Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1905-12-07
THE UMbR|A i
HAS CLOSE CALL
THlRTY-sIx HOURS OF ENDuR-
ANcE THAT DEFIED
DESPAIR.
STRIPPED OF HER PILOT HOUSE
GOODNESS SUBLIME IN THE FACE
OF DEATH SAVED THE
SHIP.
THOUGHT THE OWEN HAS SUNK
ALTOONA, REPORTED LOST, HAS
FINALLY ARRIVED AT
GREEN BAY.

thy of Americas greatest sailors, dar-
Ing that Knocked at wind and wave
GOODNESS sublime in the face Of death
and endurance that beggars concep-
ton, alone saved the steamer Umbria
and her gallant crew from destruction
in the storm which sent so many noble
vessels to the bottom.
Stripped of her pilot house by bill
low that smashed her wheel and car
ried away the compasses while her
men were struggling blinded in the
seas, the Umbria, which was headed
direct into the teeth of the gale, rolled
for moment helpless in the trough
of the sea.
In six minutes, which seemed like
hours to the helpless crew below, the
couplings were made and the wheel
men sprang to their posts on the after
deck, exposed to the full fury of the
elements and by desperate labor onG
consummate skill brought the trem-
bling and battered leviathan from the,
trough of the sea and once more turn
ed her nose to the gale.
Thirty-six hours of endurance that
defied despair in the face of momen
taryl death tells the tale of the strug-
gle with the waves which brought the
boat safe to harbor, battered and bro
ken, her officers and crew cruelty
bruised and cut by flying missiles, but
triumphant over death in a thousand
forms and proud in the joy Of having
saved the noble steamer from place
among the wrecks of Lake Superior.
All Probably Lost.
The steamer Ira H. Owen has I'M
questionably gone to the bottom ac~
cording to the best ,advices received
here tonight and her crew in all prob
ability is lost.
The steamer William Siemens this
evening reported picking up wreckage,
including life preservers of the Owen.
twelve miles east of Michigan island
Capt. Kellar of the steamer Nyey
which reached Two Harbors yester
day, reports having seen boat in dis
tress in that vicinity flying signals of
distress and 70 the best of his belief
it was the Owen.
Like Huge Iceberg.
The steamer Jesse Spalding, $50
tons. in command of Capt. Joseph
Travis, has reached Ashland, after bat
ting with the heavy gale which swept
over Lake Superior from start to fin
ish. The boat was loaded with coaf
for Ashland and when it arrived it
looked like huge iceberg ploughing
through the waters of the bay. The.
ice was all the way from a foot to four
feet thick on the boat, and the only
way the occupants of the pilot house.
could get in and out was through
small window in the rear, the doors
and front windows being completely
frozen over with a heavy coat of ice.
Altoona Arrives at Green Bay.
Green Bay, Dec. 3.-After being re-
ported lost and later in distress, the
steamer Alcona and bar~es Commo-
dore and Samuel J. Tilden arrived
here yesterday, having had an exceaa.
ingly rough trip of sixteen DAYS from
Erie nine days of which were spent ON
Green bay. Near Mackinaw City the
Altoona had four holes stove in her
bow by ice and at one time had six
teen inches of water in the hold The
Tilden sprung leak and it was nee
essary to keep the pumps manned for
nearly twenty-four hours to keep it
from sinking. The boats sought shell
ter several times on the trip from Erie.
but each time they were driven out by
adverse winds.
Seventeen Men Rescued.
Milwaukee, Wis, Dec 3.-The,
steamer Harlem of the Western Trans
it line arrived here yesterday with
seventeen men of the crew of the
steamer Charles Parnell, which was
burned opposite Squaw island, Lake.
Michigan, Thanksgiving day. The men
suffered frightfully from the cold dur
ing the hours they spent in smalp
boats waiting for rescuing vessel
to sight them.
Debts Reduced.
XT.~r,1 H.. r-sl IL j ~