USA > Michigan > Huron County > Portrait and biographical album of Huron county Michigan, Containing biographical sketches of citizens also a complete history of the county, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 50
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" After getting clear from the breakers of the reef, the boys were in excellent spirits, and we were all congratulating ourselves upon getting over so easily. I then bore down towards the vessel, heading her up whenever I saw a heavy sea coming. When heading direct for the vessel, the sea was about two points of the compass forward of our port beam, and the heaviest seas I had frequently to head the boat directly for, or dodge them. When about a quarter of a mile from the vessel, and half a mile outside the reef, and very nearly one mile from the nearest
point of land, I saw a tremendous breaker coming for us. I had barely time to head her for it, when it broke over our stern and our boat filled. I ordered the boys to bail her out before the sea had got clear of her stern, but it became apparent at once that we could not free her from water, as the gunwales were considerably under water amid- ship, and two or three minutes after she was cap- sized. We then righted her, and again were as quickly capsized. We righted her a second time, but with the same result. I believe she several times capsized and righted herself after that, but I cannot distinctly remember. As near as I can judge, we filled about one hour after leaving the station.
" For about three-quarters of an hour we all clung to the boat, the seas occasionally washing us away ; but having our cork jackets on, we easily got back again. At this time Pottenger gave out, perished from cold, dropped his face in the water, let go his hold, and we drifted slowly away from him. We were all either holding to the life-lines or upon the bottom of the boat," the latter position difficult to maintain owing to the seas washing us off. Had it been possible for us to remain on the bottom of the boat, we would all have been saved, for in this posi- tion she was bouyant enough to float us all clear from the water. My hope was that we could all hold out until we got inside the reef where the water was still. I encouraged the men all I could, re- minded them that there were others, their wives and children, that they should think of, and to strive for their sakes to keep up; but the cold was too much for them, and one after another gave out, each as did the first.
"Very little was said by any of the men. It was very hard for any of us to speak at all. I attribute my own safety to the fact that I was not heated up when we filled. The men had been rowing hard and were very warm, and the sudden chill seemed to strike them to the heart. In corroboration of this theory I would say that Deegan, who did the least rowing, was the last to give out. All six perished before we drifted to the reef. I have a faint recol- lection of the boat grating or striking the reef as she passed over it, and from that time until I was taken to the station I have but little recollection of what transpired. I was conscious only at brief intervals.
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I was not suffering, had no pain, had no sense of feeling in my hands, felt tired, sleepy and benumbed. At times I could scarcely see. I remember screech- ing several times, not to attract attention, but thought it would help the circulation of the blood. I would pound my hands and feet on the boat whenever I was conscious. I have a faint recollection when I got on the bottom of the boat, which must have been after she crossed the reef. I remember, too, in the same dreamy way of when I reached the shore. Remember of falling down twice, and it seems as if I walked a long distance between the two falls; but I could not have done so, as I was found within thirty feet of the boat. I must have reached the shore about 9:30 a. m., so that I was about three and a half hours in the water. I was helped to the station by Mr. Shaw, light-keeper, and Mr. McFarland. Was given restoratives, dry clothes were put on, my limbs were dressed, and I was put to bed. I slept till noon (two hours), when my wife called me, saying that Deegan and Nantau had drifted ashore, and were in the boat room. My memory from this time is clear.
"I thought possibly these two men might be brought to life, and, under my instructions, had Mr. Shaw and Mr. Pethers work at Deegan for over an hour, while I worked over Nantau for the same time, but without success. I. then telegraphed to the Superintendent and the friends of the crew. The four other men were picked up between 1 and 2 p. m., all having come ashore within a quarter of a mile of the station. I, with the surf-boat, came ashore about one mile south of the station, the bod- ies drifting in the direction of the wind, and the boat more with the sea. On the 24th, Hiram Walker, of Detroit, telegraphed to ship the bodies of Pether- bridge and Nantau to Detroit, which I did, together with their effects."
Mr. Samuel McFarland gives a very pathetic ac- count of this disaster :
"I am a farmer, and was working on the farm about one-fourth of a mile from where the surf-boat came ashore, when I heard gulls screeching, as I supposed, several times; but paid no attention to it. Presently my two dogs started to run for the cliff, and thinking that somebody might be calling from the shore, I went to the edge of a high cliff overlooking the lake, and saw a boat bottom up about 100 rods from the shore, with one man on it.
Not knowing that the station crew were out, I started to notify them of what I saw. Upon getting to the station, about nine o'clock, and learning that they were out, concluded that it was the surf-boat I had seen, and went to the light-house after Mr. Shaw to accompany me to where the boat was drifting in. When we got there the boat was ashore, and Cap- tain Kiah was standing on the beach about thirty feet from the boat, with one hand holding on to the root of a fallen tree, and with the other steadying himself with a lath-stick, and. swaying his body to and fro, as if in the act of walking, but not moving his feet. He did not seem to realize our presence, and was so disfigured we at first failed to recognize him, his face black and swollen and a white froth issuing from his mouth and nose. We took him be- tween us, and with great difficulty walked him to the station. Several times on the way he would murmur, 'Poor boys, they are gone!' At one time he straightened out his legs, his head dropped back, and we thought he was dying; but he soon recov- ered again. After reaching the station, he was given restoratives, his clothes were removed, and he was put to bed. His legs from above the knees were much swollen, bruised and black."
The names of the lost crew are as follows : Will - iam I. Sayres, Robert Morrison, James Pottenger, Dennis Deegan, James Nantau and Walter Pether- bridge. Nantau and Petherbridge were single men. Sayres and Morrison were widowers. Sayres left five children, the youngest at the time being eight years old. Morrison left three children, the young- est, six years old. Pottenger and Deegan each left a wife and four children, each of the youngest at the time being two months old. Their widows and children are still living in Huron County. No blame has ever been attached to Captain Kiah or his crew, by those who had any knowledge of the cir- cumstances. It was one of those incidents that are liable to occur to the best and bravest of men. Cap- tain Kiah was left very feeble in mind and in body ; his limbs were in a critical condition. It was a question whether he would be able for duty again, and the closing incident of this sad tragedy was his resignation. Thus this station in a day, by the power of a great wave, was bereft of a crew who had within a year, by their heroic action, saved nearly a hundred lives.
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In the fall of this year, Superintendent Joseph Sawyer, of the Tenth District, was drowned near Rogers City while returning from one of the stations, and the heroic Captain Kiah, late Keeper of Station No. 2 of this District, having recovered his health fully, was tendered the vacant place by the Govern- ment, which he accepted. For his bravery in the disaster at Point aux Barques, the Secretary of the Treasury, under act of Congress passed June 20, 1874, presented him with a magnificent gold medal. It is two inches in diameter and one-eighth of an inch thick, and solid gold. On one side is repre- sented a surf-boat in a heavy sea with the surf-men in and about her, with the inscription around the edge as follows : "Life-Saving Medal of the First Class. United States of America." On the other side is the front of a pedestal bearing the following inscription : "To Jerome G. Kiah, Wreck of Life- Saving Crew of Point aux Barques, Lake Huron, April 23, 1880. Act of June 20, 1874." Surmount- ing the pedestal is the American eagle. To the left i's a female figure in drapery leaning against the pedestal. On the right is the bow of a boat with rigging, anchor, etc., and around the edge are these words : "In testimony of heroic deeds in saving life from the perils of the sea."
Captain Kiah is as hale and hearty a man as one would meet in a day's walk ; gives no indication that he was once so near death's door.
The stations along this coast have since been much improved in their equipments. At Sand Beach station they have the English life-boat, which is in its construction a self-bailer and a self-righter ; the same at Grindstone City. At Point aux Barques they have a life surf-boat, also a self-bailer and a self-righter. They have at this station all the mod- ern appliances for life-saving at sea. The station is complete to the fullest extent.
Congress lately has raised the salary of the officers to a respectable figure; but there is yet room for great improvement in providing for the surf-men. The whole service should be put on a footing with the navy, the men in line of promotion, and no re- strictions as far as their salary is concerned. They now go out of commission at the close of navigation, and come in again when it opens. In the mean- time they have to forage around for a living. The Government should also pension the widows of the men in this service who lose their lives in trying to save the lives of others.
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RAILROADS.
AILROADS in Huron County, on account of her superior ad- vantages of water navigation, were not so greatly needed; nor did the county feel the ab- sence of these potential agen- cies for civilization as did the other counties during their early settlement. But they came along in good time, as they always do; and the blast from their trum- pets, announcing their several arrivals, - was quite musical to the ears of the . people. While none of the roads that now enter the county are domi- ciled here, they answer the purpose of a ready and quick means of transportation just as well.
Port Austin & Northwestern Railroad.
HE echoes of the locomotives of this road were the first to resound through the forests of Huron County. This was in 1881, and the first passenger train steamed into Sand Beach on the 23d of September of the same year. This road starts from Port Austin, seventy-one miles from Sand Beach. A branch of this road, called the " Port Austin Branch," leaves the main line at Palms, in Sanilac County, and enters Huron County through Bingham Township, runs through Bad Axe, and from there to Port Austin, passing along the western line of Lincoln and Dwight Townships. The first passenger train came into Bad Axe Oct. 10, 1882. It was completed to Port Austin
at the close of the same year. This is a narrow- gauge road.
Pontiac, Oxford & Port Austin Railroad.
ORK was commenced on this line in 1881, and completed in 1883. It is a broad- gauge road, and enters the county in Brookfield Township, passes through Winsor and terminates at the town of Caseville. This is an important road to Caseville and this section of the county.
Saginaw, Huron & Tuscola Railroad.
HIS road started from Saginaw in 1882, and was completed as far as Sebewaing in the spring of 1883, a distance of thirty-seven miles. It runs through Tuscola County and along the coast of Sebewaing Township to Sebewaing village. From here it leads off to Bay Port, its present terminus, passing along near the shore line of Fair Haven Township. This is a narrow-gauge road. A branch runs out, starting about a mile below Bay Port, to the stone quarries in Winsor Township.' The present purpose of the com- 'pany is to extend this branch to Bad Axe, and from there on to Sand Beach.
This is the introduction of the railroad system into Huron County. It will not be many years, probably, before a complete net work of iron rails will be woven over the entire territory.
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SAL
S early as 1838, or about two years after this Territory went into the sisterhood of GOG States, an attempt was made to get salt in the Grand River Valley; but it was a failure. The Congress of the United States had passed an act allow- ing the State to select twelve springs, with six sections adjoin- ing. In 1859, the salt interests revived and the matter was taken up anew, the Legislature at this time offering ten cents a barrel for all the salt that could be made in the State. As soon as salt made its appearance, the Legislature repealed this act, "before prayers," as it might be said. The manu- factory of salt was first started in Huron County, at Port Austin, in 1863, using the solar system, which was here a failure. Ayres & Co. started their works in 1864, using large iron kettles. They soon im- proved on this process, and adopted the pan system, which they still use. They manufacture about 40,- ooo barrels annually. Their well was sunk 1, 198 feet. Brine, 88º, salinometer.
Thos. Winsor & Co. have an improved steam block, with two wells, which they operate with one beam. Their wells are down to the depth of 1, 180 feet. They make 150 barrels per day. Their brine is very pure. Salinometer, 86°. In 1876, J. Jenks & Co., of Sand Beach, started a pan block, with a well for brine supply at a depth of 715 feet. In 1883, they
put in a steam block. They manufacture 150 barrels per day. The brine from this well is 84º, salin- ometer. The same year they added to their business the dairy-salt factory.
In 1880 Worthington & Sons, of Grindstone City, established their block-pan process. They produce 30,000 barrels annually. At Caseville there are five wells and three blocks,-one pan and two steam,- owned by Francis Crawford. The first well was put down in 1871 at a depth of 950 feet. Later it was put down to 1,764. Recently the fifth well was put down, at a depth of 1850 feet. The annual produc- tion from these three blocks is 40,000 to 50,000 barrels.
At Port Crescent, Eakins & Soule put down a well in 1881, to a depth of 1,242 feet, for brine supply to their pan block. Their capacity is 150 barrels daily, though they do not put up quite this amount. At this place there is another salt block, owned by Ben- nett Haskell, which was opened in 1880. This well is down at a depth of 1,250 feet. Capacity, 200 barrels: at present not running.
At New River, W. H. Cooper & Co. have a steam salt block, which was started in 1876. Their annual production is 25,000 barrels. At White Rock there are two mills, which were started in 1872. The pres- ent proprietor is R. W. Irwin. These wells are down to a depth of 600 feet, with a good flow of brine which is 84º, salinometer. The block is of the pan process, with a capacity of 225 barrels daily.
The Port Hope Pan Block Salt Works are owned by Wm. R. Stafford, and was started in 1874. Since then the block has been greatly improved, and has a capacity now of 60,000 barrels. The well is down to
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HURON COUNTY.
a depth of 800 feet. Proof of brine, 84° standard. R. C. Ogilvie has a pan block at this place, which has a capacity of 150 barrels daily. The above list embraces all the salt establishments in this county.
This industry is increasing in importance every year. The price of wood averages one dollar per cord. From 75,000 to 100,000 cords are used annually in the salt manufactories. Inspectors of salt are ap- pointed by the State, who make regular examinations. The second quality is branded as such, and is used largely as a fertilizer. So thorough has the system become that only about two per cent of the entire production is second quality. It is handled by the "Salt Association," and a great portion of it goes to Chicago. Salt can be made here in this State cheaper
than anywhere else. We give one illustration, from the tables of 1880:
New York, capital invested, $2,385,081.
Amount produced, bushels,. 8,748,203
Michigan, capital invested, $2,147,209
Amount produced, bushels, . 12,425,885.
They have not, in any of the salt blocks in Huron
County, put up any process yet for saving the "bitter" waters which are drawn off in the process of manu- facture. From these bitter waters is obtained bro- mine, and the chlorides of magnesium and calcinm, all of considerable commercial value: also, there are prepared from these waters, carbonate and bi-car- bonate of soda and caustic soda. The production of salt in Michigan is about half of that of the whole country. The price at present is 70 cents a barrel.
The Great Fires
ONDAY morning Sept. 5, 1881, the sun rose with un - usual splendor over the blue waters of Lake Huron, casting its warm rays upon the people of Huron County. The air was balmy, and resonant with the charming notes of the wild birds. There was nothing to indicate that ere its setting there would be any- thing other than peace, contentment and happiness among the people, or that ere it took farewell of this fair land and passed below the western horizon, a darkness would come as intense as could be produced by the absence of all light, and a calamity befall the people which for magnitude of woe, suffering and death,
would be unparalleled in the world's history. The result of the world's experience goes to prove that the greatest calamities come to mankind when they are the least expected. So it was in this terrible event.
During the previous week there had come rumors of disastrous fires in the counties south, but no thought of danger here had been entertained, particularly in these counties below. Forest and fallow fires were burning in many of the townships of Huron County and the counties south during almost the entire month of August, but they were thought to be harmless.
As early as the middle of August the meteorological journal of the Port Huron Station announced the pres- ence of "dense clouds of smoke from forest fires ;" and from this station fires in the west and southwest were plainly visible. Later on, the flames had seized upon the "slashings" in Sanilac County. The confla- grations were spreading with such rapidity that finally the people of Sanilac, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties
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became alarmed. On the second of September the fire had destroyed a great part of Carsonville, and had burned buildings and standing timber in that vicinity.
The first very alarming conflagration began on the last day, of August. The fire had originally started in Lapeer County, spreading northeasterly along the valley of the south branch of Cass River into Marlette, a township lying in the southwestern corner of Sanilac County. It advanced northward through Marlette as far as Moore, then changed its course in the direction of Custer and Watertown townships, passing through these to Sandusky, reach- ing there about two o'clock p. m. Here it destroyed a church, a school, three outbuildings and a dwelling. Traveling northeastward, it raged through the swamps west of Black River, crossed this stream, and at four o'clock burned the village of Deckerville. From here it swept through the forests and " slash- ings " of Marion and Bridgeport Townships. The wind changed to the north about dark, and blew with such force that the flames soon went out. Before this the fire had become general, and other towns than those mentioned had been threatened. The fires so far had been driven by strong diverse winds that grew into gales as the flames increased. The vegetation on one side of the fire-path would be green, while on the other everything had been burned to the ground.
It was on the fifth day of September, however, that the irresistible conflagration started on its prin- cipal " march to the sea." The smoldering embers of the fires of the previous Wednesday were ready for action, waiting for a favorable wind. It came : a vigorous southwest gale came up, and then the fiery demon advanced upon its prey. Some days before this the fires had worked from the northern part of Tuscola County into the southern townships of Huron. By Sunday they had united and had reached the township of Colfax, and were also burn- ing in the forests west of Bad Axe. No particular uneasiness, however, was felt by the people of these Townships and others at this time. They had all along through the month of August continued their fallowing, and fed their local fires, notwithstanding occasional warnings.
We have thus traced the fire from its commence- ment to Huron County, where our history more par-
ticularly begins. All day, on this Sunday, the wind blew strong from the southwest, and was very hot. On the afternoon of this Sabbath day, a fire broke out on a farm a few miles west of the village of Bad Axe. A number of men went out and got the fire under their control, and so subdued that no further trouble was apprehended. Monday all was peaceful during the morning hours. Toward noon the wind freshened up, and reports came in that the fires had broken out in the vicinity of the Poor Farm. Assist- ance was sent out to protect that property. The wind continued to increase until about two o'clock, when it was blowing a gale, and volumes of smoke were seen in the west. But a few moments, and all was darkness! A cloud of smoke and flame was roll- ing over the country. The heat was so intense that it was almost impossible to breathe. The wind then blew a hurricane. A few seconds more and all was on fire! The very atmosphere seemed-not only seemed, but was-burned into flame. The people had not time to save anything, and the only question with them was, how to save their lives, and those of their children. The court-house was filled with men, women and children; and those who took refuge there, by heroic efforts saved the building and their own lives, by fighting the fire through the long, terri- ble night.
The fires did not enter this village in a direct line, but circled in the air over the house-tops. Within twenty minutes after the first building caught fire the conflagration became general, and the lives of all were imperiled. In two hours all the houses in Bad Axe were destroyed except the court-house and a few buildings in the north and west portions, which were protected by green woods. About 400 people took refuge in the court-house and were saved. This village stood in a clearing which was made after its settlement, surrounded by forests and "slashings" and "windfalls " which had been accu- mulating there for years.
Those who fled east passed through a cloud of fire until they came to an opening. Here they dug 'a large trench, into which they put the women and children, and covered it over with boards and wet blankets. The men stood ground until the fire in its devouring course had passed on. For a time they thought it was impossible for any to be saved, the heat was so intense.
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A part of Bad Axe lies in the township of Colfax. The fires burning in the woods on Sunday spread to the north and northwest into the townships of Meade and Chandler. The settlers were still working away with their local fires. These townships had been burned over by the great fires of 1871, and there were large accumulations from windfalls caused by this fire. There were also the " slashings," and with their heaps of limbs and tree-tops, knots, etc., the result of lumber camps, they were regular tinder boxes ready for the flame. This condition of things can be considered that of almost every point of the county that was reached by the fire.
The beautiful little village of Verona, which lay in the line of the current of flame, leaving Bad Axe, was swept of everything except its church, hotel and two other buildings, and from there to Bad Axe but two houses remained.
To return to the townships of Meade and Chan- dler. The conflagration began spreading in Chan- dler about 12 o'clock m., on the 5th of September. The west winds forced it across into the central and northern parts of Meade Township. From here it met strong, southwest currents which swept it across the northwest corner of Lincoln and through the in- terior of Dwight into Port Austin. Another current took it and carried it southeast through Huron, Gore and Rubicon. Here a union was formed with the conflagration spreading northeast from the head- waters of Cass River.
Through the townships of Dwight and Meade there were during and before the fire, strong currents of wind from the southwest, which occasionally changed to the west. This continued until the middle of the afternoon, when the wind suddenly veered around to the north and blew a gale. This saved the townships of Port Austin, Hume and Lake from any further destruction. The fires spread very rapidly, burning down green forests, and every barn, dwelling or granary in its path. In Meade first, on section 15, occurred the first death by fire. In passing northward the fires at first only extended to the western and northwestern parts of Lincoln Township. The wind still blew from the southwest, so that the fires kept running toward the northeast.
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