The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-10-18
From the Chicago Press.
HerOisnn Of q Mother.

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Thrilling account of an Aaempt to SAGE Eight
Children from Dro,naing at the Burning of
the Niagara.
The greatest heroism displayed on the oc-
casion, of which we have any knowledge,
was shown by mother in her efforts to
est of whom was only fourteen and the
youngest one year old. She was picked up
by the Traveller insensible and nearly per-
ished, but was restored by great exertions,
and brought to this city. She did not know
last evening whether or not any of her chill
dren were saved, but heard that three were
taken ashore in the only boat that pulled off
from the burning steamer.
The names of these afflicted parents are
MIR. and Mrs. Hamilton Chalmers, of Glou-
cester, New Brunswick. They had, by great
industry and economy, laid up few hum
dred dollars and were moving to Minnesota
to buy small farm, and lost every thing
they had in the worl on the boat, but a few
shillngs in their pockets. T, But they say
they care nothing for that; if they had their
children they could begin life again at the
bottom of the ladder with good heart.
Mrs. Chalmers says that when the fire
broke out she was outside the Storage cabin
on the main deck with her husband and
children. She saw the stern boat lowered,
and observing in it woman whom she
knew, she thought if the boat reached the
shore, and she herself did not, that woman
would be like mother to her children, so
she commenced throwing her smaller chill
dren into it, intending to keep her baby by
her, because she could the easier support it
than the others. She had thrown two into
the boat when it showed off. She had one
in her hands to throw, but it was too late to
throw SO large one to the boat, according
ly she seized the baby, supposing she had
strength to throw it to the retreating boat.
She had not, however: the baby fell into
the water a foot from the boat she screamed
to the woman in the boat to save it, and had
the satisfaction of seeing her reach ut,grasp
it, and draw it into the boat.
She then directed her efforts to the five
children about her. She pushed the oldest
boy of twelve years into the water, with
} directions to swim after the small boat and
cling to it if they would not take him in.
She thinks he did actually reach it, but cam
not be certain. She then put her oldest
child, a girl of fourteen, into the water, in
hopes she could cling to something. he
has heard since arriving here that girl of
that age was rescued, and thinks may be it
was this one. She then had three small
children remaining Her husband got into
the water am she passed them down to him,
and he placed Item on one of the capsiZed
boats floating near She then got down by
rope. On reaching the water she found
the waves had washed two of the children
off the small boat. She managed to catch
them both with one arm and hold them up,
still clinging to the rope with the other
hand, and maintaining her hold in the midst
of all the desperate struggles around ier
At last the rope burned off above, and she
sank down, down, down, with others who
had been clinging to the same rope. When
she came up again, she had lost one child.
She managed to throw her discngaged arm
over stick and hang on to it with the child
in the other.
She then looked for the child she had lost,
but although many heads ware around her
and although many heads were around her
and some of them children's heads, they
were so begrimmed with the oil and ashes
and SCOT on the surface of the water, that
she could not distinguish their features, and
they sunk one after another without her be-
ing able to recognize her own. She then d.
rected all her efforts tn save the one in her
arms, and she feels confident that she could
have done so, but some man, she thinks he
was an old man, pulled her arm off from the
stisk which supported her. She regained
her hold, and her hand was again pulled of
and herself pushed away by the man. Then
she sunk down, down, down again. She
struggled to rise, and finally did rise, but
the last child was gone, though she thought
until she reached the surface and saw to the
contrary that she had it still in her arms.
She was then alone on the water without
support. She had floated some distance
away from the steamer, but she saw her hus-
band upon the capsized boat, holding one of
the children. That sight inspired her with
fresh courage. Alas she knew not at that
moment that the little one he held in his
arms was already Gfeless, but it was even so.
At that instant plank struck her breast she
threw her arms around it and tried to reach
her husband, but could not propel herself il
the water. She felt her strength now rap
: idly failing. She was entirely alone she
saw the schooner and the TIaveler but saw
also that they were far, far away she knew
she could not hold on to her buoy until they
came ur, but she remembered having heard
that persons in drowning always shut their
eeth firm. She therefore seized her dress
at the bottom in front, brought it up around
the plank and put it between her teeth, so
that it held the plank fast across her breast
She found it would support her thus and set
tied calmly back to await the result. She
remembered nothing more. She was picked
up by the Traveller, and when she was re-
stored to consciousness, had the happiness
of finding her husband at her side. But her
children, where were they2
The presence of mind and heroism this
poor mother displayed under the circum-
stances are indeed remarkable. She related
the circumstances to us yesterday without
any apparent conviction that she had done
more than others, but with the evident wish
that she could have done yet more for her
children. She did not weep; hers was be-
yond the grief that finds relief in tears, but
when the rescued of her little flock are
J clasped in her arms this morning her eyes
will burst or her heart will break.
AN OUTRACE.-Yesterday afternoon, at
the Second Ward, Mr.. c. P.V. Lull, was
assaulted and dragged from the polls, by a
gang of loafers, because he challenged few
whom he suspected to be illegal voters. This
dastardly act was suffered to pass, by the
Judges, without any effort or word on their
part to prevent it. We noticed one of the
Democratic candidates for the House looking