The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-12-13
Omcr-LiGc IOSt-PcrilOuS Situa-
tiOn of the Crew.


Omcr-Li(e IOSt-PcrilOus Situa-
ton of the Crew.
At one o'clock this morning, in attempt
ing to enter Cleveland harbor, in driving
snow storm, the schooner Omer, from Os-
wego, laden with salt, missed the channel,
and went hard upon the stone, and between
the half-broken piles of the West Pier.
The persons on board were ALPHEUs
KE1cH, of French Creek, Captain; his BROTH
ers MILTON and JAMES KEIcH; JAMES BURR;
HENRY LANDoN; and JAMES MoCARTY, of
Oswego, cook.
At eight O'Clock very heavy sea was set
ting in, the crew were gathered upon the
forecaste and an attempt was made from
the end of the new west pier, some 400
feet from the vessel to send out the Gov
ernmcnt life-boat, but it was stove upon the
stone and piles, as was the li(e-boat Of the
propeller California. The sea increased
in force, drenching the crew as it swept o.
yer the schooner; and at / l o'clock, line
having been secured from the head Of the
foremast to the West pier, JAMES BURR at
tempted upon it, to reach the shore.
Hand over hand, he proceeded a short
portion of the distance, when, benumbed
and weak, he was unable to go on, and at
length fell some forty feet, into the water.
For five minutes he clung to pile, and
then, washed off by the sea, struck out for
the East Pier, but was drowned.
Soon after, another line having been se-
curad from the head of the foremast to the
pier, MILTON KEIcH fastened sling to it,
and attempted passage. Arriving at a
spot where the rope had been spliced, he
was unable te pass it, and hung suspended
and powerless.
For fifteen minutes the crowd upon the
East pier stood mute and anxious, almost
sure that no power could save the doomed
Sailor. At length his brother, the Captain,
climbed to the mast head and cut the line,
thus severing what seemed for those on
board, the only hope of safety. MILTON
dropped with the line, into the water, and
was drawn in safety upon the pier.
At two o'clock this afternoon, efforts
were being made to save those who remain
ed on board, and the Cleveland Light artil-
lery were preparing to fire line over the
vessel, and thus secure a communication
with the shore.
At daylight tina schooner Pearl went
ashore west of the pier. She is safe and
will be got off with little damage.
At noon the schooner Monsoon and the
brig Roscius came in handsomely amid the
hearty and heartfelt cheers OF hundreds OF
anxious watchers.
At two o'clock the brig Alvan Hunt Of De-
troit, and the schooner Champlain of De-
troit came into port handsomely.
The men upon the Omer were seemingly
in good condition, although every sea was
making a clean breach over the vessel
They were wrapped in thick clothing ant
oil-cloth coats. The east pier was crowd
: ed by thousands of people.
The propeller Paugasset is firing up ant
D will 60 alongside the Omer, to take off tn,
S crew. We are now confident of their safe
! ty.
e STILL LATER-39 Pm.
: The Paugasset has been to the vessel, bu
Y failed TO get the crew off. One of then
a attempting to get on board was drowned
d The Propeller will make another attemp
!, to rescue the crew.
= LATEST.
At four o'clock the Paugassa made sec
e ond attempt to reach the wreck, succeeded
/. and,took the crew, four men, and the ma
y :, who had sprung from the propeller to th
o wreck. The feat was greeted by cheers o
,r thousands assembled upon the east pier.
r, Two men were lost from the wreck an
II one from the pier, the latter being struck b
~ a rope and thrown into the river where
IS was drowned Erchange.
j. -
n Governor A. H. Reeder, of Kansas terrific
'u ry, it seems, has put off the election of
" Territorial Legislature until next spring
~ measure which has drawn upon him the ho
lis Utility Of the Missouri slave-extentionist
al The latter may squirm, but they al
e, e, bound to be defeatet. Kansas will come
~ y. as a free State. III .,s