The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1855-10-02
THANKs- are indebted TO the A.
hombro and the City Belle for late papers.
DISASTROUS SHIPWRECKS.
Loss of the Propeller Forest City, and
SchOOmers Asia and Young America.

We have again to record Il very serious
marine disaster on Lake Michigan. The fine
propeller Forest City, Capt. Pheatt, with q
full cargo of merchandise for this port and
Chicago, came in collision on Friday morning
last with the schooner Asia, bound from Chi
cago to Buffalo, with a load of corn, and both
vessels sunk within 20 or 40 minutes, in wa
ter nearly hundred fathomS deep. From the
mate Of the Forest City, Thomas How and
who arrived here in the propeller Fintry, we
learn the following particulars. About 2 o.
clock Friday morning, the weather being
thick and rainy, with q seven knot breeze
blowing, the Forest City, then II miles west
of Grand Traverse Bay. and 20 miles north of
the Manitous. discovered a sail on her lar
board bow. The propelcr'S course was mme-
diatcly changed so as to clear this vessel, but
while coming up in her course again, a second
sail was seen SO close aboard, that though the
propciiers engines were stopped, collision
bee me unavoidable, and the two vessels came
t0gethe: with great force. The schooner,
which proved to be the Asia, of Cleveland,
was struck nearly amidships and sank in 20
minutes, her crew taking to their boats. The
prOpeller's stem was nearly torn off by the
collision, and the water came pouring in in an
Irresistible volume.
cut hole in the forcastle and ascertain the
extent of the damage. 1t was Immediately
seen to be fatal, and the mate so reported.
While thus lying, disabled and fast sinking AN
other vessel believed to be the schooner Med
bury, struck the Forest City on the starboard
side, doing some slight damage and carrying
away some of her own rail and rigging The
captain of the schooner Immediately sang out
Cd d-n you, you shall pay for that
What propeller is -" For all answer. the
mate went to the upper deck and toled the
propeller's bell; but the schooner took no no
tice of this signal of distress, and abandoned
the Forest City to her fate.
Meanwhile, Captain Pheatt, on ascertaining
the extent of the disaster, went to the cabin
and informed the passengers, about 20 in num-
Der, that his vessel was fast sinking, but if they
would remain quiet and obey his directions,
he would save them all. Not a cry, or MUIR
mer escaped the passengers, but all prepared
to follow implicitly the captains counsel
Preparations were Immediately made to clear
away and lower the boats, of which the pro-
pelier had three; two large yawls and a life
boat. The boat on the larbOarl side was
first got down, loaded with "a Storage passen.
gers and put in charge OF the whalesman and
two hands, making - in ALL The starboard
boat which was the largest next got into the
water, and the cabin passengers and the re-
malhder OF the Storage put into her, % in
ALL Lastly the lilebOat, the smallest of the
three, was lowered away, and then the Cap
tam, having seen to the safety OF every soul
entrusted to his care, got into her with the
clerk, engineers, officers and crew, II in all.
All this occupied about thirty minutes, the
propeller filling fast and settling visbly: vet
during the whole time, dark as was the night,
and distant the shore, and full of peril each
passing moment, every man of the crew, and
each man, woman, and child among the pas
sengers, animated by the gallant example of
the Captain and his officers, and confident of
their skill and resolution, remained quiet, Or
DERBY and accomplishing. At length, all be-
ing safely embarked, the Captain gave orders
to pull for shore, supposed to be twelve miles
distant; but i'll the course of an hour the light
OF vessel was made out, and the boats headed
for them. In a little while they met her, and
were taken on board of the schooner Hamlet,
bound from Chicago to Buffalo In this YES