Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 September 1905 — DEATHRIDES THEGALE [ARTICLE]

DEATHRIDES THEGALE

Lakes Are Lathed to Fury and the Cruel Watere Hunger for Victims. BBVBH LOST FBOX THE SEYOHA Captain Included Among Those Who Gave Their Lives for Others. Five Lost from the Petoria Great Anxiety fbr Absent Ships—Loss or Life Will Probably Reach Twenty. Dnluth, Minn., Sept. s.—Searching parties sent out from Ashland have discovered the bodies of Captain D. S. McDonald, of the wrecked steamer Sevona, and Nels Sehuman, second mate, of Buffalo, washed np on the shore at Sand island beach. Ashland, Wis., Sept 5. —The latest report from the wrecked Sevona gives seven drowned—Captain McDonald, First Mate Darwin, second mate (name unknown), two wheelmen and two sailors. The small boat with five persons, which was thought to be lost, has reached land and all are safe. The complete list of saved is: Engineer and Mrs. William Phillips, Adam Fredon; J. H. Clucky and wife, of Buffalo; Miss Lillian Jones, and Miss Kate Spencer, Erie, Pa.; Gretteu ttener, Racine; Neil Nelson, Otto Smidt, Nick Fiden, George Slade, Buffalo; William Long, Sheboygan; H. Von Velck, Erie; Charles Scouler, North East, Pa., and Paul Stoekel and Edgar Rider, of Cleveland. Five of the Crew Drowned. Dnluth, Minn., Sept. s.—lt Is definitely learned here that a sunken schoohed near Outer island is the Pretoria. Five of her crew of ten were drowned by the capsizing of the yawl In which the crew took refuge when the boat began to founder. The five survivors were rescued by the heroic efforts of John Irvine, keeper of the Outer Island light, and his assistant. The crew lost control of the yawl and all were spilled into the lake. Names of the Dead. The dead are Henry Schwartz,West Lay City; Axel Lendlis, seaman, Marinette, Wis.; Isaac Byers, seaman, Milwaukee; Alfred Febsal. seaman, Sweden; Frank Wales (colored), Chicago. The foregoing persons were drowned immediately upon the overturning of the yawl. Captain Charles Smart, Mate Charles Fairman, and William Smart (seaman), all of West Bay City; Oscar Orlan, seaman, of Milwaukee, and Ned Blank clung to the overturned boat and were rescued by Lightkeeper Irvine. The Pretoria was being towed, but her tow-line parted Friday night. STORY OF THE SEVONA’S LOSS Seven Men Risk and Lose Life for the Others’ Safety. Duluth, Sept. s.—The wreck of the Sevona, a big ten-hatch vessel bound from Allouez to Erie, is a story of heroism and deadly danger. The storm had become too heavy for the vessel, and the captain determined to run for shelter. Sand island is in the center of a patch of dangerous reefs. One and a half miles east of the light on the island is the Sand Island reef. The atorm was so severe that the look-out did not see the Raspberry island light. When the Sand island light house was sighted it was too late. When the vessel finally struck a great hole was torn in the bow, and only half an hour after the wreck the pounding of the waves bad hammered the stout ship In two. The vessel broke just aft of the fourth hatch. When the shock came the captain found that there was no chance for all to try and reach shore, and called for volunteers to stay on the ship. More than half of the crew volunteered to stay aboard while the rest tried to reach shore and call for help for those who were to remain on the wreck. Finally the captain, the two mates and four others, sailors who were under no obligation to stand by a sinking ship, were selected to risk their lives for the safety of the rest. Engineer Phllllppl was one of the volunteers, but Captain McDonald refused to allow him to remain on board, ordering him to take command of the ship's boat which was to take the women ashore. With Pblllipi went Adam Fiden, Nicholas Fiden, C. H. Clucky, two firemen and one deck hand, all of Buffalo. The storm had battered the third boat to pieces, but a small boat large enough to carry four took another party. The boat with the women tried to make Sand island, bnt was swept past. Nothing could be done save to keep the craft afloat. When the boats left the Sevona the seven left aboard were huddled in the wheelhouse, waiting for the rescue that was to come too late. LIFE BOATS TRIP TO SHORE All Night in the Billows—The Ride for Reaonera. The trip ashore of the life boat waa one of terror. All night the men fought with the elements in the effort to reach shore, which was only five miles away, but the wind waa carrying the craft parallel with the beach, and It was daylight before the boat was wasted up high on shore. So wearied were the men from their exertions that

they were nearly swept back Into the deep water by the surf. During the night while the men were trying to reach shore the women were alternately despairing and hopeful. At times they would pray for their lives, the men joining, and at other times they would help the sailors, bailing the small craft of the water which came aboard constantly. Saturday morning the storm-tossed party was washed ashore at. Little Sand bay. Here they found a homesteader, who led them to two farms two miles in the Interior. The men were so exhausted they could hardly walk to the farm house,* hut were pressed on by the knowledge that the captain and others on board the wreck needed help. Then while the rest of the party was eared for at the farms the engineer and one of the farmers. Thibadeau, set out with a team for Bayfield. It took until 4p. m. that day to reach Bayfield, twenty miles across the peninsula. Upon reaching Bayfield the fishing tug Harrow, of the Booth line, started out for the scene of the wreck with a party of fifteen men, beaded by Engineer Phllllppl. The trip took two hours in the teeth of the northeaster. When the tug reached the scene of the wreck of the Sevona only a few spars and the after 100 feet of the craft were left There was no trace of the captain and his party.