Allmendinger ashore

During the blinding snow storm last night a steamer grounded in the lake off Mequon and early this morning gave the signal of distress. A telephone message was sent to the central police station in this city and the police in turn notified the lifesaving crew. As soon as possible the tug Welcome, with the life-saving crew on board and the life-boat in tow left for the scene of the accident.

The tug Welcome returned at 12:30 o’clock with the news that the stranded steamer was the E.M. Allmendinger, a steambarge owned by the E. B. Simpson & Co. Of Milwaukee. The boat was coming from Sturgeon Bay with a load of lumber for Milwaukee and about 3 o’clock it ran aground, the captain not being able to see his way through the storm. At the time it grounded the boat was running only four miles an hour.

The Captain P. Peterson, and the crew of nine men were rescued by the life-saving crew.

The steambarge is leaking considerably, being half filled with water, and the fire under the boiler was extinguished soon after it foundered. It is thought however that it can be pulled off the shore without much trouble, and that it will not be materially damaged. An attempt to release the boat will be made at once.

When the life-saving crew reached the foundered steamer, they were so covered with a thick coating of ice that it was an impossibility for any of them to lift an arm in aid of their fellows in distress until a stream of hot water from the tug boat hose had thawed out their icy coats. After this it was not a difficult matter to get the crew of the grounded vessel safely on board the tug.

No attempt was made to do anything with the steamer, which had sprung a large leak and was then half full of water. This afternoon, however, a scow and a steam pump have been sent out to attempt the work of salvage. As the steamer has sunk in about eight feet of water only, it is probable that the entire boat, as well as the cargo of lumber can be saved. The wrecked steamer’s tonnage was only 125.