Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-12-18
q SAILORS LOST
IN FIGHT TO KEEP
GREAT LAKES Open
Many Vessels in Peril From Grip
Of Ice Are Flowing Way
to Ports.
RADIOS SET FOR S OS CALLS

n, Associated Press TO Every Evening.
Chicago. Dec. ls.-Battling foot by
foot through towering seas and freez-
ing spray. the men who go down to the
sra ia ships are hghting an epochal
hattie across the icy wastes OF Lake
superior 60 keep navigation open far
beyond it's usual time. and 10 bring
down the lakes the last cargo OF the
year
Already the fight has claimed it's
ton uf lives and before the last ship
has been accounted for-or been given
M for lcs,--that toll may he greater.
Nearly n dozen died a few years ago
whom n Canadian steamer was dashed
90 pieces within n stones throw OF
safety at the mouth OF the Portage
Lake ship canal. ,
SATURDAY night % moro We're added
o. the probable death roll when sur
yivors ~ the tug Reliance. wrecked
last "Wednesday on Lizard Island,
reached Saul, Ste Marie after almost
Incredible hardshirs.
Navigation Of the Upper lakes usu-
ally closes December !. This year it
vas d~-idcd 20 keep the water ways
omen until December IS. because the
coal and rail strikes had cut down
tho coal shipped 10 tie northwest and
DELAYED the eastern movement OF
grain.
" result nine big freighters load
81 with grain SIS 100000 worth Of
ships and cargo-are fighting their
~, down Lake Superior toward that
rr ,vcyard Of gallant vessels, White
Fish Ray. trying TO press through TO
Buffalo for winter storage.
In Mud Lake. part OF the ST. Mary's
river. another big fleet - ice-bound,
waiting for the arrival of the nine
boats which left Fort William, Ont.
three DAYS ago before trying. with
tho assistance Of ice-breaksng tugs. TO
win past De;our 10 the open waters Of
Lake Huron.
Al Eagle Harbor. Grand Marais,
White Fish Point. Detour. Alpena,
Mackinac Island and Manitique. naval
radio operators are keeping a tireless
Nigu. guiding the freish,ers through
tho nlcht with radio compass signals,
and waiting for the calls for help
which may come
Tho story 81 tho fate a. the tug
Reliance. owned 10y the Superior Paper
company ~ saul; Ste Marie. was told
yesterday when seven survivors
reached he 500
Five days ago the tug. with crew
81 a officers and % passengers was
dashed 20 pieces on the rocks Of
laneiy Lizard Island. IS miles north
~ Point AuN Pines. the western en-
srance 10 the -. Marys river. and u
miles from the mainland. The captain
and - men took one boat and Mr.
aud Mrs John Hsrten. cooks. and
several others. took the other.
The captains boat has not been
accounted for. but the other. after
drifting several hours in the storm,
finally was blown ashore on the on
tario mainland. s. miles north OF
Sault ste Marie.
Mrs Harten was SO exhausted tina;
she party wa- forced 20 rest SO hours
re- an Indian hut before starting the
tsenty mile tramp Inland 20 the rail-
rad When the railroad was reached
80 and Mrs Harten were suffering
% much from the cold that they
W,r, Jeff a. the station for medical
treatment while the other seven sur
NIAors went on 20 Sault Ste Mare.
They hold out little hope for the
captain and his companions IL the
larty succeeded N reaching Lizard
Island they might rnd huts there. but
viii. game Is plentiful. they had M
weapons.
The sDene % the wreck OF the Re
lance - one o. the most desolat,
spots on the upper lakes. From
Eat.heWana Bay 20 Michip.coten Har.
Dor a distance q: more than fifty
miles there are no settlements. Th'
only Inhabitants are woodsmen. trap
pers and Indians.
The Lizard Islands are of the mail
steamer route and are seldom VISITED
- epi by Nootsmen and fisherman
81 IN the summer. BY an occasiOna
lntsr-.s.and boat u the launch carry
ms The captain and his 20 companion
failed 20 reach the Islands. yet sur
Nited the gale and drifting ice, u ma.
have been blown ashore on the main
land miles from human habitation.
e.. b was the case u IS Improbable tha
the soamen. weakened by long eX
posurs 10 the intense cold could hav
survived Ions unless. Ike those WI
reached Snuu Ste Marie. they foun
Some indian cabin in which 10 re
Cuperate.