Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 77, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 May 1907 — STEAMSHIP BURNED OT LAKE AND LOCATION OF DISASTER. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

STEAMSHIP BURNED IN LAKE AND LOCATION OF DISASTER.

Five lives were lost and about seventyfive people had a perilously close escape from death and a property loss of $250,000 was caused when the passenger and freight steamer Naomi of the Crosby Transportation Company burned in the middle of Lake Michigan while on her

regular night trip from Grand Haven to Milwaukee. Four of the victims were coal passers penned down in the forecastle by the flames where many of the rescued passengers from the decks of the freighter Kerr and the steamer Kansas saw them at the port holes vainly imploring for help. J. M. Rhoades of Detroit, a passenger, was the fifth victim. He was terribly burned in his berth and died soon after reaching n hospital at Grand Rapids. By the time the three steamers had reached the scene the Naomi's boats were in the water filled with people and a number of passengers were still huddled on the stern of the burning ship. The captain of the Kerr ran his big steel ship up under the Naomi’s stern so close that the imperiled people leaped to her deck. The rescued passengers tell graphic and thrilling tales of their dangers and are unanimous in praising the coolness and bravery of the Naomi's crew. The steamer was burned to the water’s edge, and was towed into the harbor a smoldering hulk. The burned bodies of the four missing coal passers were found in the forecastle of the Naomi when the hulk was boarded.

[image: Photo - Steamer Naomi]

STEAMER 'NAOMI'

[image: Drawing - map of Lake Michigan]