Heroes of the Storm

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1904. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... THE SCHOONER J. H. HARTZELL The wreck of the schooner J. H. Hartzell occurred about a mile south of the harbor of Frankfort, Lake Michigan, on the 16th of October, 1880. The scene on this occasion was in every respect extraordinary, and few narratives could surpass in interest the soberest recital of what took place that day abreast of and upon the wooded steeps in the neighborhood of one of our western towns. The schooner belonged at Detroit, and left L'Anse, Lake Superior, on Monday, October 11, with a cargo of 495 tons of iron ore for the Frankfort Furnace Company. She was commanded by Captain William A. Jones. Her crew consisted of six men, named, respectively, John Cassidy (mate), Mark Mahan, William Hyde, Edward Biddlecome, Charles Coursie, and George Hyde. There was also on board a woman cook, named Lydia Dale, who had shipped at Buffalo, but is supposed to have belonged in Toledo, Ohio. The vessel made a good run, with favoring winds, and arrived off Frankfort about three o'clock on Saturday morning, October 16. Her captain concluded to wait until daylight before entering the harbor, and she lay off and on in the fresh southeast breeze until about six o'clock, when the wind suddenly shifted to the southwest, and began to blow a hard gale, with squalls of hail, snow, and rain. She was then rather close to the shore, and about two miles south of the piers. An attempt was at once made to wear ship, but, in the growing fury of the wind and sea, the vessel would not obey her helm, and began to drift in; seeing which, her master let go both anchors and set his signal of distress. She still continued to drag, and soon struck upon the middle bar, about 300 yards from shore. Directly abeam of her was a range of wooded sand-hills or bluffs, almost precip...