The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-04
ELEVEN DROWN.
Big Steel Steams Wrecked in
Lake Superior.
Vessel Struck a Reef and Broke
in Two.
NIGHT IN OPEN BOAT.
And "a Hours in The Wilderness
for Survivors.
Heroic Action of the Captain
and His Crew.

bayneld, Wis, Sept. 4-EIeven of
the crew of the steamer Sevona were
drowned by the wrecking of the steel
vessel on Sand Island reef on Lake
Superior late Friday night. Eleven
others were rescued, including the re-
mainder of the crew and four women.
Seven of the dead offered their
lives as sacrifice for the rest of the
twenty-five on the iIl-fated ship. OF
those for whom they gave their lives,
TOUR are dead. They reached shore
after night of buffeting by waves in
an open boat and a trip of more than
"a hours cutting road through the
wilderness of northern Wisconsin.
Those who gave their lives for their
shipmates were:
Captain E. S. Mcdonald, North-
east, Pa; First Mate Louis Darwin.
Medina, O.; second mate, name I'M
known, shipped at Coveldion, last
trip; wheelman, name unknown, Ship
ped at Cleveland on last trip; two
Watchmen, names unknown, shipped
at Cleveland on last trip; wheeIman,
name unknown, has brother named
Denny at Buffalo dry dock, shipped
at Cleveland
Those probably drowned were.
Fireman, name unknown, shipped
at Cleveland August %; Dave Leek.
oiler, Erie; deck hand. name un-
known, from Northeast, Pa.
The Sevona, big ten-hatch vessel,
was bound from Allouez to Erie with
ore. Four women were on board in
Guiding the wife of the cook. g. Il.
Clucky. The others were aboard as
guests of the owners and were Mrs.
F. S. Spencer, Miss Jones of Erie and
MRS. William Phillips of Buffalo.
Ran Into a Storm.
Friday the steamer ran into the
| teeth n n-fI Iao oefa
blowing a terrific gale. Captain NC
Donald tried to make headway
against the heavy. sea, but the storm
became too strong and he turned and
One mile and half east of the light
on the island is the Sand Island reef.
The storm obscured the Raspberry Is
land light, and the vessel struck A
| an hour later the pounding of the
waves had hammered the steamship in
two. The vessel broke just aft the
fourth hatch
| When the shock came the captain
found that there was no chance for all
| to try and reach shore and called for
| volunteers to stay on the ship. More
than half the crew volunteered while
| teh rest tried to reach shore and call
for help for those who were to remain
on the wreck. Finally the captain the
| two mates and four others, sailors who
were under no obligation to stand by
|
their lives for the safety of the rest
| Philips was one of the volunteers but
Captain Mcdonald refused to allow him
| to remain on board, ordering him to
| take command of the ships boats, which
were to take the women ashore. With
Phillips went Adam Fiden, Nicholas
Fiden, G. H. Clucky, two firemen and
one deck hand, all of Buffalo. The
storm had battered the third boat to
pieces but boat large enough to cary
four took another party.
A Night of Terror.
The boat with the women tried to
make the island but was swept past
Nothing could be done save to keep the
craft af1oat. When the boats left the
Sevona, the seven left aboard were f1ud-
died in the wheelhouse, awaiting the
rescue that was to come too late. The
trip ashore of the lifeboat was one of
the elements, but the wind was carrying
the craft parallel with the beach. 1t
was daylight before the boat was wash
ed up high on shore.
During the night while the men were
trying to reach shore the women were
alternately despairing and hopeful At
times they would pray for their lives
the men Joining, and at other times they
would help the sailors, bailing the craft
of the spray that came aboard constant
Iy.
Saturday morning the storm-tossed
party was washed ashore at Little Sand
Bay. Here they found a homesteader
who took them to a farm two miles in
the interior. The men were so exhaust
ed they could hardly walk Then while
the rest of the party was cared for at
the farm. the farmers started for Bay
field. They had to cut a road through
the woods.
Upon reaching Bayfield,, the fishing
tug Harrow of the Booth line. started
out for the scene of the wreck with &
party of Is headed by Engineer Phil
lips. The trip took two hours in the
teeth of the storm. When the tug
reached the scene only few spars and
the after 100 feet of the Sevona were
left. There was no trace of the captain
and his party. No trace was found of
the party in the small boat and they
are undoubtedly lost. The Sevona was
steel freight steamer of 1852 tons.
built in 1890. Tt carried a crew of Is
men.