Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1896 — PERISH IN THE LAKE. [ARTICLE]

PERISH IN THE LAKE.

FIVE OF A SCHOONER S CREW DIE IN THE WAVES Tbe Mary D. Ayer Sinks aa tba Result of a Collision with tba Steamer Onoko—Vessel Floats Helplessly for Honrs a Prey to the Gala Collision Off Racine. The schooner Mary D. Ayer collided with the steamer Onoko, in L*ke Michigan, off Grosse Point. Eleven hours later, while the steamer City of Duluth was trying to tow it ashore near Racine, the schooner sauk, ami five of the drew were drowned and the remaining two were saved and taken to Chicago. From the time of the collision until she was picked up, the Ayer drifted a distance of forty-five miles. The spot where she was taken bold of by the City of Duluth was about fifteen miles from shore. There was a dense fog on the lake at the time, and with but Ait instant’s warning the schooner loomed up directly ahead of the steamer. The long jiteboom of the Ayer ran into the pilot house of the Onoko. barely missing the wheelman, and then tore its way out through the end. The rail from bow to quarter was torn from its fastenings |>y the jib-boom, and at last that spar gave way. The bows of the schooner were broken in by the impact of the collision, and her master immediately ordered her anchor overboard. The Onoko. which is one of the few iron boats ou the lake and belongs to the Minch fleet of Cleveland, was coming up Lake Michigan loaded with iron ore sot the Illinois Steel Company at South Chicago. The Mary 1). Ayer, otie of Ed E. Ayer’s fleet of cedar vessels, was bound down the lake light from Chicago to Alpena. Rain lmfl been failing heavily all the evening, making it inqtossible to see any distance. . -