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THE TM 911 Franklin Street Weekly Newspaper Michigan City, IN 46360 Volume 24, Number 1 Thursday, January 10, 2008 Students Join Effort to Solve Shipwreck Mystery by William F. Keefe Part 2 (NOTE: In Part 1, the Briggs Project efforts to solve the “Ogden Dunes Shipwreck Mystery” occupied cen- ter stage in The Beacher on December 6, 2007. In Part 2 below, newspaper reports provide evidence that the wreck may have been the yacht Chiquita, which sank in a violent Lake Michigan storm in 1899. Research continues on both theories.) A panoramic view of the Lake Michigan beach at Ogden Dunes shows clearly how the nineteenth century shipwreck currently appears -- with part under water and part buried in sand. The wreck has become the focal point of extensive research designed to ascertain the ill-fated vessel’s identity and history. (Image reproduced photographically from original watercolor by Chicago artist Jack Simmerling). Lori McGunn almost rubbed her eyes in disbe- questions. She wondered who had owned the ship, lief. where it had come from, where it was heading, and Taking her fi rst 2007 look at the shipwreck re- how it had sailed to a probably tragic end in the mains on the Lake Michigan beach at Ogden Dunes, sandy solitude of a nameless beach. Indiana, she was amazed. The timbers projecting She wanted to fi nd the wreck’s name and the from the waves and the beach sands were both rev- identity of its captain. She hoped to fi nd out wheth- elation and invitation. er it had a crew, passengers, cargo, masts – all the “We’ve been renting out here for three years now,” details, nothing left out. said the Chicago resident, referring to her husband Lori’s startup researches via the Internet and and two children. “And before this past spring there other sources turned up a substantial collection were at most little snippets of the wreck visible. of newspaper reports on a wreck that appeared in And now look.” the “Maritime History of Great Lakes Shipwrecks.” Never one to ignore something so historically tan- That clue joined others indicating that the yacht talizing, Lori began to look for answers to natural Shipwreck Continued on Page 2 THE Page 2 January 10, 2008 THE 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 • FAX 219/879-8070 In Case Of Emergency, Dial e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] email: Classifieds - [email protected] http://www.thebeacher.com/ PRINTED WITH Published and Printed by TM Trademark of American Soybean Association THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden 911 Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is also Subscription Rates delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. 1 year $38 6 months $21 3 months $13 1 month $6.50 Shipwreck Continued from Page 1 Chiquita had foundered about “three miles east of Miller’s Station, Indiana” on November 2, 1899. The three persons on board had died in the violent storm that closed the Chiquita’s log. The wreck’s location east of Miller seemed to dovetail with the Ogden Dunes site of the wreck remnants that had astonished Lori McGunn. Could the desolate ruins of a once-proud ship yield up its secrets? Searching, looking for addi- tional help with the research – including, possibly, technical assistance – Lori and her husband Ed pledged a research stipend to the Indiana Universi- ty/Northwest History Club. They thus ensured that the club’s members would join the hunt. That research goes on. Acting as “mentor” and guide in the project is Dr. Jerry B. Pierce, Indiana U instructor in ancient history. “Four or fi ve” of his students, including History Club president Julie With Lake Michigan raging in the background, Bill Keefe Jr. examines Mendez, are devoting time to the project as oppor- some of the square nails that still hold parts of the Ogden Dunes ship- tunity and time allow. wreck in one piece. The nails are said to be characteristic of nineteenth “The latter part of November and early December century ship construction methods. (Bill Keefe Sr. photo) were pretty well spoken for insofar as research is capsulize the story of the ship’s loss. “Yacht Is concerned,” Pierce said. “Our class was fully occu- Wrecked Off Shore Near Site of Ogden Dunes,” pied with the end-of-semester testing, writing pa- writes the Valparaiso, Indiana Vidette-Messenger pers, fi nishing work already started. We hope De- in a retrospective piece published on September 17, cember will give us a chance to get more involved. 1900. The piece specifi es that the yacht foundered “We will be looking at all kinds of information. We in November, 1899. Reporting on November 4, 1899 want to fi nd out if the newspaper accounts are ac- the Waterloo, Iowa Daily Reporter notes that “Yacht curate. We may assume at the start that the name and Party Go Down.” The article cites November 2, Chiquita is correct, and try to verify that also. 1899 as the date of loss. “These things are fascinating for all of us because “First Snow of the Season” headlined the New- the shipwreck is real and it hides a mystery. We port, Rhode Island Daily News on November 3. In have to – and do – keep asking what evidence we a subhead the paper added, “Many Vessels on the can fi nd, what we can tie together.” Lakes in Distress in Northwest Storm.” The article His students will try to contact the Briggs Project mentioned the Chiquita as one of the vessels in dis- people, Dr. Pierce said. “We don’t want to leave any tress. possibility untried. We’ll also be talking to an un- Other publications had similar coverage. As prob- derwater archeologist, maybe other technicians.” ably the largest and nearest big-city paper, the Chi- A Cumulative Effect cago Tribune devoted more space to the lake tragedy Without quite closing the loop of proof that the than several of the more distant journals combined. Ogden Dunes wreck was once a seaworthy craft Tribune articles appeared on three separate days, named Chiquita, the research amassed thus far has starting November 3, as research uncovered more had a cumlative effect. News reports of the ship’s details on the ship’s career and fi nal hours. loss have turned up in publications as distant as The Tribune article of November 3, the fateful Port Huron, Michigan and Waterloo, Iowa. Some in- day after the killer storm, provided the essential troduce grim details. day-after coverage. The headlines from the various newspapers en- “The schooner rigged yacht Chiquita, with a THE January 10, 2008 Page 3 Open ‘til 6 p.m. Evenings www.littlehousefashions.comElegant Apparel for the [email protected] Conscious Woman Women’s Apparel Lucky you - if you’re heading South! Peek in on our fabulous The nameplate stolen from a ship wrecked on an Indiana lakeshore adorns a fi shing boat as it rests on a nearby beach. Researchers trying to collection of identify the “Ogden Dunes shipwreck” believe the name board came from the ship whose identity they are seeking. (Chicago Tribune sketch) Cruise Clothes, while you pick up dead man, supposed to be…the owner and captain, lashed to the rigging, went ashore in the gale early a bargain… yesterday morning three miles east of Miller’s Sta- tion, Ind. It is believed that all the crew and pas- sengers have perished. Garments found in the cabin Cruise indicated that at least one woman was among the unfortunate party on the yacht. Wear “Where the vessel belonged was not ascertained last night, but it was thought it was from some arriving Michigan port.” A description of the only wreck victim found daily! on November 2 followed, as did the notation that “There was nothing in his pockets to identify him… Sizes It was believed that his name was D. S. Way, that PS-XXXL signature being found on a number of papers and effects in the cabin. The name ‘D. S. Way’ was found also on the silverware.” Suggesting that the ship was on a photographic mission, “In the cabin there was a fully equipped amateur photographer’s outfi t, and among other things a large number of pictures. The supplies had all been bought in Charlevoix, Michigan.” The Tribune account digresses briefl y to note that a fi sherman named Albert Sabinske had seen the doomed ship as it appeared to tack toward the Michigan shore. The boat disappeared in the storm, Winter Clearance however, and it was not until the following morn- Original ing that Sabinske noticed the wreckage lying on the 30-60% off Price sand near the present-day Ogden Dunes. In Sabinske’s memory the ship viewed off the In- diana shore “was having a hard time,” but seemed Vera Bradley 50% off able to “make the breakwater at Michigan City.” suggested retail price Discovering the wreck on the morning of Novem- ber 3, Sabinske “notifi ed the South Chicago life-sav- The Tent may be down, but we have a ing station.” Joseph Delton, a Coast Guardsman, Discount Room with up to 80% off original price had visited the wreck the night before after receiv- 409409 Alexander StreetStreet, LaPorte, IN 326-8602 ing from an unknown beach visitor notifi cation that On Hwy 35 - 5 Blocks South of Lincolnway Turn right on Alexander a ship had been lost. Turn Right on Alexander Monday-FridayMonday - Friday10 am 9:30to 6 pmto 7 Saturday Saturday 9:30 9:30 am to to5 5 pm Shipwreck Continued on Page 4 THE Page 4 January 10, 2008 watercraft – an argument that the 45-foot fi gure for the ship’s length was actually a misprint or typo.