My Grandmother's Blog - August 1-31, 1927

3 Die as Yacht Explodes
      Near Egg Harbor Saturday

Beautiful Boat on Way
North for Annual
Cruise

   EGG HARBOR-- In the worst marine tragedy on Green Bay waters for years one person was killed and two were drowned as the result of injuries when the 65-foot express cruiser Frances IV, of the Chicago Yacht club, was wrecked by an explosion in her engine room shortly before 11 o'clock last Saturday morning and sand after burning for two hours.

     The incident occurred just as the yacht was headed north about 4 miles out from Horse Shoe Bay on a line with the west end of Chambers Island. Mrs. Johnson, wife of Carl W. Johnson, president of C.W. Johnson Inc., was kiled in the first explosion and was picked up later floating in the water. Walter G. Banks, Chicago, captain of the yacht, and "Pete", the Japanese steward, were injured so that they were unable to hold onto life preservers and drowned, while Mr. Johnson and his little daughter, Frances, age 9, the other occupants of the boat, swam about until rescued.

Tanked Up Here

     The Frances, which was first to finish last year in the first Chicago-to-Sturgeon Bay power boat race, docked at the Door County Country club pier Friday and remained over night. Saturday morning, the yacht left for north on its annual cruise to Georgian Bay, tanking up with 350 gallons of gasoline at a Sturgeon Bay dock.

     According to a story told to Mose Evenson, who was working on the top of the Horse Shoe Bay hill, it would appear as though those on the Frances had a minute's warning before the first explosion, for thin blue smoke first appeared and then came the sharp blowing of a distress siren from the 60-foot yacht Margo, owned by B. A. Massee, second vice president of the Palmolive company was first to get the signal, having only a short time before passed the Frances going in the same direction and turned about to race under full power to the scene.

The Brungraber carpenters employed on the old LeRoy place near here, also heard the signals and looked out in time to see the big explosion which appeared to be about 60 to 70 feet high but which must have been higher due to the distance out from above.

     The Margo was the first on the scene, and seeing both Capt Banks and the steward swimming, threw them life preservers in passing to pick up Mr. Johnson and his daughter who were treading water. Mr. Johnson had tried in vain, he said, to get a life boat loose from the wreckage. Going back to pick up the captain and steward, the Margo was unable to find the men who had evidently been injured sufficiently to keep them from handing onto a float.

     The burst of flames on the yacht brought a large fleet of boats from the shore here. Philip and "Bub" Lemore, accompanied by Fred Schroder in the first fish boat; Bill Kalms in the Apline boat; Walter smith with his motorboat, and two boats from the L N Murphy cottages were among the many at the scene. Call immediately, the Balleys Harbor coast guards arrived by car and put out in the Alpine sail boat.

The Lemeres soon after arriving found the body of Mrs. Johnson floating. She had evidently been killed in the explosion for she had only a small amount of water in her lungs and stayed on the surface. The body was later turned over to the yacht Christina, owned by Herman Falk, of Milwaukee, and taken to Sturgeon Bay where it was embalmed at the Hahn Undertaking parlor, and shipped to Chicago that night from Green Bay.

     The Canal coast guards also came to the rescue, but seeing that there was no hope of dragging the seven fathoms of water for the bodies of the captain and the steward, returned soon after arriving. The Margo carried Mr. Johnson and his daughter to Sturgeon Bay, following the Christina.

Pick Up Wreckage

     Although little wreckage remained from the explosion, Frank Drew from Green Island, picked up some frames and other wood which had blown out of the craft, and coast guards picked up one of the stairways made of solid mahogany.

     No systematic patrol has been made this week for the bodies of Capt. Banks and the steward, it seems, but all boats passing in the vicinity have been on the lookout. From five to nice days are required before a drowned body comes to the surface, depending on the temperature of the water, states Capt Moe, of the Baileys Harbor coast guards, and it is likely that the victims will not be recovered until today or tomorrow. Up to last night, no one had sighted them.

Buried in Detroit

     Funeral services for Mrs. Johnson were held in Detroit Wednesday from the home of her mother, Mrs. George Webber. Mr. Johnson and daughter had recovered from the shock sufficiently to make the trip to Detroit Monday, it was learned here.

      Surviving besides the husband and 9-year-old daughter, is another daughter, Mollie, age 3, who fortunately was left at home in care of a nurse.

     Considerable speculation is made as to the cause of the explosion of the Frances. Some believe it was due to faulty ventilation in the engine room, but that is improbable since both Mr. Johnson and Capt. Banks are experienced yachtsmen and would provide against such negligence. Others believe that the cause came from a backfire of the engine when the gasoline from one tank was consumed and an automatic attachment was switching the flow to another tank. The engine was reported to be missing when the Margo passed the Frances, probably due to lack of gasoline during the time the supply was being changed.

Tries to save Girl

     Several bits of heroism were learned from the accident. Capt Banks, it is said, jumped overboard with Frances and held her up for some time. According to the story, the captain finally went down, but came up blowing water from his mouth. He wend down again and failed to come up, while Frances continued to paddle around by herself.

     Mr. Johnson, first approached when the Margo had checked her speed shouted to his rescuers to save is wife and daughter. He could keep afloat until then, he said. Mr. Johnson had been last to leave the boat, taking chances of being killed in another explosion as he tried to get loose a lifeboat.