Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1875 — Thrilling Adventures on Lake Michigan. [ARTICLE]

Thrilling Adventures on Lake Michigan.

The Chicago morning papers of the 14th contain detailed accounts of the loss of the propellers Equinox and Mendota, as given by rescued parses. The only known survivor of the crew of the former vessel reached Chicago on the 13tli, having been picked up by the schooner Havana. His name is given' by one of the papers as Charles Burns, and his story is condensed as follows:

Burns, who was a wheelsman, remained in the wheelhouse until five minutes of the time the Equinox went down. When the line by which the Mayes was towed was cut the propeller''had nearly eight feet of water in her hold. Her gangway had been stove in by the heavy seas and the salt between decks was washing overboard. She had only two boats. One had been launched, containing Capt. Dwight Scott, the mate, two firemen, six deck hands an<J. another man, unknown. There were twenty on board in all, including two ladies. The propeller went down by the stern, and just before the sinking Burns and Capt. Woodruff had been working to get the second--boat launched. The tackling caught, however, and neither having a kniVe with which to cut the guys it became too late, and Burns and Capt. Woodruff took to fenders, of which the former secured two. The upper works of the propeller floated off, and Burns seeing the deck of the pilot-house within a short distance ol him, struck out for it and succeeded in getting upon it, thus losing sight of Woodruff - . The Equinox went down about ten miles off Point Sauble, at about two o’clock Friday morning, or a little after, and Burns feels quite certain that all, except those in the boat, perished, as also Capt. Woodruff, as the latter could not possibly live in that sea on the fenders. The young ladies, the daughter and niece of Capt. Scott, were so overcome by fright that they were easy victims. .Besides these Indies there were left on board five persons. A blanket and sheet, from the berth below the pilothouse, were secured by Burns, and he lashed himself to the uprights inVliich the wheel was rigged, arid so floated. He wentthrough a terrible ordeal, and became so chilled and exhausted that had it not been for his precaution in lashing himself he must have been washed off" and perished. An hour or two after the sinking of the propeller the second cook came drifting in the vicinity of Burns, who says he unlashed himself, swam to the man and got him aboard the pilot-house deck, but he soon afterward died and washed off. Later, the boat containing those mentioned above came along. Capt. Scdtt asked Burns to enter it, but he preferred not, and the boat and raft soon afterward separated, the boat going Burns does not know where. The gale was at its height, and Burns does not think Capt. Scott’s party weathered it. At least, if the boat had outridden the storm or been picked up, she ought to be heard from by this time. Burns took to the fenders at about two a. m. Friday and was taken off his raft about sixty miles off the Mauitous.the middle of the lake at nine p. m. Saturday, the raft going to pieces soon after. Eight of the survivors of the Mendota also reached Chicago on the 13th. One 1 /'ll* i i 11 . i e i

of their number, a seaman, tells the following story: There wore twenty persons on board the propeller, including two ladies, the Captain’s wife and the Steward’s wife. They had a prosperous voyasje until they reached Glen Harbor, on Lake Michigan, about four o’clock Thursday afternoon, when the wind began to blow a gale from the northwest. A few hours later the wind changed to the north, and a. fearful sea was making. They passed Point Betsey at a quarter past twelve Friday morning, and the propeller, though laboring, went along all right. At about two o’clock one of the barges, the Morning Star, broke adrift. By this time the arches of the propeller broke away and she began to make water. They then let go the other barge. This was about eight miles east of Point Sauble. When it was observed that she was sinking one of the boats was lowered. The Captain was the first to enter the boat and the mate the second. Everybody that could crowded into it. The crew were told not to get in it by the Captain, but to launch the second boat, though lie knew there was not time enough to do it. Ten persons' crowded in the boat, and when the Captain saw his wife was not in it lie tried to have her saved, and in the effort to do so he fell out of the boat, and was jammed between the arch and boom. The Captain got back into the boat again, and more tried to get in, but they were driven back by the mate. The Captain’s father fell out, and was killed by being jammed between the bulwarks and the hawser-box. In the effort to save the Captain’s wife, who was seen clinging to the hawser-box, the owner’s son. Billy Crossthwaite, and the second engineer were tiirbwn out of the boat. No ett'ort was made to save them, and Mr. Crossthwaite climbed up on the pilot-house, on top of which lie was last seen. This left but eight persons in the boat. They pulled for a quarter of an hour toward the sinking boat, trying to save the Captain’s wife. At about three o’clock the vessel went down stern first. Nothing could be heard from those left on board of the wreck, except that the Steward’s wife cried: “Oh, my God!” The wind was terrible, and the, waves were filling the small boat in which they were, but by bailing they managed to keep it afloat. ’ They were on the boat twenty-nine hours, and were <>nce passed by a vessel which he is confident was the schooner Emma A. Mayes, and, though they made signs of distress no notice was taken of them, and the schooner passed on. When they neared land they saw a small schooner coming toward them, which proved to be the Addle, of Manitowoc. Thet’were taken on hoard and kindly treated by the Captain and crew and taken into Manitowoc.