The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1860-09-13

| passed many of the other rats. L saw
one woman alone floating on dining
table, and short time after l discover
ed her, the table capsized and she dis
appeared under water for several sec
onds, but finally reappeared on the
surface clinging to the table and ev'
entually, by great exertions she regain
ed her seat upon theaztable. When
last saw her she was near the shore
and as / heard of a woman being saved
shortly after / was taken to house
near by, presume she must have beer
the one. By my instructions, our par
| ty most of the time turned our faces
A, from the shore, and thus faced the
waves, and in this way were enabled to
watch the breakers as they came to
wards US and be prepared for them
In this way we were several times
saved from being washed off, while
almost every Que near us were carried
from their frail barks and persisted.
Under one piece of the wreck which
was floating near us were four dead
cattle fastened to it. On this were
two or three persons. The buoyancy
of the dead bodies of the cattle kept
this peace of the wreck almost entirely
out of water, and when last seen. this
peculiar life boat was very near the
shore, and the persons on it were doubt.
less saved. .5-1..# araaea
When Ipassed through the cabin on
my way to the pilot house, Immediately
after the collision, there was much con
fusion there. Many of the passengers,
owing to the scarcity of births, were
asleep on the floor, and when the col
lision took place, the vessel listed so
much that all rolled in pile on one
side of the cabin. This caused much
confusion, and when persons from
above commenced passing down life
preservers, and those below commend
ed pulling down the doors and other
floating material; the anxiety to OBJ
tain these preservers was great indeed.
About daylight Isaw one boat badly
stove, bottom up, six or seven men
clinging to it. Whether or not they
were saved l cannot say.
When / reached the shore, every at
tention which heartfelt sympathy can
suggest, was paid to me and the other
survivors. One gentleman pulled of
his coat and gave it to me, and another
his boots. Mr.. Pierce, of the Adams
House, Chicago, was one Of the first to
reach the scene of disaster, and his eff.
forts for the comfort and safety of all
were unceasing.
During the time l was on the wreck,
I contrived to keep Emyself warm by
thrashing my arms, catching pieces Of
wreck, &C., and in this manner / saved
myself from suffering from the cold
which proved so fatal to many.
STATEMENT OF FREss RICE, THE STEW
ARD.
Mr.. Rice says the passengers were
dancing at the time, land the lamps were
tr mined at their request. Between
two and half past two the schooner
struck the Elgie on the larboard side
about midships. running her bowsprit
through the companion way and throuE
the deck into the cabin. The hull Of
the boat was crushed in below the
water line, letting the sea flow directly
into the hole, the bilge injection was
started, but the water speedily exiting
uished the fires. In twenty minutes at
ter the collision, the engine stopped
Captain Wilson called to one of the
engineers to start the engine. His re
lply was that there was no steam.
Everything that could be was done
to stop the hole. Mattresses were put
into it, and planks were spiked over
but without avail.-The Captain ther
ordered the boats to be got ready, anC
directed five or six men to take the
large boat round to the hole, ann SIDE i
the hole could not be stopped from the
outside.
Twelve men first jumped into the
boat. Mr.. Rice, by order of the Cap
tain, next jumped in, placed himself al
the stern, and with the oar used every
exertion to get round to the hole. The
passengers crowded the guard ready
to leap in, and the steward, to prevent
them from sinking the boat showed i
off as far as possible. As the b)a
swung round the stern of the steamer
sea struck it and carried it long
distance off. There was but one light
oar in the boat, and with this it was
found impossible to get it back. the
steward then called for oars, believing
that he would be able to save five or
six more if he could get back to the
steamer. One oar was thrown, but
those in the boat could not get it.
They then put the boat before the
wind, the sea making clean breach
over her every minute. With great
exertions, however, they succeeded in
reaching the shore at the foot of a per-
pendicular clay bank. One of the men
succeeded in climbing up the bank,
and let down rope by which the 9TH
ers were drawn up. They proceeded
to the house of Mr.. Gage, who with
his family did everything in his power
to relieve the sufferers.
The lights of the steamer were very
distinctly seen by those in the stewards
boat until they were at least mile dis
tant, when they suddenly disappeared.
The steamer went down about twelve
miles from land.
Mr.. Rice describes the scene on
board the steamer as one of the widest
excitement and terror. Passengers
ran hither and thither with alarm.
Women screamed and chung to their
husbands or companions in frantic ter.
ror. For a considerable time after the
boat left the wreck, the terrific shricks
of the passengers were heard above
the howlin G tempest.
STATEMENT OF NJ. E. SMITH, OF oNToNAGoN.
| was asleep in the mates room when
the collision took place but awakened
by the loud crash, and went on deck as
soon as possible. The vessel with
which we had collided had got clear of
us and Capt. Wilson was giving orders
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