Burr Hoyt Encounters Lake Superior

Burr Hoyt Dies in New Mexico From Effects of Lake Superior Storm

A sad aftermath of the terrible gale on Lake Superior two years ago last fall, occurred in Port Stanton, New Mexico, on July 5th, 1907, when Burr Hoyt passed away from consumption.  The dread white plague was contracted, it is said, by

the hardships and physical shock underwent by the deceased at the time of that storm.  The news of the death was received here just recently.

Hoyt was engaged on the steamer Lafayette, which was one of the many freighters caught in the gale.  On November 28, 1905, the Lafayette was thrown ashore and broke in two on the rocks at a bleak point on the southern shore of the lake, some distance below Duluth and many miles from a settlement or a house.  The crew managed to get ashore safely, though all were drenched in the icy water and many were exhausted.  For many hours they waded in deep snow, with the cold freezing their wet garments to their bodies, before they were rescued.

Never Recovered Health.

Burr Hoyt never recovered from this trying experience, and he was thrown immediately into consumption.  He went to New Mexico and recently when the disease got its death hold on his body, entered the Marine hospital there, where he died.  He was 35 years of age and had lived in Conneaut for many years. 

Besides many friends here, he leaves a father, mother and brother and other distant relatives in this vicinity. This sad end calls to mind very vividly the harrowing storm of that time.  Although a number of Conneaut marine men were caught in the storm and suffered many hardships, this is the first fatality, directly affecting this community, to grow out of the gale.  It was in this storm that Captain Humble, of this city, master of the Mataafa, displayed such heroism in saving his crew when his boat was thrown upon the end of one of the Duluth piers.  Boats were strewn all along the lake and the aggregate loss was by far the worst ever.