The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1910-09-16
MANY DEAD IN DISASTER
Twenty-Five People Go Down With
Car Ferry.

Ludington, Mich. Especially Thirty
lives were lost when Pere Marquette ear
ferry, No. ls, bound from Ludington to
Milwaukee, went to the bottom of Lake
Michigan halfway across the lake.
The dead include Capt. Peter Kitty, Of
Ludington; S. +. Sezepanck, of Chicago,
purser and wireless operator, whose sig
mails of distress brought assistance to the
sinking steamer, and two members of the
crew Of car ferry, No. IL, who lost their
lives in an effort to rescue the crew of
No. lS.
Eli Colbean, of Saginaw, Mich, mem
Der of the crew of No. l8, would make a
thirty-frst victim, but it is believed that
he was not on board when No. Is set out
from here on her fatal trip.
The steamship company issued list
of 80 names of survivors of the wreck,
4 all members of the crew, and most OF
whom were brought here on Pere Mar
Equette car ferry, No. IL.
Eight bodies were recovered, six being
brought here on car ferry, No. IL, and
two being taken to Milwaukee on car
ferry, No. 20.
There was a moment of intense silence
as the big black steamer came through
the piers into the harbor. The men and
women turned upon each other and
fought and struggled with insane eager
ness to get first tidings of the fate of
relatives who went away from here last
night as members of the crew Of the i'll
fated car ferry.
Loss More Than Half Million.
| The ferryboat was valued at $4,000,
and the cargo, which included % loaded
cars, at $4,000 to $4,000. The total
loss will exceed half million dollars,
which is fully covered by insurance in
Lloyd 5, of England.
Car ferry, No. Is, sinking help," was
the S. o. s. wireless message that
brought the first news of THE disaster to
the city about A. NJ. today
/ The flash was repeated continuously
for nearly an hour, but was unsigned.
At 7.30 "A. M. Superintendent Mercereau,
of the Pere Marquette Car Ferry Line,
received wireless from car ferry, No. II,
stating that No. Is sank at o'clock
after all on board had been rescued by
life boats from No. II.
Cause Of Disaster Not Known.
Marine men are utterly at a loss to ac-
count for the shocking disaster. No. Is
/ was one Of the finest and most costly car
ferries ever built ON the Great Lakes, and
only yesterday the craft was inspected By
Government officials at this port and
found to be in irst-class condition in
every respect.
"A Tragic Story.
The story Of the loss of car ferry, Pere
/ Marquette Is, constitutes the most, tragic
| and thrilling chapter yet written in the
history Of the Lake Michigan marine.
/ Leaving Ludington, at ll.30 o'clock
with a fair but stiff wind and 20 loaded
cars on deck, the ferry made good weather
for Ave hours on its course to Milwaukee.
At 4.30 o'clock word was sent to Cap
tain Peter Kitty. that his boat was
rapidly making water aft and that the
pumps were unable to keep even with
] the inflow.
With full confidence in the stability
and seaworthiness of his craft, the vete-
ran car ferry navigator headed his ship
4 Wisconsin shore.
An effort was made to run a number
of railroad cars overheard and thus light
en- the load and gain few precious min
utes.
With great difficulty 80 cars were
dropped off the stern Of No. 49, but this
gave the vessel only slight and temper
airy relief.
Suddenly without warning and before
the Mortified gaze of so men on board the
car ferry, No. II, which had Just ar
rived on the scene in response to dis
tress signal, the great black bow of the
/ flagship rose high in the air, the stern
settled swiftly toward the bottom and
with a roar and crash like an explosion
the ship shot downward and was lost
to view.
Agonized Cries for Help.
| Agonizing cries for help rose above the
roar of the sea. Irresistibly drawn by
| tremendous suction, score of men could
be seen speeding toward the vortex of the
sinking steamers revolving wheels, which
sealed their doom. Then began the
rescue. Lowering one of her lifeboats
containing four sails, the crew Of No. II
began a work of humanity which marks
many of the number as heroes. No soon
er had the tiny lifeboat touched the angry
waves than it was hurled with terrific
force against the side Of the steel steamer
and crushed into shapeless mass.
/ Two Rescuers Drowned.
Two of the sailors were rescued by
those ON board, while the other two
Joseph Peterson and r. jacobson,
scrubber-immediate sank and drown
ed. Others quickly manned another life
boat, which was successfully launched.
This boat, in charge of Duncan Milligan,
of Ludington, did heroic service and in
less than an hour picked up ID survivors
| who were floating about clinging to bits
of wreckage.
| Then another lifeboat was manned and
! Joined in the work of rescue. It was a
race against time, and in the face of
great danger more than 80 were saved.
To Whip Bad Convicts.
Austin, Texas Especially The fourth