Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-11-29

Duluth, Nov. 28.-One life lost 3
others believed to have persisted and
the big ore carrier Mataafa of the
Pittsburg Steamship Company wreck
ed, tells the tale of the most thrilling
and spectacular marine disaster at the
head of the lakes in recent years. The
man drowned and the three others be-
lieved to have persisted were part of the
crew Of the Mataafa.
Duluth, MIMI, Nov. 28.--In one of the
most terrific gales in the history of
navigation on the Great Lakes, even
surprising in fury the storm of last
September in which so many men lost
their lives in the vicinity of Apostle
Islands, three big lake steamers, today,
were driven ashore within sight of the
lighthouse at Duluth entrance to the
local harbor, and several members of
the crew of one of the boats, the
Mataafa, are believed to have persisted.
The wrecks are the Crescent City and
the Mataafa of the Pittsburg Steam
ship Co., and the r. w. England, owned
by the England Transportation Co. OF
Cleveland. AS soon as interrupted
communication with other lake ports is
resumed it is expected that further re-
ports of wrecks will be received. For
II hours between IL o'clock, Monday
night, and II o'clock, today, the velo-
city of the wind averaged GO miles an
hour and at times blew at the rate of
20 miles an hour.
The Mataafa is being slowly pounded
to pieces. The crew of the Crescent
City escaped, but the boat is a total
wreck. Capt. r. w. England is the only
man who left the England. The yes
sci is lying on the sand and is in no
danger of going down cmfwypaamdtf
danger of going to pieces. The captain
was taken Off by the life saving crew
with breeches buoy. The sailors will
remain on the ship until tomorrow.
The Mataafa left here at O'Clock,
last night, with the barge Nasmyth in
tow. She was captained by p. T.
Humble. The storm was SO severe that
she was forced to turn back. A mile
or two out in the lake she left the
Nasmyth which Immediately anchored
and came on alone, enGeavoring to
make the entry, but she struck the
north pier fairly in the end. A moment
later she swung quartering to the
waves, and great clouds of water
swept the laboring vessel from stem to
stern. At this point an effort was
made to turn her out into the lake
again. but she turned almost complete
ly around, and went on the beach
brOadside. The anchors were thrown
out Immediately. Every wave swept
completely over the boat. There. with
thousands of people watching them, |
l1rp-n ~,
able to do anything, the men huddIed |
on the stern of the boat awaiting res
cue. The life saving crew was at the |
wreck of the England and did not |
reach the Mataafa until nearly six |
O'Clock and by that time the stern was |
almost under water, the men having |
Slipped down the ventilators into the |
hold of the boat. none being seen on |
deck. Their only chance is that there |
may be some compartment there wat
ertight, to hold them until rescued |
Two of them crawled along the boat |
through the waves and made the for
ward part. A third tried it and gave
up. The Crescent City, Captain Frank
1tice. was the first of the three to go
aground. She went on the rocks six or
seven miles from Duluth. Every men,
her of the crew of 26 men escaped
The boat struck in such a way as to
bring her port side against a rock and
thus afforded a natural landing place.
The r. w. England, named after her
captain, is lying on a sand beach in
Minnesota Point miles south of the
harbor entrance.
There is no danger Of her breaking
up.
At late hour. tonight the lifesav-
ing crew had failed to effect the res
cue of the q imprisoned men on
board the wrecked steamer Mataafa
One line was shot out to the boat, but
it soon parted and an effort was made
to send out another. There was light
in the pilothouse and forms could be
seen moving about but the men aft are
x,it inc he ola |