1 wreck ~Duluth MN-11

lornajarrettblanchard November 27, 1905

–11 Daily Telegram, Eau Claire, WI. “More Vessels Lost,” Nov 30, 1905, p. 1.
–1 steamer Edenborn (fireman drowned)
–1 steamer Lafayette (2nd assistant engineer lost
–9 steamer Mataafa (froze to death onboard)

Steam freighter William Edenborn (Nov 28)
–1 Swayze, David. Great Lakes Shipwreck Files “E.” [Just west of Split Rock Riv. mouth, MN.]

Steam freighter Lafayette (Nov 29)
–1 Swayze, David. Great Lakes Shipwreck Files “L.” [Encampment Island ~Two Harbors, MN]

Steam freighter Mataafa (Nov 27)
–9 froze in -13⁰ temp. Ratigan. Great Lakes Shipwrecks & Survivals (Revised). 1969, p. 278.
–9 Swayze, David D. Great Lakes Shipwreck Files. “M.”
–9 Waukesha Freeman, WI. “Events of the Past Year…Casualties,” 28 Dec 1905, p. 6.

Narrative Information

Nov 30: “Duluth, Nov. 30. — The net results of the great storm on the lakes as far as known are the total wrecks of the steamers Mataafa, Crescent City, Edenborn and Lafayette, the sinking of the Elwood in Duluth harbor, the stranding of the barge Manilla and the steamer W. R. England, the stranding of the Bransford on Isle Royale and two barges missing, the Madeira and Constitution. The stranding of the Bransford on Isle Royale was not very serious, comparatively speaking. She escaped with a puncture in her forward compartment and succeeded in reaching Duluth. The Manilla was in tow of the Lafayette and the Madeira in tow of the Edenborn. The Constitution was in low of the steamer Victory. The Constitution is owned by Pickands, Mather & Co. The Bransford is a Hawgood boat. The England, is an England Transit boat. All the other boats named are of the Pittsburg Steamship company steel corporation.

“A fireman off the Lafayette was drowned and the second assistant engineer of the Edenborn was lost…. [Nine names of fatalities from the Mataafa are listed.]

“As the morning light broke around the wreck of the Mataafa the question on the lips of the weary watchers who had kept the bonfires going through the darkness was: ‘How many are still alive?’

“A light shining through the porthole was the only evidence of life until shortly after the day broke, when the form of a man was seen at the door of the captain’s cabin and a cheer of encouragement broke from those on shore.

“The lifesaving crew was on the scene early and assisted by the watchers two surf boats were brought to the beach. For a time it seemed as if the violence of the sea was subsiding, but at 8 o’clock it was heaving with renewed fury and the launching of the boat was postpone…

“A megaphone was secured and in response to the repeated calls of the lifesaver a man appeared on deck with a megaphone and shouted: ‘All alive forward: can you get us ashore?’

Spurred to renewed efforts by this appeal, under Captain McLennan, the lifesavers manned the boat and a hundred willing hands shoved her into the breakers. The waves were roiling fiercely clear over the wreck, while clouds of blinding spray flew mast-high at times, completely obscuring the vessel, which in the early morning light presented a sickening sight of helpless wreckage, sheathed in ice to the top of the mast

“As the life boat breasted the billows it was a thrilling moment and repeated cheers broke from the crowd as she neared the charnel house that hart once been a noble mistress of the lake.

“Tossed like a chip, but finally triumphant over the elements, the boat reached the side of the wreck and a rope was thrown to the eager hands on deck. It was made fast and the work of lowering the half frozen men began. In the bitter cold It seemed that some must drop exhausted into the lake. The captain and mate stood by on top to handle the rope and give assistance to the benumbed mariners.

“The utmost order prevailed and the deliberate movements of the men on deck contrasted strangely with the fury of the wind and waves as the spray broke over the boat and the waves swept the hulk from stem to stern. In breathless silence the watchers on shore saw the first man twist himself about the frozen rope and slide down to the lifeboat, which every moment threatened to capsize. He was caught and dragged from the spouting water as it washed over the deck’s side in torrents, into the boat drenched half dead, but safe.

“There was no confusion nor useless hurry on board. Each man, as his name was called, stepped from the poor shelter of the battered cabin crawled to the rail, and committed himself to the rope, which swayed fiercely by the force of the blast threatened to dash out his life against the side of the vessel. Five times was the perilous maneuver repeated with incredible hazard and the crowd on shore knew that as many human lives had run the gauntlet and been rescued from the wreck.

“The captain gave the signal and the return trip was begun through the dizzy waters. A dozen times the boat seemed about to turn over or crash against the rocks, but with a final lurch, she came almost broadside on the beach and the crowd rushed forward to seize the lines and drag her to land.

“Three of the survivors were carried to the ambulance, while the other two, half waling and half carried by the crowd, reached a cab and were driven to a hotel. Later the other ten men on the Mataafa were rescued by the life-savers.

“`Nine poor fellows are dead in the stern,’ said Henry Larson of Superior, a seaman, as he was driven to the hotel. ‘Oh God; it’s awful.’ His stiffened limbs and battered countenance, on which clots of blood were frozen, and ears white and stiff with the frost, testified to the truth of his words. Although a powerful man, hardened by years of labor and exposure on the lakes, Larson was more dead than alive. Human endurance had reached its limit and his comrade in the cab was in worse shape, only answering with a shake of the head when asked for his name. ‘He is about all in,’ said Larson, who retained his senses fairly well. ‘And it is a wonder that anyone has survived. It’s more than we expected for the past twelve hours.’

“The night on the Mataafa was a fearful one to the living men, to say nothing of the terrible torture that must have fallen to the lot of those who died. Tucked in warm beds in hotels members of the crew tell of what they underwent. Charles Byrne, Henry Saunders and Herbert Emigt [? Unclear] made the trip in the afternoon from the rear of the boat forward across the slippery deck, over which great waves rolled and tried to break their hold. Four tried it, a fireman, name unknown, being another, but he failed and retraced his steps, now numbered among the lost. This fireman was three times washed over the side, but held his grip on the rope railing and climbed back, only to be defeated in the end.

“Loss to Shipping Heavy. Storm on the Great Lakes Did Damage Estimated at $1,500,000.

“Chicago, Nov. 30.—The storm on the upper lakes, which brought death to eleven and wrought untold havoc among the sailing craft, has almost subsided and the work of rescue and relief to the numerous vessels left stranded on the rocks is being carried on with the utmost vigor. Up to midnight eight vessels representing a total cost of $815,000 had been reported as total wrecks without any chance whatever of being saved, and there are still a dozen or more vessels the whereabouts of which is unknown and which may have to be classed among the list of vessels totally destroyed, when finally located. At least a score of vessels have been reported stranded but since the abatement of the hurricane it is believed the majority of these will be saved….” (Daily Telegram (Eau Claire, WI). “More Vessels Lost,” Nov 30, 1905, p. 1.)

Sources

Daily Telegram, Eau Claire, WI. “More Vessels Lost,” 11-30-1905, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=100704358

Ratigan, William. Great Lakes Shipwrecks & Survivals (New Revised and Enlarged Edition). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1969.

Swayze, David D. Great Lakes Shipwreck Files. “E” Accessed 4-5-2022 at: https://greatlakesrex.wordpress.com/e/

Swayze, David. Great Lakes Shipwreck Files “L.” Accessed 4-5-2022 at: https://greatlakesrex.wordpress.com/l/

Swayze, David D. Great Lakes Shipwreck Files. “M.” Accessed 4-5-2022 at: https://greatlakesrex.wordpress.com/m/

Waukesha Freeman, WI. “Events of the Past Year…Casualties,” Dec 28, 1905, p. 6. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=52984732