In Steam Boat Launch Accident
Nine Prominent Lorainites Meet Death In Lake Eire
Of all the local stories which have made the headlines in the three quarters of a century of Lorain's newspaper history, perhaps none-- not even the tornado in 1924--hit the community with greater impact then the steam launch sinking that carried nine men to their deaths 69 years ago last September.
The town which was still in the pre-steel mill era, was short of 5,000 in population but was moving up. A young an aggressive group of businessmen were taking told--some of them in their 20's.
Newspapers of the day reflected progress. Then disaster struck.
The steam launch Leo, just purchased from a Detroit man by a group of Lorainites, was the instrument of death.
A shake down cruise of the launch was planned for Friday night September 15 by the owners. The year was 1889.
The trip went well, but an inspection of the vessel's boiler was found necessary, and a second trip was arranged for Sunday afternoon.
On that tragic Sunday afternoon, a rather cold afternoon, nine men boared the craft, among them were a tailor, a grocer, a clothier,saloon keeper and a real estate broker. Three other men were scheduled to make the trip, but were detained.
The nine men, whose names read like a "Who's Who in Lorain" of this period were: Samuel J. Root, I.D. Lawler, Ben Klein, Fred Pelow, John B. Tunte, S.E. Knight, C.E. Ritter, and the skipper, Matthewson, whose first name is unknown.
Clifford Tune and Frank Knapp had arrived at the boat but went home for their overcoats and arrived back at the docks after the boat had left.
Ben Wiegend, a grist mill operator in Amherst, unwilling canceled his plans to make the trip. He was having trouble at the mill and he took Sunday afternoon to go over to Brownhelm to try to talk a disgruntled miller into staying on with him.
The launch steamed out about 2:30 pm, despite the cold weather and the apparent imminence of a storm.
The boat was last sighted about 4 pm off Avon Pointe, when the men were seen putting down the sails. Days later the wreckage floated ashore off Edgewater Park, and the bodies were recovered.
No one survived to relate the true details of the Leo's loss, but it was presumed that the launch was the victim of an explosion or of heavy winds which flopped it over.
The entire town went into mourning for weeks following the disaster. History is filled with strange accidents--but few communities find themselves faced with a situation where they have lost so many of their prominent citizens on a single afternoon.
Information Source: The Lorain Journal.
Nine Prominent Lorainites Meet Death In Lake Eire
Of all the local stories which have made the headlines in the three quarters of a century of Lorain's newspaper history, perhaps none-- not even the tornado in 1924--hit the community with greater impact then the steam launch sinking that carried nine men to their deaths 69 years ago last September.
The town which was still in the pre-steel mill era, was short of 5,000 in population but was moving up. A young an aggressive group of businessmen were taking told--some of them in their 20's.
Newspapers of the day reflected progress. Then disaster struck.
The steam launch Leo, just purchased from a Detroit man by a group of Lorainites, was the instrument of death.
A shake down cruise of the launch was planned for Friday night September 15 by the owners. The year was 1889.
The trip went well, but an inspection of the vessel's boiler was found necessary, and a second trip was arranged for Sunday afternoon.
On that tragic Sunday afternoon, a rather cold afternoon, nine men boared the craft, among them were a tailor, a grocer, a clothier,saloon keeper and a real estate broker. Three other men were scheduled to make the trip, but were detained.
The nine men, whose names read like a "Who's Who in Lorain" of this period were: Samuel J. Root, I.D. Lawler, Ben Klein, Fred Pelow, John B. Tunte, S.E. Knight, C.E. Ritter, and the skipper, Matthewson, whose first name is unknown.
Clifford Tune and Frank Knapp had arrived at the boat but went home for their overcoats and arrived back at the docks after the boat had left.
Ben Wiegend, a grist mill operator in Amherst, unwilling canceled his plans to make the trip. He was having trouble at the mill and he took Sunday afternoon to go over to Brownhelm to try to talk a disgruntled miller into staying on with him.
The launch steamed out about 2:30 pm, despite the cold weather and the apparent imminence of a storm.
The boat was last sighted about 4 pm off Avon Pointe, when the men were seen putting down the sails. Days later the wreckage floated ashore off Edgewater Park, and the bodies were recovered.
No one survived to relate the true details of the Leo's loss, but it was presumed that the launch was the victim of an explosion or of heavy winds which flopped it over.
The entire town went into mourning for weeks following the disaster. History is filled with strange accidents--but few communities find themselves faced with a situation where they have lost so many of their prominent citizens on a single afternoon.
Information Source: The Lorain Journal.
In Steam Boat Launch Accident
Nine Prominent Lorainites Meet Death In Lake Eire
Of all the local stories which have made the headlines in the three quarters of a century of Lorain's newspaper history, perhaps none-- not even the tornado in 1924--hit the community with greater impact then the steam launch sinking that carried nine men to their deaths 69 years ago last September.
The town which was still in the pre-steel mill era, was short of 5,000 in population but was moving up. A young an aggressive group of businessmen were taking told--some of them in their 20's.
Newspapers of the day reflected progress. Then disaster struck.
The steam launch Leo, just purchased from a Detroit man by a group of Lorainites, was the instrument of death.
A shake down cruise of the launch was planned for Friday night September 15 by the owners. The year was 1889.
The trip went well, but an inspection of the vessel's boiler was found necessary, and a second trip was arranged for Sunday afternoon.
On that tragic Sunday afternoon, a rather cold afternoon, nine men boared the craft, among them were a tailor, a grocer, a clothier,saloon keeper and a real estate broker. Three other men were scheduled to make the trip, but were detained.
The nine men, whose names read like a "Who's Who in Lorain" of this period were: Samuel J. Root, I.D. Lawler, Ben Klein, Fred Pelow, John B. Tunte, S.E. Knight, C.E. Ritter, and the skipper, Matthewson, whose first name is unknown.
Clifford Tune and Frank Knapp had arrived at the boat but went home for their overcoats and arrived back at the docks after the boat had left.
Ben Wiegend, a grist mill operator in Amherst, unwilling canceled his plans to make the trip. He was having trouble at the mill and he took Sunday afternoon to go over to Brownhelm to try to talk a disgruntled miller into staying on with him.
The launch steamed out about 2:30 pm, despite the cold weather and the apparent imminence of a storm.
The boat was last sighted about 4 pm off Avon Pointe, when the men were seen putting down the sails. Days later the wreckage floated ashore off Edgewater Park, and the bodies were recovered.
No one survived to relate the true details of the Leo's loss, but it was presumed that the launch was the victim of an explosion or of heavy winds which flopped it over.
The entire town went into mourning for weeks following the disaster. History is filled with strange accidents--but few communities find themselves faced with a situation where they have lost so many of their prominent citizens on a single afternoon.
Information Source: The Lorain Journal.
Nine Prominent Lorainites Meet Death In Lake Eire
Of all the local stories which have made the headlines in the three quarters of a century of Lorain's newspaper history, perhaps none-- not even the tornado in 1924--hit the community with greater impact then the steam launch sinking that carried nine men to their deaths 69 years ago last September.
The town which was still in the pre-steel mill era, was short of 5,000 in population but was moving up. A young an aggressive group of businessmen were taking told--some of them in their 20's.
Newspapers of the day reflected progress. Then disaster struck.
The steam launch Leo, just purchased from a Detroit man by a group of Lorainites, was the instrument of death.
A shake down cruise of the launch was planned for Friday night September 15 by the owners. The year was 1889.
The trip went well, but an inspection of the vessel's boiler was found necessary, and a second trip was arranged for Sunday afternoon.
On that tragic Sunday afternoon, a rather cold afternoon, nine men boared the craft, among them were a tailor, a grocer, a clothier,saloon keeper and a real estate broker. Three other men were scheduled to make the trip, but were detained.
The nine men, whose names read like a "Who's Who in Lorain" of this period were: Samuel J. Root, I.D. Lawler, Ben Klein, Fred Pelow, John B. Tunte, S.E. Knight, C.E. Ritter, and the skipper, Matthewson, whose first name is unknown.
Clifford Tune and Frank Knapp had arrived at the boat but went home for their overcoats and arrived back at the docks after the boat had left.
Ben Wiegend, a grist mill operator in Amherst, unwilling canceled his plans to make the trip. He was having trouble at the mill and he took Sunday afternoon to go over to Brownhelm to try to talk a disgruntled miller into staying on with him.
The launch steamed out about 2:30 pm, despite the cold weather and the apparent imminence of a storm.
The boat was last sighted about 4 pm off Avon Pointe, when the men were seen putting down the sails. Days later the wreckage floated ashore off Edgewater Park, and the bodies were recovered.
No one survived to relate the true details of the Leo's loss, but it was presumed that the launch was the victim of an explosion or of heavy winds which flopped it over.
The entire town went into mourning for weeks following the disaster. History is filled with strange accidents--but few communities find themselves faced with a situation where they have lost so many of their prominent citizens on a single afternoon.
Information Source: The Lorain Journal.
Inscription
DROWNED
FROM THE YACHT LEO ON HER WAY FROM LORAIN TO CLEVELAND SEPT. 16, 1889
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