The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-13
BODIES Of VICTIMS
ARE FROZEN STIFF
Nine COrpses Found Adrft in
Boat on Lake
Erie.
BELIEVED TWENTY-THREE
OTHERS HAVE PERISHED
NO Hope Now Held Out That the
Big Ferry Has Been
Saved.

ERIE, Pa, Dec. l2.-With her flag
at half.mast, the state fisheries boat
Commodore Perry, Captain Gerry Dris-
coll commanding. brought TO this port
late today the dead and frozen bodies
Of nine of the crew Of the Bessemer
and Marquette ferry No. .. which left
Conneaut, o., Tuesday morning carry
ing 81 men. The ferry has probably
foundered in the middle Of Lake Erie.
For IS hours the Commodore Perry
has been securing Lake Eric for traces
of the car ferry, but, until tiny ten
man yawl was sighted ten miles or
this port at II clock today. tho men
in the little state fisheries craft had al
most given UP hope of ever being able
10 learn q portion OF the story Of the
fate of the big car ferry.
Arrive too Late.
As the Perry came abreast Of the
drifting and half water-logged yawl,
tho men on the fish boat saw that they
had arrived too late Tho uine occu-
pants of the boat. which was marked,
''Bcs5cmcr and Marquette No. ., were
found frozen stiff. Taking the yawl in
tow, the Perry made all steam for this
port.
News or Ilc nQUluG OF inc NnqlcS lau
reached the city, aud thousands of per-
sons 'swarmed TO the wharves. As soon
as the FISH boat made fast, q force OF
mer with tackle set at work raising
the bodies 10 the deck.
Conncaut. O.. where most Of the men
liyc. was notified by telephone, aud a
hundred residents Of that city arrived
in two hours. They were taken direct
" 10 tho coroner s moTguc, where the
men were identified as follows:
The Dead.
If. THOMAS, second cook; Port Stan.
WILLIAM RAY, Conneaut
J. ". SOGARS, waiter, Conpcaut.
G. II. SMITH. steward. Conueaut.
J.. STEEL, fireman, Conneaut
i. SCHENk, fireman, Conneaut-
T. HART, oiley. Conneaut.
- O'ILSGEN, Corpesil
CHARLES AILEN, CoHueaut
Their Departure Hurried.
The cook of the ear ferry was the
only man to wear au oycrcoat. The
other eight men were dressed IL over
alls and jumpers. indicating that ihe
departure from the car ferry had bcou
hurried In the bow-eud of the boat
was found complete clothing for ono
man. and il is he belief that thc vawl
originally contained ten men, and that
one became crazcd discarded Els cloth
ing and jumped into the lake.
Albert j. Wcis of this city. treasurer
of the keystone Fish company. and the
Bay State Iron works, was q passenger
on the iIl-fatcd boat. His relatives and
friends had not given up hope until the
yawl containing the nine men was towcd
into this port, His body has not been
found. Officers of the car ferry com
pany gave mp all hope Saturday. aud
since Thursday every available boat
has been searching the lake for some
news Of the wrecked craft.
Ferry Founders on Lake
She was . steel vessel with capac-
ity of thirty.foUr loaded cars Last
Tuesday the ferry with thirty-two cars
OF coal aboard, and carrying - per
sons, including passengers and crew, left
Couucaut at 1925 clock.
In the terrific storm that followed
in which at least ffty.two lives wcre
lost on the lake. the ferry foundercd
1t is supposed that the tossing of tho
ferry in the sea troughs displaced tho
coal cars, and that they pitched through
The sides. admitting water to Tie hold.
H. is supposed she went down about
Tuesday noon, sinking midway between
Couneaut and Port Stanley.