New-York tribune., 1909-05-02
LAKE TESSELS SUFFER-
-Four Sink. One 4bandoned- Cree
Of Serea Meets Death.

Detroit. May -Four vessels lost, one Of them
with her crew Of seven men. and fourth craft
found floating deserted Lake Michigan. with
the fate OF her crew unknown is the summary
Of wrecks in the present storm on the Great
Lakes.
On the rocky shores Of Huron Island last
night the schooner George Nester. Of Detroit
was torn TO pieces by the furious gale that
swept over Lake Superior and all Of her screw
of seven were lost
On Lake Huron. lashed by the same gale, the
frelghter Russia, Of Port Huron. went to the
bottom, after her cargo lad shifted. Her crew
OF twenty-five men. however. succeeded in es-
Gaping in the vessels small boats.
Bound up Lake Superior for cargo behind the
steamer SchoOlCraft the schooner George Nester
met the full force Of the terrific gale. OF Huron
Islands the towline was broken, and the
schooner went on the rocks The furious waves
made IT impossible to launch small boats from
either the Schoolcraft or the lighthouse tender
Marigold. which was close behind, to go TO the
| rescue Of the seven. men aboard the schooner.
The Nester went TO pieces rapidly, and every
member of the crew was lost
The Russia bound for Duluth on her first
trip Of the season. with a full cargo OF freight
When twelve miles or Detour tho cargo shifted.
Part OF the deck load Of cement was jetti-
soned. but shortly afterward the cargo
Captain John Mclean and his crew OF twenty
two launched their small boats into the raging
sea- and succeeded in saving their lives. They
arrived at Detour to-day The Russia
built IN 1872 and was owned by g .. Duncan,
Of Port Huron. For many years she sailed in
the Anchor Line feet Of passenger boats. and
was one Of the best known craft on the lakes
II Is a strange story OF marine mystery which
the Ann Arbor car ferry brought into port with
I F-4.lf
the big steel lighter Batavia which built in
1904 for the Lehigh Valley Transportation Com
ranv. The car ferry found the lighter tossing
on the waves south of Fox Island with crew
aboard. In the dining room was evidence that
there had been crew Tie dining room table
was set for dinner. but nothing except the
severed hawser indicated a possible solution Of
the crews whereabouts Marine men think that
! the evidence which the haWser bore Of being cut
NAV mean that the tug OF steamer which had
the lighter In tow found it necessary in the gale
| to cast her loose, and If so probably took OF
the crew before leaving the steel hulk at the
mercy of the storm Lighters Of this style usual
| " carry marine men say. crews of from four
| 10 ten men.
Safe and sound after the loss Of their ship in
| the ice the Of the Corrigan steamer Au-
| rania came into the 500 aboard the J. H Bar
| tow and told a thrilling stury Of their expert
ences Caught fast In a great ice foe in Whlteiish
! Raw they could only watch the relentless force
hear harder and harder against the sides Of
! their ship until they We're crushed and the
water poured in. When it was evident that she
was doomed to sink they left the Aurania and
/ took to the ice.
| Carving with them small yavl boat with
| which 10 ferry themselves over the patches OF
| omen water III the foe, the men. headed by
| csptain Robert {" Pringle made a perilous way
| over TO the steamer Barlow. also held so fast
| IN the ice four miles away that she could not
90 70 the Aurania's assistance All arrived un-
| injured. and were cared for aboard the Barto"