The Starlight was rebuilt the previous winter in Menominee by Hemming Larson (she was originally built in 1897 in South Haven). "She had been engaged in trading between the east and west shore this fall and to Frankfert during the summer."
"The Starlight left Sister Bay with a load of potatoes, grain, hay and apples destinated for Marinette. About 10 miles from her destination, she had just passed the point of Chamber's Island when a fire broke out in the hay cargo. Captain Sam Christianson and his crew of two men turned the ship around and headed toward Chamber's Island. The blaze was fanned by a stiff northwest wind which finally drove the trio off the freighter into a small yawl when the ship was still 2 miles off the island. As the ship burned and sank, the men rowed for shore. Unfortunately, the yawl capsized in the surf several hundred yards offshore forcing the sailors to swim for the beach. Totally exhausted and half-frozen, they managed to hike the 4 miles to safety at the Chamber's Island lighthouse."