The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-07-05
TERRIBLE STORM
CAUSES DAMAGE
At LAKE RESORT
SkiIIfuI Work of Captain An
derSOn Saves PaSSen-
gers of the Irene.
EMPLOYEES FIGURE
IN ACTS OF HER0ISM
MANY WILD RUMORs-BATHERs
HAVE NARROW ESCAPES
EXCITEMENT.

Cheer after cheer went UP from
crowds assembled around the pavilion
at Saltair last evening as Captain
Charles Anderson brought his little
craft Irene 10 her mOOrings. after hav-
ing safely weathered one Of the worst
squalls on the lake for years. There
mad been many happenings at Saltair
during the storm, but all these had
been forgotten when the whisper went
around among the crowd that the Irene
had been out all day with fifty passeu-
gers Then a rumor started that she
had gone down with all aboard Wet
and bedraggled people, who under other
circumstances would have hurried
home, waited for news of the steamer.
Just after the storm had cleared away
and a glorious red spread over the
western side of the lake the steamer
showed black speCk against the sun
set Captain Anderson brought her
into her pier as jauntily a s. if there had
been no storm, with not a passenger in
Jured and only a few seasick
The squat struck the boat when she
was returning home just off Stansbury.
The captain hustled the passengers be-
low and covered the hold with tarpau-
Inns. Then he brought the boat about
and Rugged the Stansbury shore. There
is little doubt that but for his skilfuI
handling Of the boat the lives Of the en-
tire load of fifty passengers would have
been lost.
Excitement at SaItair.
While the Irene was battling with
the waters events were piling one upon
another at Saltair. The Vista had lust
discharged a boat load of passengers
at $50 when the storm broke. She was
torn from her pier. swept around the
ship cafe and hippodrOme and landed
on the sands on the eastern side of the
resort. Only the crew were on board,
and 10 one was hurt
About the same time 200 feet of pier
leading from the pavilion to the bunk
house Of the employees. east of the re-
sort, was torn away entirely and car
ried over toward the trestIe. A mans
head appeared above the timbers and
there was a rush of employees to the
rescue. Ropes We're lowered and he
was finally hauled up on the trestle
without injury.
Among the batheTs there were lively
scenes When the squat struck the
waves were dashed clear up into the
bath houses on the southern side The
bathers fell over each other trying to
get up the steps and jammed at the
landing. Those who were any distance
out were in bad plight. Bert Larsen,
in his small launch. braved the waves
and brought in three who were near
drowning. He had just landed when
the launch was carried away and sunk
on the shoals inside the bathing
houses. An electrician named Sparks
hauled in some others with rope and
Claude Y. Russell, deputy sheriff, and
some others threw ropes to those near
enough to reach them.
By good work on the part of the en-
plOyes every batheT was safely landed.
There was much discomfort when they
did get to their dressing rooms. The
rain fell I'm torrents and every room
was soaked. Their clothes hanging in
the rooms were thoroughly impregnat-
ed with the salt water. To add to their
troubles the water was off. There were
no shower baths, and those encrusted
with salt were forced to carry it until
they could get home to hot bath.
Lights Were Out.
The bathers partially dressed. some
Of them. crowded into the big pavilion.
where there was considerable excite
ment, Something had gone wrong with
the electric plant and several thousand
people hustled each other about in par
tial darkness. The train arriving
brought in others soaked to the skin.
who could give small comfort to the
LIDADleS OF those VINO ildQ been IN the
water. Women tainted during the ex-
citement and were cared for by DR.. T.
O. Odeu, county physician. and other
medicOes who were on the spot
During all the excitement there was
nobody at all injured, except for few
bruises in the crowd. This was I'm spite
of the fact that for a few minutes the
air was full of boards and shingles
blown from some of the buildings. The
ship cafe was lightly damaged I'm this
way, losing a small portion of the rock.
This did not affect those inside, for the
orchestra played merrily on and the de
gestion Of the hundreds of diners was
apparently not at all disturbed.
In the thick Of the storm was a bunch
Of $50 Elks from the east, who were
being shown the Great Salt lake by To-
cal brethren. These were in the water
when the storm arrived and expe-
rienced to the full the worst behavior
Of the dead sea
The storm was the worst Of its kind
for years. 1t broke without warning
and ended almost as quickly. but while
it lasted was terrific. The heavy waters
were dashed into white-capped waves
Of considerable height
The employees at the resort deserve
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