Omaha daily bee., 1905-09-05

INC apparent uduEtIs puN Ait oAbANA WeN
sweeping him on the reefs with fury not
to be denied.
When the vessel finally struck a great
hole was torn in the bow and only an
hour after the wreck the pounding Of the
waves had hammered the steamship in two.
The vessel broke just aft OF 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 OF the crew volunteered, while the 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 a sinking ship. were
selected TO risk their lives for the safety
Of the rest.
Engineer Ordered on.
Engineer Phillippi was one or the volun-
teers, but Captain Mcdonald refused to
allow him to remain on board, ordering
him to take command OF the ships boats
which was to take the women ashore
with Philllppl went Adam Fiden. Nicholas
Fiden, c. II. Clucky, two iremen and one
deck hand all Of Buffalo. The storm had
battered the third boat to pieces. but a
small boat large enough TO carry four took
another party. The boat with the women
tried to make Sand island, but was swept
past. Nothing could be done save to keep
the craft afoat When the boat left the
Sevona, the seven left aboard were huddled
in the wheelhouse, waiting for the rescue
that was to come too late.
The trip ashore of the life boat was one
of terror. All night the men fought with
! the elements in the effort to reach shore,
which was only five miles away, but the
| ..
the beach and it was daylight before the
boat was washed up high on shore So
wearied were the men from their exertion
that they were nearly swept back into the
deep water by the surf.
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 other times they would
help the sailors, baillng the small craft
of the spray which came aboard constantly.
Boats washed Ashore.
Saturday morning the storm-tossed party
J was washed ashore at Little Sand bay
/ Here they found homesteader, who led
them to two farms two miles in the in
| terror. The men were so exhausted, they
| could hardly walk to the farmhouse, but
| were pressed on by the knowledge that the
captain and others on board the wreck
needed help.
! Then while the rest of the party was
cared for at the FARMS the engineer and
one of the farmers, Mr.. Thlbadeau, set
out with a team for Bayfield,. Only the
person who has travelled that almost un-
trodden country can appreciate the diff
cultles of the trip. Most OF the way II was
necessary to literally cut a road through
/ the woods.
1t took until o'clock in the afternoon
| to reach Bayfield, twenty miles across the
peninsula as the crow flies. Upon reaching
bayfield, the fishing tug Harrow Of the
| Booth line, started out for the scene of
! the wreck with a party of fifteen men,
headed by Engineer Phillippi The trip
| took two hours in the teeth of the north
| easter. When the tug reached the scene
| of the wreck of the Sevona only few
, spars and the after 100-feet craft was
| left There was no trace of the captain
and his party. No trace was found Of the
four in the small boat and they are un-
doubtedy lost.
The Sevona was a steel freight steamer
| OF 1882 tons, built in 1890 II carried o
crew of fifteen men.
Fear for other Vessels.
sAULT STE MARIE, Mich, Sept, As