Early on the morning of June 4,1911, 16 Salt Lakers boarded the launch Galilee at Geneva Resort to hold a nautical party on Utah Lake celebrating the upcoming wedding of Mr. Edward Holmes and Miss Vera Brown. The excursionists intended to spend the day sailing west over a seven-mile stretch of the water to a ranch near Saratoga where they would eat lunch and return to the east shore. They planned to be back early enough to help Miss Brown send out the last of her wedding invitations.
After two hours of carefree sailing, they were halfway across the lake and within sight of their destination. Captain Brown and some of the passengers began to take down the sails. The boat was just beginning to make a turn when a sudden whirlwind caught the canvas that was still clinging to the mast at a sharp angle, and the craft flipped onto its side, throwing all 16 of its occupants into water 9-feet deep.
Everybody either swam back to the overturned boat or got to the lifeboat it was towing. When too many of the survivors climbed into the little lifeboat, it swamped and sank.
The engaged couple, Vera Brown and Edward Holmes, gripped the side of the launch near each other. Vera, exhausted from the battle against the waves and chilled both with cold and with horror at the sight of the drowning of her brother and sister, lost her strength and momentarily sank. But her foot caught on the gunwale of the boat and she hung adrift in the water near the craft. Holmes went quickly to her aid, but he sank beneath the surface.
Captain Brown also witnessed Vera's struggle in the waves and swam to her rescue. He secured a hold on her and started back to the boat. Twice she slipped from his grasp, and the last time, as he tried to hold her head above water and spoke words of encouragement, she faintly whispered, "Father, Ed's gone. Ed's gone." At that she slipped from his arms, making no effort to cling to him, and sank into the water.
Of the 16 passengers only 10 survived.
After two hours of carefree sailing, they were halfway across the lake and within sight of their destination. Captain Brown and some of the passengers began to take down the sails. The boat was just beginning to make a turn when a sudden whirlwind caught the canvas that was still clinging to the mast at a sharp angle, and the craft flipped onto its side, throwing all 16 of its occupants into water 9-feet deep.
Everybody either swam back to the overturned boat or got to the lifeboat it was towing. When too many of the survivors climbed into the little lifeboat, it swamped and sank.
The engaged couple, Vera Brown and Edward Holmes, gripped the side of the launch near each other. Vera, exhausted from the battle against the waves and chilled both with cold and with horror at the sight of the drowning of her brother and sister, lost her strength and momentarily sank. But her foot caught on the gunwale of the boat and she hung adrift in the water near the craft. Holmes went quickly to her aid, but he sank beneath the surface.
Captain Brown also witnessed Vera's struggle in the waves and swam to her rescue. He secured a hold on her and started back to the boat. Twice she slipped from his grasp, and the last time, as he tried to hold her head above water and spoke words of encouragement, she faintly whispered, "Father, Ed's gone. Ed's gone." At that she slipped from his arms, making no effort to cling to him, and sank into the water.
Of the 16 passengers only 10 survived.
Early on the morning of June 4,1911, 16 Salt Lakers boarded the launch Galilee at Geneva Resort to hold a nautical party on Utah Lake celebrating the upcoming wedding of Mr. Edward Holmes and Miss Vera Brown. The excursionists intended to spend the day sailing west over a seven-mile stretch of the water to a ranch near Saratoga where they would eat lunch and return to the east shore. They planned to be back early enough to help Miss Brown send out the last of her wedding invitations.
After two hours of carefree sailing, they were halfway across the lake and within sight of their destination. Captain Brown and some of the passengers began to take down the sails. The boat was just beginning to make a turn when a sudden whirlwind caught the canvas that was still clinging to the mast at a sharp angle, and the craft flipped onto its side, throwing all 16 of its occupants into water 9-feet deep.
Everybody either swam back to the overturned boat or got to the lifeboat it was towing. When too many of the survivors climbed into the little lifeboat, it swamped and sank.
The engaged couple, Vera Brown and Edward Holmes, gripped the side of the launch near each other. Vera, exhausted from the battle against the waves and chilled both with cold and with horror at the sight of the drowning of her brother and sister, lost her strength and momentarily sank. But her foot caught on the gunwale of the boat and she hung adrift in the water near the craft. Holmes went quickly to her aid, but he sank beneath the surface.
Captain Brown also witnessed Vera's struggle in the waves and swam to her rescue. He secured a hold on her and started back to the boat. Twice she slipped from his grasp, and the last time, as he tried to hold her head above water and spoke words of encouragement, she faintly whispered, "Father, Ed's gone. Ed's gone." At that she slipped from his arms, making no effort to cling to him, and sank into the water.
Of the 16 passengers only 10 survived.
After two hours of carefree sailing, they were halfway across the lake and within sight of their destination. Captain Brown and some of the passengers began to take down the sails. The boat was just beginning to make a turn when a sudden whirlwind caught the canvas that was still clinging to the mast at a sharp angle, and the craft flipped onto its side, throwing all 16 of its occupants into water 9-feet deep.
Everybody either swam back to the overturned boat or got to the lifeboat it was towing. When too many of the survivors climbed into the little lifeboat, it swamped and sank.
The engaged couple, Vera Brown and Edward Holmes, gripped the side of the launch near each other. Vera, exhausted from the battle against the waves and chilled both with cold and with horror at the sight of the drowning of her brother and sister, lost her strength and momentarily sank. But her foot caught on the gunwale of the boat and she hung adrift in the water near the craft. Holmes went quickly to her aid, but he sank beneath the surface.
Captain Brown also witnessed Vera's struggle in the waves and swam to her rescue. He secured a hold on her and started back to the boat. Twice she slipped from his grasp, and the last time, as he tried to hold her head above water and spoke words of encouragement, she faintly whispered, "Father, Ed's gone. Ed's gone." At that she slipped from his arms, making no effort to cling to him, and sank into the water.
Of the 16 passengers only 10 survived.
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