Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 November 1883 — THE LAKE MARINE. [ARTICLE]

THE LAKE MARINE.

’ 4 ) / ft Has Experienced the Most Disastrous Season of Nearly Twenty Years. ff* T t . [From the Chicago Times.] The northwesterly gale which has prevailed almost steadily en the chain of greht lake: since Sunday last is the most disastrous tc life and property that has occurred in anj one gale since 1867. The total number oi wrecks are forty, which includes vessels going ashore, as well as those which went tc pieces, and the total number of lives lost was sixty-eight, so far as known. Beside these, there are some vessels missing, or, rather, have not been heard from since the terrible gale began to blow. It is probable that all these will turn up, as they may be safely sheltered in harbors about the lakes. Speaking in this connection, it may be of interest to know that the season, as a whole, has been the most disastrous to shipping and insurance men alike than was ever known before in the history of navigation on the lakes. The whole season has been marked by disasters terrible in their nature and entailing heavy loss upon Insurance companies. This was partly due to an unpropitious and stormy season, but largely to the inexcusable mistakes of tho signal service. They have missed every gale of wind in such a way as to encourage vessel masters to leave port on the verge of veritable hurSuch was thc case last Sunday, and also last May. To go further back, they made the same mistake before the great gale of Oct. 16, 1880. Then followed the terrible disasters to the Alpena, Wells Burt, and, lastly, the Akely.