British Whig (Kingston, ON), Dec. 12, 1883

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LAKE HURON WRECK.

Loss of the Steambarge Enterprise.

Eight Persons Drowned After A Severe Struggle.

The season of 1883 closed on Lake Huron with one of the most terrible disasters that has happened this year. The steambarge Enterprise went ashore some four weeks ago near Cockburn Island with a cargo of supplies for Port Arthur, and a wrecking outfit on the tug Balize left Detroit to release her. The steamer was lightened and pulled off, extra care being taken by placing two large canvass jackets under her bottom. This being done, the boat did not leak enough to keep one of the two steam pumps going. All went well until the Balize, towing the Enterprise, arrived off Point aux Basques.

Sinking of the Boat.

At 2 a.m. Captain J.J. Riardon heard the steam whistle from the pumps blowing. He answered the call. The mate of the Balize stopped the tug and all hands were called to get the boat down. The tow line was cut from the tug, and every effort made to get alongside the wreck before she went down, but before they could get round the barge sank from sight. Every line on the tug was made ready to throw to the men clinging to the parts of the floating wreck.

A Garden Islander's Feat.

p. Quinn, lately of Detroit, but formerly of Garden Island, about 19 years of age, was first to reach the side of the tug. The poor fellow had been to work on the steam pump, and had grease on his clothes and hands, and the rope slipped through his fingers twice. The third time one of the crew of the Balize reached down to pull him up, Quinn holding on to the rope with his teeth until he was in the hands of the man who had hold of his jacket, when a sea struck Quinn and he slipped through his grasp, fell back into the lake and was seen no more. A brother was one of the ill-fated crew of the schr. Norway, wrecked on this lake over a year ago. Two other brothers live at Detroit.

THE FULL PARTICULARS.

The attack made by Capt. John Donnelly upon Mr. Gregory, General Agent of the Dominion Salvage and Wrecking Company, resulted in Donnelly being fined this morning in the sum of $5 besides costs amounting in all to $25, to be bound over to keep the peace for a year. Mr. Gregory is the General Agent of the Company whose operations extend to Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and also Provinces of Quebec and Ontario. Its President is Capt. Herriman, of Montreal, a gentleman for many years engaged in the commercial marine service of the United States and also as Manager of the Marine Insurance Company of Boston and Montreal. The Vice-President is Mr. J.G. Ross, of Quebec, said to be one of the wealthiest men in Canada, and who is also Vice President of the M. & K. F. Co. and a large stock holder in the Locomotive Works here. Its Secretary is Mr. Henshaw, President of the Montreal Board of Trade. The stockholders are influential men in Ontario, Quebec and Montreal. Mr. Gregory was one of the chief promoters of the Company and while at Ottawa attending to its charter received the special good wishes for its success from our late Governor-General, who took much interest in it in connection with its Gulf or Lower St. Lawrence service. Mr. Gregory is a son-in-law of Judge O'Reilly, of Hamilton, and also brother-in-law of Mr. DeBoucherville, of the Legislative Council of Quebec. His brother, Mr. J.U. Gregory, is at the head of an important Department in the Dominion Government at Quebec, is highly popular as an official as well as a sportsman with the gun and rod, and a writer on these matters and kindred subjects.

Mr. Gregory, of the Salvage Company, is a gentleman possessed of considerable literary and musical abilities, as well as a good business knowledge, and his genial way and suavity of manners have made him a host of friends in this city. He has been for a number of years the Swedish and Norwegian Consul. [Com.]

p.3 Here & There - On Monday night the schr. Herbert Dudley was sighted off Oswego. A tug ran out and helped her in. She had barley from Kingston.

The Sailors' Union of America is now in session at Detroit. Richard Powers, of Chicago, has been elected President, and J.D. Murphy, of Toronto, Vice-President.

Pigeon Island Light - For some time the Pigeon Island light has not been lit. There are vessels still on the lake and the Captains complain that when the light would be of service they cannot have it. There is danger, if the light is not relit, of some vessels running on the shoals.