Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2014 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== EAST SHORE NEWS PENTWATER, OCEANA Co., MICH. VOL. I, NO. 20 Friday, 2 June 1871 [extracted marine news] A fishing boat belonging to Wm. Alexander, capsized about four miles off Michigan City, on Wednesday last. A man named Delany was drowned. He attempted to swim ashore with the aid of a piece of plank, and when within about a mile of it he was seen to sink. Up to last accounts his body had not been found, although the beach is con- stantly watched. The tug B. B. JONES exploded her boiler at Port Huron on the 25th, killing the following named persons: Andrew Rathbone, mate; Thomas Blanchard, first engineer; Patrick McGuire and Delbert Preston, wheelsmen, and Charles Miller fireman. Coast Survey The United States Steamer "SURVEYOR" came into our harbor last Tuesday, and we are indebted to her Sailing Master Thomas Simmons, for the following particulars in regard to the coast survey in which she is now employed. The survey of the East Shore is under the direction of Lt. Weeden, assisted by Mr. Olds, a civil engineer. The Lieutenant with sixteen officers and men is now at Petite Point au Sable, where he is erecting a station some fifty feet high, on the summit of a hill three miles from the shore, from which signals from both Whitehall and Grande Point au Sable can be observed. The distance from this station to Whitehall is about 18 miles, and to Grande Point au Sable nearly 30. Signals are transmitted by "flashing" the rays of the sun by means of mirrors, and the distance at which these "flashes" can be seen seems almost incredible. We are informed that signals were recently trans- mitted from the summit of Tip Top, on the Canada Shore, to Copper Harbor on Lake Superior, a distance of 110 miles. The force under the command of Lt. Weeden is divided into three parties, each consisting of 26 officers and men. Two of these parties are constantly engaged in surveying and sounding the streams that flow into Lake Michigan, and also in taking soundings in the Lake as far out as one mile from shore. One of these shore parties is now on the Kalamazoo River, and the other is at Whitehall. The third, after sur- veying the coast line, will take soundings in Lake Michigan as far out as ten miles from shore. The survey of the east shore will not be completed before the close of navigation. Captain Simmons expressed the opinion that Pentwater has one of the best natural harbors on the lake, particularly speaking of its shel- tered position between the two Points au Sable, and the short distance - less than 1200 feet - from Lake Michigan to Pentwater Lake which is two miles in length, and has an average depth of about 40 feet. Marine Register PORT OF PENTWATER (Reported for the News by Ed. E. Edwards.) ARRIVED. May 26. Steamer CITY OF TOLEDO, Manistee " METROPOLIS, G Haven Sch'r SARDINIA, Chicago, light " NORTH STAR, Chicago, light 27th. Steamer METROPOLIS, Manistee " CITY OF TOLEDO, G Haven " MESSENGER, Milwaukee Sch'r SOUVENIR, Chicago, 12 bbls beef, 38 pkg's groceries. Sch'r R. I. SKIDMORE, Chicago, light " FAWN, Sheboygan, 34 bbls lime, 50 bus. potatoes. " G. R. ROBORTS, Chicago, 28 cords stone " FAVORITE, Mich City, 8 tons feed. Steamer METROPOLIS, G Haven " CITY OF TOLEDO, Manistee 30. " CITY OF TOLEDO, G Haven " METROPOLIS, Manistee " MESSENGER, Milwaukee Sch'r MAID OF THE MIST, Sheboygan, sundries for this market 31. Steamer CITY OF TOLEDO, Grand Haven " METROPOLIS, Manistee Sch'r JENNIE LINN, G Haven, sundries for East Shore trade June 1. St'r METROPOLIS, G Haven " CITY OF TOLEDO, Manistee " MESSENGER, Milwaukee Sch'r R. B. HUBBARD, Chicago CLEARED May 26. Steamer METROPOLIS, Manistee " CITY OF TOLEDO, G Haven Sch'r SARDINIA, Chicago, 125 M lumber " NORTH STAR, Chicago, 125 M lumber 27. Steamer METROPOLIS, G Haven " CITY OF TOLEDO, Manistee " MESSENGER, Manistee " MESSENGER, Manistee Sch'r SOUVENIR, Traverse Bay, light 29. Steamer CITY OF TOLEDO, G Haven " METROPOLIS, Manistee Sch'r E R ROBERTS, Chicago, light " FAVORITE, Mich City, 80 M shingles 30. Steamer METROPOLIS, G Haven " CITY OF TOLEDO, Manistee " MESSENGER, Manistee Sch'r R I SKIDMORE, Chicago, 26 M wagon tongues, 25 M ash lumber, 35 M pine lumber, 6 M lath. Sch'r FLEA, Mich. City, 20 M lumber, 20 M shingles 31. Steamer METROPOLIS, Manistee " CITY OF TOLEDO, G Haven June 1. St'r METROPOLIS, Grand Haven " CITY OF TOLEDO, Manistee " MESSENGER, Manistee Sch'r R. B. HUBBARD, Chicago, 95 M lumber ---------------------------------------------------------------------- EAST SHORE NEWS PENTWATER, OCEANA Co., MICH. VOL. I, NO. 21 Friday, 9 June 1871 [extracted marine news] SINGULAR DISCOVERY A Bottle found buried in the Beach containing a Letter from Byron Benson, one of the men lost on the Schooner TITAN. Our readers will remember the shock felt in our village a year ago last fall upon receiving the sad intelligence of the wreck of the schooner TITAN about six miles south of this village, and the loss of the Captain and seven men. The partiuclars of this sad disaster were published in the issue of the Oceana Times of Nov. 12th, 1869, as follows: TOTAL LOSS OF SCHOONER "TITAN" - EIGHT LIVES LOST - STATEMENT OF THE ONLY SURVIVOR. - The schr. "TITAN" left Chicago Wednesday evening, the 3d inst., laden with 17,000 bushels of wheat, and bound for Buffalo. The persons aboard were, Capt. Simpson, Henry Bunce, of Kingsville, Ohio, mate; Joseph Purshaw, of Conneaut, Ohio, seaman; and six others whose names are unknown. On the evening of the 4th, about 10 o'clock, the vessel was struck by a squall, and the foresail and jibs were torn in strips. Losing control of the vessel, she drifted at the mercy of the winds and waves, until about midnight, when a light was seen on shore which afterwards proved to have been at Hartman Bros. Mill, about six miles south of this port. (Pentwater.) Soon after soundings were obtained, and both anchors cast. In about an hour she dragged her anchors, and soon after struck. In about a half an hour she went to pieces, and all on board perished, except Joseph Purshaw, who escaped with some severe bruises. He states that he shipped just before the vessel left Chicago, and was an entire stranger to all on board. LATER. - Since the above was put in type we learn from R. C. Rounsawell, of Chicago, the owner of the ill-fated Schooner, that the Captain's name was Samuel Holford, of Port Dalhousie, Canada; and that he leaves a crippled wife, and two children in needy circumstances. While walking along the beach near this place on Wednesday last, W. B. Putney, light-keeper at this port, struck with his ax a bottle con- taining the following letter, written upon both sides of a soiled piece of note paper, which has been carefully sealed between two pieces of glass, so that both sides can be read without fear of injury to it by handling. "We are aboard the TITAN, and expect every minute to go down. If this should ever fall in any person's hands, I hope they will take the trouble to send it to my family at Williamston, Mich." [The above is upon one side of the paper, and the name "Williamston" is partially obliterated. The following is upon the other side. -ED.] "To my wife and children. My dear wife and children. It gives me much pain to know that I shall never see you more; but it must be so. God wills it. You will find some money at the First National Bank. Good bye my family. May God bless and keep you. Byron Benson. We are sinking." The note bears the appearance of genuineness, and there is little doubt but it was written by the unfortunate man signing his name as Byron Benson. Steps have been taken to ascertain the whereabouts of the persons alluded to and the letter will be forwarded by Mr. Putney as soon as a communication has been received from any member of the family for which it was intended. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- EAST SHORE NEWS PENTWATER, OCEANA Co., MICH. VOL. I, NO. 22 Friday, 16 June 1871 [extracted marine news] The Editorial Convention..... The lake shore people are greatly accommodated by the Englemann line of steamers, which is made up on the East shore, by two splendid boats running daily, up and down, between Grand Haven and Northport. The names of the boat are "METROPOLIS," Capt. W. S. Standard, and the "CITY OF TOLEDO," Capt. J. P. Hodges. These boats make regular trips, are well officered and manned, and everybody traveling on them is kindly cared for and made to feel quite at home. A young man, named Weber, and a young lady, Mary Pflaus, went out boating on the lake, at Chicago, the other evening, in a very small boat, and a sudden gust of wind upset the craft, and they were both drowned. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- EAST SHORE NEWS PENTWATER, OCEANA Co., MICH. VOL. I, NO. 23 Friday, 23 June 1871 [extracted marine news] Along the Shore; Grand Haven - The Union says the old propeller J. BARBER, is to ply between St. Joseph and Chicago. The Herald - A beautiful propeller arrived by the D. & M. R., on Friday last. She is for the use of the U.S. Coast Survey now engaged in surveying the east shore of Lake Michigan. When launched she only drew two feet and sat handsomely and gracefully upon the water of the harbor. Marine Register PORT OF PENTWATER (Reported for the News by Ed. E. Edwards.) ARRIVED: June 16. Str METROPOLIS, G Haven steamer CITY OF TOLEDO, Manistee Schr FLEA, Milwaukee 17. Str CITY OF TOLEDO, G Haven Steamer METROPOLIS, Manistee Prop MESSENGER, Milwaukee Sch'r R I SKIDMORE, Chicago Sch'r FAVORITE, Port Washington Scow SWALLOW, Milwaukee Sloop MAID OF THE MIST, Sheboygan 19. Str METROPOLIS, G Haven Str CITY OF TOLEDO, Northport Schr LEN HIGBY, Milwaukee Sch'r GERTRUDE, Chicago Sch'r R B HUBBARD, Chicago 20. Str METROPOLIS, Manistee Str CITY OF TOLEDO, G Haven Prop MESSENGER, Milwaukee Sch'r NORTH STAR, Chicago Schr FAWN, Sheboygan 21. Str CITY OF TOLEDO, Manistee Str METROPOLIS, G Haven 22. Str METROPOLIS, Manistee Str CITY OF TOLEDO, G Haven Prop MESSENGER, Milwaukee Schr FLEA, Milwaukee Scow D R OWEN, Chicago CLEARED: June 16. Str METROPOLIS, Manistee Str CITY OF TOLEDO, G Haven Scow FLEA, Milwaukee 17. Str METROPOLIS, G Haven Str CITY OF TOLEDO, Northport Prop MESSENGER, Manistee Scow R I SKIDMORE, Chicago Sch'r FAVORITE, Pt Washington Sc'r SWALLOW, Milwaukee Sloop MAID OF THE MIST, Sheboygan Sch'r LEN HIGBY, Milwaukee 19. Str METROPOLIS, Manistee Str CITY OF TOLEDO, G Haven Sch'r GERTRUDE, Chicago Sch'r R B HUBBARD, Chicago 20. Str CITY OF TOLEDO, Manistee Str METROPOLIS, G Haven Prop MESSENGER, Manistee Sch'r NORTH STAR, Chicago 21. Str METROPOLIS, Manistee Str CITY OF TOLEDO, G Haven 22. CITY OF TOLEDO, Manistee Str METROPOLIS, G Haven Prop MESSENGER, Manistee Scow FLEA, CHICAGO Scow D R OWEN, Milwaukee [Transcriber's Note: The abbreviations above are exactly as they appeared in the newspaper, however innacurate they may be.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- EAST SHORE NEWS PENTWATER, OCEANA Co., MICH. VOL. I, NO. 24 Friday, 30 June 1871 [extracted marine news] STEAMBOAT FACILITIES The Englemann boats running between Grand Haven and Manistee touch daily at this point and a tri-weekly line of the same company runs be- tween Milwaukee and Pentwater and thence to Manistee, on Tuesdays, Mondays and Saturdays. The former carry the mail. The Chicago and Michigan Lake Shore Railroad connects daily, at its terminus, White- hall, with the boats. ===========================================================================