began at Green Bay
on October 29, 1870 . With a load of pig iron from the Green
Bay Iron Furnace Company and shingles from Earle and Case,
also of Green Bay, the Carrington made sail for
Chicago at about 7 p.m. By 10 p.m. a thick fog had settled
over the bay.
At
about 2 a.m. on October 30, Captain Connell mistook
the Eagle Harbor light on Hat Island for the light
on Green Island. Intending to avoid Green Island,
he steered a wide berth from the light. Approximately
half an hour later, his mistake became obvious when
the Carrington struck hard on the reef
off the southwest point of Hat Island .
The
Carrington began leaking badly from the grounding,
and the hold filled within twenty minutes of the accident.
To reduce sinking in the stern, the crew moved as much of
the deck cargo forward as they could. The vessel was then
secured as well as possible, and the men put off in the small
boat for Menominee, about fourteen miles away. Upon arriving,
Captain Connell telegraphed the insurance company for assistance.
High winds and rough seas prevented him from returning directly
to his stricken vessel.
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