The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-09-13
AORIFT IN GALE
ON UTAH LAKE


ABOUT for hours on the waves OF Utah
Lake Sunday. Six Salt Lakers and, a
boat captain barely escaped with their
lives. When a terrific north wester"
struck the little party while in the
center Of the lake on the return from
Mosida. disabled the launch engine
and at times submerged the boat In
the crests OF the waves, all, even the
skipper gave up In despair Only one
OF the party was not helpless with
seasickness, and to his coolness large
ly, the eXcursionists this morning
were acrediting the fact that they are
alive. The members of the party are
William Huntsberger, chief clerk to
Mr.. Benton of the Rio Grande rail-.
way: II. H. Hayes OF the Wylie Per
manent camp; Walter Gregory and
Frank l.. Dodge, lawyers. Walter
Cluff. Mr.. Gurkey and Captain West
fall.
The party made the trip from Ge-
neva to Mosida Is miles southwest.
Sunday morning In water as calm rs
a mirror, and. on the return trip. all
went we'll until the launch, Jose
phlne,' arrived in tho middle of the
lake and terrific gale suddenly ap.
peared from the northwest. The
waves rolled and pitched and at times
went clear over the boat Captain
Westfall opened the engine at full
speed In the hopes of making Geneva
before serious damage WAS done.
SeasIek and Helpless.
The waves, however rose so high
that the launch was on the point OF
capsizing. so the captain ordered
every man to lie fiat In tho bottom of
the boat next TO the engine. While
In this position waves dashed over the
TOP Of the boat drenchIng every man
within n few minutes AS the boat
rocked and careened every man ex
cept one became deathly sick and
many hoped the launch would go
down Even the seasoned mariner
heaved his dinner TO the fish.
II a short time a mammoth wave
sprang over the side Of the launch
and stopped the gasoline engine. Cap
tain Westfall then gave up: but Wal
ter II, Gregory, the only man who was
not scasick. sprang to the wheel and
turned the launch from broadsIde TO
the waves to head on, Far away
could be seen the willows at the head
of Provo river and though the engine
was broken. Gregory held the wheel.
so that the boat headed almost In that
direction.
Then came four hours Of anxious
waiting, four hours of drifting with
the wind. Every available utensil was
used to bail out; and the poor sea-
men lay stretched almost helpless in
tho bottO7o Of tho boat
When darkness was approaching
the willows at the mouth of the river
loomed up like a cloud on the horizon.
but after a time, the launch struck
bottom at a point 80 yards south Of
the river. Every man undressed and
though the water was chilly. got out
and pushed the disabled launch to-
ward the deep water In the river. This
was finally accomplished and about
dark the crew landed at the Provo
entrance to the lake. II miles from
Geneva
Fortunately an automobile was
there and the men were taken in their
wet clothes to the Roberts hotel
where soon the edge Of the peril they
had undergone was mitigated in com
fort and cheer.
Most OF the men this morning say
that the captain was at fault as he
gave up entirely. but all Of them
want no more of the treacherous wa
ters Of Utah lake.