The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-12-04
Big Freighter w hic h
Made Port at KenOsha,
Sinks Off Coast.
WORK PUMPS in VAIN
Hole Is Discovered in Hold
Early This Morning; Crew
Unable to Save Vessel.

The big lake freighter Lakeland"
which formerly operated between Ke-
nosha and eastern cities in the auto
mobile carrying trade, sank six miles
off Sturgeon Bay at noon today. All
of the members of the crew of the big
steamer we're rescued, being taken
aboard the coast guard cutter from
Sturgeon Bay and the Ann Arbor car
ferry number six.
No definite reason is given for the
sinking of the big steamer. Two hours
before she sank the crew had sent
call for help and ut that time the
steamer was listing badly. The mem
bers of the crew have not at yet
reached Sturgeon Bay and the rescue
boats are fighting a heavy sea. They
are not believed to be in any danger.
Owned by Cleveland Company.
The Lakeland was owned by the
Thompson Transportation company,
with head offices in Cleveland and
branches in Kenosha, Chicago, Detroit
and other cities. Messages from Stur-
geon Bay say that the steamer sank
with cargo of automobiles but this
report does not conform with the re-
mort given at the offices of the Thomp-
son company in Chicago. The agent
in Chicago, when advised by repre-
sentative of the News that the steamer
was sinking, declared that she carried
no cargo, or practically no freight.
He said that the Lakeland had left
Chicago on Monday for Detroit. She
had brought cargo of 81 automobiles
from Detroit to Chicago on Tuesday
Of last week.
The Lakeland was formerly used for
the transfer of large numbers of Nash
automobiles from Kenosha to eastern
lake ports, but some time ago the
Thompson company put the big steam
er Progress" into service from the
Kenosha port and it has been used
since. Ten automobiles from the Nash
plant are now stored at the warehouses
of the company in the Kenosha harbor
awaiting transfer east. Officials of the
company said that these would be TAX
en- by the progress" which will dock
at Kenosha tomorrow.
Formerly Known as Cambria"
The Lakeland before she was brought
t. Kenosha for the eastern service was
known as the Cambria" She was $50
feet long and had beam of 40 feet
and carrying capacity of $500 tons.
She was regarded as one of the most
seaworthy of the big freighters on the
lakes. The Lakeland was built in 1887
and had been in service since that
time.
At the offices of the Thompson COM
pany it was said that no information
had been received from the sailing
master of the steamer and that the
first indications that the Lakeland was
in trouble had come when the message
from Kenosha was received.
Laying Up for Winter.
The Lakeland is declared to have
been making her last trip of the sea-
son and was on her way to Detroit to
lay up for the winter.
Later messages from Sturgeon Bay
this afternoon said the vessel began
to list rapidly several hours after a
leak was discovered in the hold early
this morning. The crew of 20 men
put several pumps into operation, but
were unable to check the increased
flow of water and by 10 o'clock the
freighter listed at an angle of 35 de-
grees. The pumps were then aban-
doned and the crew was taken aboard
the car ferry and the coast guard cut
ter which were standing by. No esti-
mate of the loss has been made.
Loss Hundreds of Thousands.
At the Kenosha offices of the COM
pany this afternoon it was said that
the Lakeland was valued at between
100000 and 100000 and that the loss
would be partially covered by insur-
ance. Local agents of the company did
not know the amount of insurance car
ried on the big steamer, but it was
said to have been a considerable
amount. The cargo insurance had ex-
PIred last Sunday and no cars had
been loaded on her since that time.