Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-10-04

We gather some particulars from the Mil
waukee papers of yesterday, communicated by
Mr. Thomas Rowland, the mate of the Forest
City.
About two o'clock, Friday morning, says the
Sentinel, the weather being thick and rainy,
with n seven-knot breeze blowing, the Forest
City, then twelve miles west Of Grand Traverse
Bay, aud twenty five miles north of the Mani
tous, discovered a sail vessel on her larboard
bow. The propeller's course was Immediately
changed, So as to clear this vessel, but while
coming up into her course again, 4 second sail
was seen so close aboard, that though the pro-
peller's engines were stopped and backed. a
collision became unavoidable. and the two YES
-sels struck with great force. The schooner.
which proved 10 be the Asia, of Cleveland. was
struck nearly amidships, and sank in twenty
minutes, her crew taking to their boats The
pFOpellers stem was nearly torn Oft by the col
lision. and the water commenced pouring in in
a irresistible volume
Capt. Pheatt gave orders TO cut hole in the
forecastle to ascertain the extent of the dam
age, which was found TO be fatal. While thus
lying, disabled and fast sinking second YES
sci, believed to be the schooner Melbury, struck
the Forest City the starboard side, doing
some slight damage, and carrying away some
of her own rail and rigging. The Captain of
the schooner. with an oath, demanded the name
OF the propeller, when the bell was tolled rs
signal OF distress, but the schooner passed on
and abandoned the propeller to her fate
Captain Pheatt then went into the cabin and
informed the passengers that the vessel was
sinking, but he would save them if they would
act according to his directions All wore calm
and at once the two yawls and a life. boat were
lowered. The boat on the larboard side was
first got down, loaded with twentv-four Of the
steerage passengers, and put in charge of the
wheelsman and two hands, making twenty.
seven IN all. The starboard boat. which was
the largest, was next got into the water. and
the cabin passengers and remainder of the steer.
age put IN her. twenty-nne in all Lastly the
liie-boat' the smallest of the three, lowered
away, and then the captain, having seen 10
the safety Of every soul entrusted TO his care
got into her with the clerk, engineers. officers
and crew, seventeen in all.
All being safely embarked, the Captain gave
orders to pull for shore, supposed to be twelve
miles distant; but in the course of an hour the
lights OF vessel were made out and the boats
headed Tor them: In little while thew met
her, and were taken on board the schooner Ham
let bound from Chicago To Buffalo. In this
vessel The passengers. and crew proceeded 10
Mackinaw. From Mackinaw the passengers
and first mate We're brought tn Milwaukic nv
the Propeller Fintry, while the Caplain and
crew returned to Buffalo The Captain and
crew OF the Asia We're also picked up by thu
Hamlet.
The cargo of the propeller was n very valua.
BILE one, about l2j tons for Milwaukee, and $50
tons for Chicago. OF course both vessels and
cargo are total loss. having gone down where
the water is five or six hundred feet deem
The Asia sunk in about twenty minutes after
the collision, and the Forest City in about an
hour.
The Forest City was first class propeller,
worth sos 900 or $50 600. She was owned by
Messrs. Hoffman d Stevens, New York, and N.
b. Medberry, Of Milwaukee, fivee gths; Morgan
4 Root, of Buffalo, two-eighths and Captain
Pheatt, one-cighth There was about $4,000
Of insurance on the hull; $4,000 in the Mer-
chants Mutual, of Milwaukee, and the same
amount in Buffalo Company.-St. Louis Re.
publican.