Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-10-29
VESSEL WRECKED
ALMOST At GOAL.
AF TER BATTLING
STORM ALL NICHT
.SidewheeIer Crosby ! ,
From Milwaukee, Is DaSho%
to Bits on Rocks at En-
trance to MuSkegon HarbOf
ID KNOWN TO BE DEAD,
6 REPORTED MISSING
Survivors, Most of Whom ES-
cape Clad in Their Night
Clothes Are Being Cared
For By American Red Cross,

10y MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL ltASep WlsEl
Muskegon, Mich, Oct. 2S.-With
fourteen known dead and six or more
missing, only time can bring an accu-
rate count of the toll of the great seas
which early this morning bodily lifted
the Crosby passenger steamer Muske-
gon, formerly the City of Holland, and
smashed her to pieces on the piers at
the entrance to Muskegon harbor. The
list of dead is being added to almost
hourly.
The steamer, a sidewheeler, bound
from Milwaukee, after out-riding a
night of gale made for the harbor in
the early morning darkness but Is
said by Capt Edwin Miller to have
struck the bar at the entrance. The
paddle wheels jammed in the sand
and hurled her onto the pier. There
she hung, momentarily, pounding into
wreckage and then slipped off into
the deep channel, going down in fifty
feet of water. The vessel lies in a
storm torn tangle of steel and splin-
tered wood, effectually blocking the
harbor entrance.
Fifty of the seventy-two passengers
and crew, guided to safety by single
flashlight in the hands of coast guard
were known to have been saved. II
was feared several were caught be-
tween decks.
survivors, most of whom escaped
only in their night-clothing, were be-
ing cared for by the Red Cross. while
in the city morgue lies the bodies re-
covered.
Graphic Stories of Terror.
James c. Reilly of Grand Rapids
was added to the list of identified dead
tonight.
Graphic stories of terror, suffering
and heroism were told by survivors
and the bravery of Capt, Edwin Mil
Ter and his officers and crew, who
remained at theie posts to the last, was
recounted. Captain Miller, sensing
danger as the vessel was driven toward
the pier, ordered all to leap for their
lives, and the time-hallowed sea rule
women first" was followed. Only
four women, one of whom was EN-
ployed on the boat were tonight
known to have been lost
The women, fearing toiventure over
the rail, were bravely led by Mrs. Fred
l.. Beerman of Muskegon, who leaped
from the ship. Others jumped or were
handed down ropes by men passen-
gers and the crew.
Captain Miller, hard stricken by the
disaster and loss of lives. declared the
undertow swung his ship after she
struck the bar 81 told the cabin boys
to waken the passengers and crew and
ordered all over the rail-" he said.
Those who moved quickly were saved.
The ones who held back lost their
lives"
To r. j, Kaknborsky, a coast guard,
many of those saved owe their lives,
according to survivors Approaching
as closely as possible to the suspended
steamer, while others of the coast
guard struggled to free men and wom-
en- from the tangle of wreckage, held
flashlight, directing the way to
safety.
ut seemed that the ship was lifted
out of the water, striking with terrific
force" said Kaknborsky, The lights
went out and the boat was pounded to
kindling.
Il used a flashlight and 1t was by
this means that many of the passen-
gers were able to jump to the piers
The Muskegon was an iron vessel,
built in 1881 by the Holland Steam
ship company and lately rebuilt for
the Crosby line. She was 241 feet in
length and had gross tonnage of
1,14S.