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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2013-06-26, Page 5Wednesda , June, 26 2013 • Lakeshore Advance 5 Community GREAT STORM OF 1913 November critical for Great Lakes storms Pat Rowe Special to Lakeshore Advance This is the fourth of a series of articles covering the Great Storm which devastated the Great Lakes area in 1913.'llle St. Joseph and Area historical Society is providing these articles and in November, the Historical Society will be offering a din- ner theatre event at liessenland to commemorate the Great Storm.The causes of the weather conditions have been described in various ways. This report uses some recent work by James Clary of St. Clair MI, using (1S weather service information. November has always been the critical month for Great Lakes storms, but researchers and sailors agree with author Fred Landon who wrote the following: "Sunday, Nov. 9, 1913 is the blackest day in the history of navigation on the Great Lakes." Within a 72 hour span, 13 ships were completely lost and between 230 and 260 people died. Lake Iluron alone claimed 8 of those ships. This story recounts the tragedy of just three vessels, and if you manage to read it all, l hope you will want to buy some scuba gear, or purchase a good boat, or pay a visit to your local library or hook store. Please do read on! The first ship Is the Regina, named after the capital of Sas- katchewan. She was built in Scotland but was Canadian owned which meant, that although smaller than most of these ships, she must have been sufficiently seaworthy to sur- vive an Atlantic crossing to her home port of Montreal. James Clary's book, "'Ihe 1913 Storms" says this about the Regina: " You might say she was a floating general store." Listed regularly on her manifests were items such as paint, hardware, kitchen utensils, cloth, and food supplies. Each shipping season she visited ports all up and down the lakes. On Nov.9, she was going north from Port 1luron, top heavy with sewer pipe but she completely vanished in the storm. 1 ler final resting place between Port Sanilac and Lexington in Michigan was not discovered until 1986 when divers found much of her cargo, including bottles of still drinkable scotch and champagne. Today, this site is a part of Michigan's underwater park system and, 1 ant told, an excellent dive location. Next is the Wexford, also an ocean going ship, constructed in England. She too carte under Canadian ownership and although she had no trouble coping with Atlantic weather, she fell victim to Lake 1luron's waves. She was coating south from Fort William/Port Arthur (now 'Thunder Bay) With tl load of grain and was to make port in Goderich. 'There are stories which tell of Goderich residents who thought they heard the ship's whistle on the 9th but perhaps the boat was unable to find the harbour, or indeed navigate into it under the terrible conditions. I ler captain was the newly appointed Frank Bruce Cameron of Collingwood. Ile was just 26 years old but carte from a family of mariners which enabled hint to become an experienced and able seaman for one so young. 'Phis voyage was both his first and last as a ship's master because he is remembered as the youngest captain to die in the 1913 storm. 'Ihe lake gave proof of this ship's loss over the following days when wreckage and bodies of the crew began washing ashore from near Goderich south as far as Point Edward. 'Ihe Wexford was found by a fisherman, quite by accident, in August of 2000. Quickly, shipwreck hunters along with members of the Goderich Marine Heritage Committee explored and verified her location, NNE of (rand Bend which, I believe, rakes it in the lake west of St. Joseph, does it not? The James Carruthers is the last boat included this article. 'dais ship was the newest, the largest, and the most expensive of all the ships on all of the Great lakes during the storm. Unlike the first two, she was Canadian built in Collingwood and just launched in May of 1913 and, like the other two, she was Canadian owned. She was said to be one of the best built boats on the lakes. Brand new! Unsinkable! 1t somehow reminds ale of the Titanic. The Carruthers was southbound from Superior with a cargo of grain en route to Midland. Robert !lemming, author of "Ships Gone Missing" tells us that one of the crewmen on Carruthers waved to a friend on an ttpbotltl(1 shit) as the two boats passed by one another in the St. Marys River just south of the Soo, The distance was not far so he shouted across the water: "We're going to Midland this time, lack. I'll tell your father we passed you." But the James Carruthers never arrived in Midland. Bodies and wreckage from this ship washed ashore in an tura from around Point Clark south to near Goderich. The mystery remains. Why was she so far south when she was supposed to go east around the Bruce Peninsula to Midland? And in this present year she still has not been found, so where on the bottom of l.teke 1 luron is she? There it is - three ships, all Canadian and all lost in the same storm. Now find your scuba gear and visit the dive site at the Regina, or take your new bout out on Lake Huron and become famous by finding the Carruthers, hut, if those options seem beyond you, obtain tt copy of Paul Carroll's book, "The Wexford" or perhap !lemming's, "Ships Gone Missing.' 'These hooks are two gems written in an informative yet entertaining way to help you to become an avid fan of I turon County history. Guiding Beacons of North Lambton Grand Bend Women's Institute From the countryside John Russell Special to Lakeshore Advance Second in it series on Guiding Bea- ' cons of North Lambton This week we will feature Emily Mur- phy, a prominent author, social activist and judge who challenged conventional thinking and law throughout her life. 1 ler life's work started with marriage to the progressive Rev. Arthur Murphy who served Christ Church, Forest from 1900-1903 while residing In the rectory on Main Street. During this time and during parish work in Watford, Chatham and Ingersoll, Emily gave birth to four daughters. While here, Emily was president of the Missionary Society, played the organ, organized bazaars and was accepted and loved by the parishioners in Forest. When her husband agreed to missionary work, Emily was freed from the work of a rec- tor's wife and began to write. tinder the nom de plunge of 'Jitney Canuck' she published loose autobiographical sketches throughout their travels, including her most successful, 'limey Canuck in the West' in Edmonton. By this time, Arthur had become a businessman after a bout with typhoid fever and losing Doris, their youngest to diphtheria. The change in venue allowed Emily's literary career to flour- ish, publishing book reviews and maga- zine articles. She established as a repu- tation as a correspondent for Maclean's, writing lurid anti-drug articles litter compiled into it hook "The Black Can- dle' in 1922. Canada's decision to out- law cannabis the next year was described in a Senate Report of 2002 as "largely based on it moral panic, racist sentiment and a notorious absence of debate." Ah, the power of strong advocacy. This penchant for influencing public debate WaS apparent in nutty areas. Emily helped pass the Dover Act in Alberta in 1917 which established wont - en's right to one-third ()flier husband's estate, a first after experiencing first hand the plight of women left out. This led to Emily, in her work with the Local Council of Women to request that it was time for a women magistrate in a wom- en's court. Ina surprise move, in 1916, Alberta appointed her the first woman magistrate in the British Empire, a posi- tion she held until her retirement in 1931. After tl challenge from it Tulle lawyer on her first day as it magistrate to her trying a case when, under law, she was not it "person", her next crusade was to ensure that woman tl11*(11 hour Canada were to considered to be equals in all aspects. Emily enlisted the help of four other equally strong and passionate champions of the cause, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney, 1 lenrietta Edwards and Irene Parlby. Known its "The Persons Case': their rause ended in a Supreme Court decision in 1928 where it unanimously declared that women were considered "persons" under the Ii.N.A. Act and were eligible to he judges and Senators. 'these heroic tvonten became known as the Famous Five and we're honored by having their statues on Parliament 11111, being featured on a fifty dollar hill and becoming the first "honorary sena tors" in Canadian history. 1 would like to recognize Sylvia Freeman and lint I tarsen, the nominators, for their rec- ognition of Emily Murphy's connection to us, on her road to being one of Cana (Ill's heroine's 1(11(1 an a(IVo('ilte for grass roots social, legal and political change. South Huron District Picnic for WI July 2 in Crediton Lakeshore Advance The Grand Bend Women's Institute gathered at Aunt Gussie's for a noon luncheon for their June meeting. Vice President Donna Lovie presided for the short business meeting. It was noted that we will again organize a 2014 Spring Awakening Day in April. Several important dates of WI activities were brought to the members attention. The July 2 South }holm District Picnic is in Crediton. A tour of Grand Bend Casual Industries was very interesting and informative. 'I'Ihis industry Megan manufacturing PVC furniture in 1979. It is now an umbrella and cushion manufacturing facility. The entire operation is devoted strictly to the casual out- door furniture business. Several styles of wicker chairs and tables were on display. The ladies observed the cutting of material, the sewing and completing of the umbrellas and cushions, The ladies will begin their meetings again In September.