Daily News (Kingston, ON), 4 Dec 1879

p.2 Larcenies - The "wharf rats" have begun their work for the season, by robbing vessels in the harbour of rope and other articles....The rope, about 100 lbs., was stolen from the schooner Niagara, and was identified by Mr. A. Horn, of the firm of Oldrieve & Horn, as a horse line belonging to that vessel......

Owen Sound - The fishing tug Fanny, that has been missing for some time and of which fears were entertained regarding her safety, arrived here today all right. She was lying in Tobermory harbour unable to venture out owing to the roughness of the weather.

Belleville - The schooners William Elgin, D. Andrews, British Queen, Mary Foster, and John Wesley, in addition to some small craft, are laid up here. Navigation is about closed.

About five o'clock on Monday evening Daniel Skillin, a seaman on the schooner J. Bentley, went aloft to send down the lifts. While engaged in that work, a rope broke, causing him to fall to the deck, a distance of 60 feet. In falling the poor fellow turned twice and struck the forward hatch with a sickening thud. He was picked up insensible and carried to his father's house, and Doctors DeWitt and McFarlane summoned. The physicians found the hip was dislocated, several ribs broken, and internal injuries sustained. The most that could be done was to make the sufferer as easy as possible, and await death, which took place at nine o'clock. Skillin was 23 years old and had sailed on salt water. He had made a trip to Europe and Mediterranean ports and was a fine seaman. Skillin shipped in the Bentley on Saturday night to take her to Toronto to lay up. Deceased was a son of John Skillin, shoemaker, and his sudden death is a terrible blow to his parents, who are perfectly grief stricken. [Oswego Times]

p.3

Marine News

The schr. Eureka, on the way up from Ogdensburg, is aground at Peel's Dock. It is expected she will be floated off easily should the wind blow from the south.

The tug Hiram A. Calvin has gone to the Ducks to try and fish up the anchor left there by the Riverside during one of the recent gales. As the anchor was buoyed, there should be no difficulty in getting it up.

The Welland Canal closes for the season tomorrow. All vessels near the Canal are hurrying to get up or down in order not to be kept there all winter. The schr. Florida is reported down from Milwaukee to Oswego with corn.