New-York tribune., 1919-10-29
Is Killed When
Storm Snnashes
Ship Upon Pier
Passengers Were Trapped
in Berths; List of Dead
Is Increasing Hourly;
Red Gross Aids Survivors
Sank in so Feet of Water
Flashlight in the Hands
of Coastguard Guides
Many of Grew to Safety

OA OA Wv ~ O0AC
MUSKEGON, Mich, Oct 28.-With
fifteen known dead and six or more
missing, only time can bring an &C
curate count of the toll of the great
seas which early this morning bodily
! lifted the Crosby passenger steamer
Muskegon, formerly the City of Hol
land, and smashed her to pieces on the
piers at the entrance of Muskegon har-
Dor. The list of dead is being added
to almost hourly.
The steamer, side-whecler, bound
for Milwaukee, after outrding night
of gale, made for the harbor in the
early morning darkness, but is said by
Captain Edward Miller to have struck
the Bar at the entrance. The wheel
paddles jammed in the sand checking
headway, and the great combers threw
the ship about and hurled her onto the
pier There she hung, momentarily,
pounding into wreckage. and then
slipped off into the deep channe going
down in so feet of water The vessel
lies a storm-t torn tangle Of steel and
splntered wood, effectually blocking
the harbor entrance.
Fifty of the seventy-two passengers
and crew, guided to safety by single
fashlight in the hands of coastguard,
were tonight known to have been
saved from the vessel. 1t was feared
several were caught between decks.
Survivors, most of whom escaped only
in their night othing, are being cared
for by the Red Cross, while in the city
morgues lie the bodies recovered.
The Muskegon left Milwau-
kee at 9 o'clock last night and was
severely buffeted by the storm during
the night run across the lake. Just
as the steamer was reaching apparent
safety at the harbor entrance, a gigan-
tic wave caught it and swept it high
upon the south pier. The force of the
impact lifted the heavy craft out of
the water and for few minutes it
hung partially suspended from the
pier. Captain Edward Miller ordered
the passengers to leap to the pier.
Drenched by waves that were pounding
the vessel to fragments, majority of
the scantily clad passengers climbed
over the rail. Those who hesitated
went down with the steamer few
minutes later when another huge wave
tore the vessel from the pier and sent
it to the bottom of the channel
The crash came almost within the
shadow of the coast guard station,
but the heavy. sea rendered futile ef-
forts to launch lifeboats. Launching
of boats and RATS from the steamer
also was impossible.
Coast Guard Are Rescuers
! R. j. Keknborsky, member Of the
coast guard, who wos on watch, saved
many people, and it vas largely through
his efforts that nearly all did not lose
their lives. He tells graphic story
of the tragedy.
/ 81 saw the boat coming toward the
pier" lie said. "There was gale, but
the ship seemed to be making good
and then it was caught b. the under
tow and struck. 1t swung back to the
other side and again against the pier.
1t then huno onto tho pier 1t seemed
TO me that the undertow just lifted tho
ship out of the water. 1t swung around
with terrific force.
II saw Captain Miller on the deck.
I at once sounded all the whistles. and
the coast guards and lifesavers we're
out within two minutes. BY this .ime.
however, the boat was being pounded
to ,kindling. The lights went out, prob
ably as the water filled the boat.
had flashlight in my pocket
and 1T was in this way that many of
the passengers were able to get off
1t was so dark we could not see, and
my flashlight was the only aid these
people had.
Captain Miller was next to the
last survivor who got off the boat,
Fred Steffins, second mate, was the
last, and he was rescued from the
wreckage by the guards after he had
been carried 200 feet. . heard few
screams, but it was all so sudden, so
quickly over. that it seemed only
~reckage was left when we finally got
our bearings"
Among the identified dead are John
Lynch and Arthur De Witt, Milwaukee,:
Alfred Hough, Billings, Mont: Mrs
Jessie Hopkins and Mrs. Agnes John.
son. Mus kegon; John Armsteeter. Man
lstee; Harry Reece, Milwaukee. and
James G: Reilly. Grand Rapids, Mich.
Graphlc stories of terror. SUFFERING
and heroism were told by survivors.
ana id, the bravery Of Captain Edwin
Miller and his officers and crew. who
remained at their posts to the last. wa :
recounted. Captain Miller, sensing dis
aster as the vessel was driven toward
the pier, ordered all to leap for their
lives, and the stime- -hallowed sea rule
women first" was followed. Only four
women, one of whom was employed on
,he BOAT, were tonight known to have
been lost. '"''
The women, fearing to venture over
the rail, were bavely led by Mrs. Fred
L. Beerman, of Muskegon, who leaped
from the ship. Others jumped or were
handed down ropes by men passengers
and the crew.
Captain Miller, heart-strcken bv the
disaster and loss of lives, declared the
undertow swung his ship after she
struck the bar. II 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
were lost.
Coast Guards Are Rescuers
To r. J. Kaknborskq, a coast guard.
many of those saved owe their lives
according to survivors. Approaching
as closely as possible to the suspended
steamer, Kaknborsky, while others Of
he coast uard struggled to free men
ana women from the tangle of wreck
ge. held a fashlight, Greeting th,.
way to safety.
1T seemed that the ship was lifted
out OF the water, striking with terrific
force" said Kaknborsky. "1 hen the
lights went out and the boat was
pounded to kindling
II used hashlight, and it was bv
this means that many of the pas
scngers were able to jump to the piers.
1t seemed to me that those out on
deck escaped. I heard few screams.
but 1t was all very sudden and quickly
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