the cross
trees of the foremost, across wNich planks
had been nailed. Upon this species of plat
form she lay with her head supported on
| the knees of one of the sailors. and her
| lower limbs swathed in canvas that had
| been cut out of the gaff topsail above,
little while after the vessel sank IN
| upon the bar and the forward part in deep
| er water. Later the mainmast gave way
and went over, remaining attached sa to the
| thrashing and plunging alongside with
| every rush of the seas. The foremast-with
| the captain clinging TO the ratlines, about
| ten feet above the water; the remainder OF
the crew fifty feet aloft in the crosstrees,
with the recumbent woman-swayed and
creaked ominousy, some OF the wedges
| having become loosened, and seemed likely
| to go over at any moment 1t was horri-
| BILE feature of this shipwreck, that the YES
sci, now an utter ruin, had snort Tune
before been lettering to and fro in the fresh
| breeze with no anticipation OF disaster.
waiting only for daylight TO drop into her
harbor, near at hand.
| At O'Clock that morning the wreck was
! seen from shore, and the crowd on the
beach built a fire and laid pieces of drift
| wood along so as to form in huge. rude
| letters, black against the white ground OF
| the bluff the words "Lifeboat coming.
| Eager signals from the sailors clinging TO
| that one tottering spar announced that they
could read this gigantic telegram
| Meanwhile a gallant young citizen named
| Woodward had started on horseback for
| the nearest life-saving station at Point au
Bee Scies. ten miles distant. by sandy
| and hilly road, mostly lying through woods
| The young man galloped furiously through
the tempest, which was constantly increas-
| ing in violence, tearing along the difficult
highway to such good purpose that by $50
| he dashed up to the station with the news
| of the wreck. The keeper, Capt. Thomas E
| Matthews. at once ordered out the mortar
| cart and breach apparatus. The expedition
then set out upon a terrible journey
The Point au Bes Scies station is upon the
| lake Shore north of Frankfort, south of
| which the wreck lay, and the intervening
the lake from the town destroyed all chance
| of arriving at the scene Of the disaster by
| est route. not less than seven or eight miles
| long, was by road which led OF the beach
| TO an interesting road leading to Frank
| fort but to gain this it necessary to
travel two miles along the beach, now sub
| merged by a smashing flood constantly
| bursting against and washing away the
steep banks of the lake shore, and batter
ing the escarpment with intertangled
| masses of logs, stumps and trees.
HAD TO TAKE LONGER ROAD.
This way was, therefore, impossible and
the expedition was compelled to lengthen
the detour by taking an old trail, or cart
track. This road wandered through the
woods, along winding ravines and up steep
soggy sand hills. Across these activities
the way was so difficult that the men and
the horse, Juggling and straining at the cart
together, could only make ten or fifteen
yards at pull without pausing This vio-
lent toll was pursued amid the roaring OF
the gale which now blew almost hurri.
cane and the rushing of the storm. until a
mile distance from the station had beer
accomplished.
BY this time the men, despite the bitter
cold, were hot and wet with their efforts
and the horse. steaming with exertion
trembled on his limbs and could scarcely
draw There were at least nine miles more
of their disheartening journey before them
and the party was already sorely spent
The difficulties of an ordinary country road
in the rougher regions OF the West are
quite indescribable, and thus far the way
was not even a road. but rude cart trai
made years before by a lighthouse con
materials, and now half checked with
dense underground and numbered here ant
| there with fallen trunks of trees.
The load which the horse and men haC
to drag through its rugged and mushy rut.
| weighed not less than 1000 pounds. and 4
is needless to say that the labors of hauling
this burden were not lightened by tn,
frightful blasts which fitfully burst through
the pines upon the men as they strained
and bent at their toll. nor by the incessan
| pelting OF the driven rain and hail, which
dashed and stung their faces.
RELIEVED BY EXTRA TEAMS
The government novelist records how
relief finally came in the shape OF extr;
teams and hundreds of natives. the latte
armed with axes and handspikes B,
| their efforts a passable road was cleare,
in record breaking time. and the write
speaks of the giant work in this way:
: The crowd was now brought up. al
| standing by a belt of woods. yet un
pierced, which brstled along the crest o
. | the eminence and in which lay fallen tree