Omaha daily bee., 1919-11-24
Crew of Steamer Myron Lost
in Terrific NorthWester on
Superior When Ship Foun-
derS and Later Sinks.
ROUGH SEA PREVENTS
EFFORTS TO SAVE MEN
Coast Guards Patrol Shores,
Hopeful Of Finding Life
Boats-No Bodies As Yet
Have Been Washed Ashore.

Sault Ste Marie. Mich, Nov. 23.-
Eighteen persons, comprising the
crew of the steamer Myron, are be-
lieved to have been added to the
victims of Lake Superiors fury of
the past two weeks. Caught in a
terrific northwester, the Myron
foundered a mile and a half off
White Fish point Saturday night
and early today sank in four faith
oms of water.
Futile efforts were made by two
steamers to throw lines to the. men
clinging to the cabin. So wild was
the sea. however, that the men could
not hold the lines and for their own
safety the two steamers we're COM
PEELED to leave the scene. Coast
guards are patrolling the shores of
White Fish Bay for forty-five miles,
hoping the Myron's two life boats
will be blown ashore.
The United States sub-chaser 438
also is securing the bay for pos
sible survivors. The beach is COW
cred with lumber, the Myron's
cargo, but not a body had come
ashore. The gale continues and
there was little hope that passing
steamers could have picked up the
lifeboats, which, it is believed, were
swamped in the mountainous sea.
TIE Steamer Calumet passing here
reported sighting a waterlogged life
boat south of White Fish point. AS
far as could be ascertained the boat
was unoccupied.
Tow Barge Picked Up.
The barge Miztec, which the
Myron had in tow when she left
Munising down bound, was cut
loose and was picked up by an un-
known steamer which towed it into
shelter at White Fish point. The
barge's deck load of lumber and
rudder were carried away, but it is
understood her crew is safe.
First word of the disaster came
by wireless from the steamer Far
ling, lying in shelter behind White
Fish point. When the steamer
Adriatic, ice covered, locked
through here today, her captain re-
ported that he twice turned his ship
around trying to pick up the stricken
vessels crew, who were then in two
lifeboats. The men were unable to
hold the lines, however, and the at
tempt at rescue had to be aban-
doned.
Throw Lines to Men.
The steamer Mcintosh later
passed through wreckage of the
Myron close enough to throw lines
to several men seen clinging to the
cabin. The men had life preservers
on and were calling for help. One
man also had a small hashlight. This
attempt at rescue also failed and the
men, unable to grasp the lines, had
to be left to their fate. White Fish
Bay tonight is strewn with wreck
age, according to wireless dis
patches. e.
The Myron is the third ship
swallowed up by storm-dr;ven Lake
Superior in the last two weeks. The
Others were the H. E. Runnells and
the John Owen, the latter with the
loss of her crew of twenty-five men.
The steamer Myron, of wooden
construction, was built in Grand
Haven, Mich, in 1888. She was 1856
feet long and 676 gross tonnage.
o. w. Blodgett of Bay City is the
owner.
Saw Distress Signals.
Captain McRae of the Adriatic
said he saw the distress signals set
by the barge Miztec, which was later
reported taken in tow by another
steamer, but gave his attention to
attempting the rescue of the Ny
ron's crew. At that time the Myron
was, going to pieces fast, he said,
and about IS of the crew had taken
to lifeboats, the others clinging to
wreckage.
During the intellectual at
tempts at rescue, the Adriactic
struck bottom. Captain McRae de-
clared, and he was forced to leave
the vicinity for the safety OF his
own ship.
Since the Myron is entirely
broken up, it is possible marine men
here say, that its hold cargo of lum-
her will help keep the boat ahoat
and that those men who remained
aboard may be saved. Steamers in
shelter at White Fish are assisting
the coast guard in efforts to locate
the drifting steamer and members
of the crew