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Show ADRfFT IN GALE ON UTAH LIE SALT LAKE. Sept. 12. Buffetted about for hours on tho waves of Utah Lake Sunday, fix Salt Lakers and; a boat captain barely escaped with their lives. When a te; rifle "northwester" struck the little party while in the center of the lake on the return from Moslda, disabled the launch encine and at times Fiibrnerged the boat In the crests of the waves, all, even the skipper gave up In despair. Only one of the party was not helpless with seasickness, and to his coolness Iarco-ly, Iarco-ly, the excursionists this morning were acredltlng the fact that they are alive. The members of the party are William Huntsbcrger, chief clerk to Mr. Benton of the Rio Grande railway; rail-way; II. H. Hayes of the Wylle Permanent Per-manent camp: Walter fJrccorv and Frank L. Dodge, lawyers, Walter Cluff, Mr. Gurkey and Captain West-fall. West-fall. The party made the trip from fir-neva fir-neva to Moslda, IS miles southwest. Sunday morning In water as calm as a mirror, and, on th return trip, all went well until the launch. "Josephine," "Jose-phine," arrived In tho middle of the lake and a terrific gale suddenly appeared ap-peared from the northwest. The waves rolled and pitched and at times went clear over the boat. Captain West fall opened the engine at full fcpeed In the hopes of making Genevrt before serious damage was done. Seasick and Helplecs. The waves, however, rose so high that the launch was on the point of capsizing, so the captain ordered ctery man to lie flat in tho bottom of the boat nxt to the engine. While In this position waves dashed over the top of the boat drenching every man within a few minutes. Ah the boat Tocked and careened every man ex cept one became deathly sick and many hoped the launch would go down Even the seasoned marnler heaved his dinner to the fish. It a short time a mammoth wave sprang over the side of th launch and stopppd the gasoline engine. Captain Cap-tain Westfall thn gave up; but Walter Wal-ter II. Gregory, the only man who was not seasick, sprang to the wheel and turned the launch from broadside to the waves to head on Far awny could be seen the willows at the head of Provo river, and though the encino was broken, Gregorv held the wheel, so that the boat headed almost in that direction. Then came four hours of anxious watlng, four hours of drifting with the wind. Even' available utensil was used to ball out; and Ihe poor seamen sea-men lay stretched almost helpless In the bottom of the boat. When darkness was approaching the willows at the mouth of the rler loomed up like a cloud on the horizon, but after a time, the launch struck bottom at a point oO yards south of the river. Every man undressed and though the water was chlllv. got out and pushed the 'disabled launch toward to-ward the deep water In the river. This sas finally accomplished and about dark the crew landed at the Piovo entrance to the lake, 12 miles from Geneva Fortunately an automobile was there and the men were taken In their wet clothes to the Roberts hotel where soon the edse of the peril they had undertone was mitigated in comfort com-fort and cheer. Most of the men this morning say that the captain was at fault as he gave up entirely, but all of them want no more of the treacherous waters wa-ters of Vtah lake. |
