Baltic (Barge), sunk, 2 Oct 1872

      The barges AJAX, ADRIATIC, JOSEPH and BALTIC, left Buffalo for Saginaw in tow of the tug MOORE. The storm struck them when about 50 miles off Long Pt. The barge JOSEPH succeeded in reaching Long Pt. and anchored there. The AJAX came to anchor near where she was set adrift from the tug, but the BALTIC and ADRIATIC, less fortunate, fell prey to the waves and went down, their crews perishing with them. The crew of the BALTIC consisted of 7 persons, 6 men and 1 woman; and there were also 7 aboard the ADRIATIC, 5 men and 2 women.
      Buffalo Commercial Advertiser
      October 4, 1872 3-5

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      The Detroit Free Press gives the following account of the wreck of the barges BALTIC and ADRIATIC, and the loss of all on board, during the recent fearfully destructive gale. The barges AJAX, ADRIATIC, JOSEPH and BALTIC, left Buffalo for Saginaw in tow of the tug MOORE. The tow had pleasant weather until Saturday night about 11:00 when the terrible gale from the southwest came up. The barges, however, kept in tow of the tug until early the succeeding morning, when the gale raged with such exceeding violence as to part the lines and cut the barges loose from the tug. All the barges with the exception of the AJAX, are provided with masts and sails, so that in an emergency they may take care of themselves. The sea was so high and the storm so furious that the tug was unable to render the barges any assistance. In fact all she could do was look out for herself. The AJAX came to anchor where she was seperated from the tug, but the BALTIC and ADRIATIC less fortunate, fell prey to the waves and went down, their crews perishing with them. The crew of the BALTIC consisted of 7 persons; 6 men and 1 woman; and there were also 7 on board the ADRIATIC; 5 men and 2 women. Capt. McKee of the JOSEPH, when he saw the perilous position in which his barge was, put for Long Point, his nearest place of safety, some 50 miles distant, and by a lot of good seamanship and indefatigable exertion succeeded in weathering the storm and bringing his vessel to safety and to anchor at the Point, where the barge was picked up and taken in tow on Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 by the tug MOORE, which had as soon as possible picked up the AJAX and gone in quest of the JOSEPH. The 2 barges passed up in tow of the WINSLOW which took charge of them at Detroit on their way to Saginaw last evening at 6:00. It is truely marvelous that either escaped under the circumstances, and Capt. McKee of the JOSEPH, is entitled to great credit for the manner in which he brought his barge safely through.
      Buffalo Daily Courier
      October 5, 1872 3-4

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