The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1860-09-20
APPALLING DISASTER ON LAKE
MICHIGAN!

- hsRN ON LA IL ~
MICHIGAN!
coRoNER's INvEsTIG ATtoN OF THE DISASTER,
Chicago, Sept. l2.-The Coroner's Jury
yesterday commenced the investigation of the
wreck of the Lady EIgin.
John JerviS of Milwaukee Just before the
Schooner struck, was standing at the mid
die grngway; saw the schooner about ten
minutes before the collision. She appeared
to be coming toward us at about an angle of
forty-fve degrees. About half a minute be.
fore she struck, left the gangway. Capt.
Wilson was at the after gAngway, and asked
some one on the schooner if they wanted to
come aboard. The reply was that they did
rot. Think they were injured and stay
where they were. The schooner was now
dropping aft. saw a lighton the schooner
before lhe collision, but none afterward
went down into the coal-bunkei. S,w wa
ter coming in very fast. then went over
TO the break.-The stewarts were there try
ing to stop the leak with mattresses. The
vessel had before been listed up The Cap
tain stood at the edge of the ocuttle ordering
the men TO fire up as fast as possible.
| Then went ait. The Captain went at The
same time and gave orders that every thing
loose be thrown overheard. The Captain
when next saw him WAS coming from the
bow. | then went below to see how LONG
we could keep anoat. When | got to the
engine room the egineS had Just stopped
went back TO the cabin, the hold being then
half full of water The Captain and my self
then got from 90 to 2o ladies upon the hurii-
cane deck. The boat went down twenty
minutes afterwards. There were between
90 and 30 children in the forward par, of the
hurricane roof. 1t was very dark and rnu-
ing at the time The bell commenced rinr-
ing almost at once after the collision and the
whistle commenced blowing at tho same
time.
Thomas Cummings on Lady Elgn testified
that the schooner did not strike the steamer
quartering, but at right angles ran square in
to her. The steamer was moving and turned
the schooner round. Think we were about
ten miles from shore. Saw vessels Ii tht
after we left the steamer. Think we could
see light on vessel three miles of Did
not see the schooner after she got clear Of US
Saw that all the steamers head lights were
up. Schooner was running about due East
when she struck u.s. There is a rule that
boats going TO Milwaukee should pass vessels
on larboard side. think q v, ssel under
that wind and headway could have pvoded
the steamer if within 90 rods of her by great
exertion. Even if the vessel were but three
times its length from the steamer, she could
h ave avoided doing serious damage by put
ting her helm hard up. Had the schooner
seen the steamer half a mile of she could
not have struck her except by gross negli-
gence. 1t seems to me tuat the helm Of the
vessel must have been put down instead of up,
aud that was the cause Of the disaster. The
schooner could have laid TO within n mile of
as after the collision with perfect safety. ItI
was not very dark although raining heavily
John Vorce, fist mate OF Augusta.-Says
at the time Of the collision, he was Captains
watch. Second mate was on deck when the
squall came up and called the Captain who
got on deck as squall struck us. About one
third fOresail and one-fourth mainsail were
up when we stuck the steamer. When
saw the steamers light, heard the Captain
sing out "Hard up" The steamer was then
crossing our bow. The schooner showed a
white light from 8 to 12 o'clock, DON'T
know whether she did at the tima of the col
lesion or not. Heard helmsman answer the
order "Hsrd up" but did not notice any
change in the vessels course. The Augusta
steers wild, that is, will not answer the helm
readily. 1t was not two minutes at the out
side after the order that the vessel struck
We heard no noise whatever from the steam
or after the collision.
George Bulge, second mate, ssys-It was
the Captains watch. | was on deck. The |
vessels course was south.by-ea under full
sail, except the main gsff top-sai. We
showed white light. First saw the steam
er's light about ten minutes before | called |
the captain, about one point on he weather
bow. 1t was about twenty minutes before
The collision when | called the Captain |
Called him because it looked equally. When
he came up showed him tue light, Heron
forward, looked at it, aad made no remslk
to me about it, From three to five minutes
before we struck the steamer, he ordered the |
helm hard up. The order was obeyed, but
.he vessel did not mind her helm. Did not
hear any noise on the steamer after the col
lesion The wind was boang so we could
not hear our orders from one end Of the YES
sci TO the other.
One of the schooner's crew, who was eta
Toned forward as q lockout, Gwore be did nol
sec the steamers lights until just as tue Cap
Tain ordered The helm herd up.
u p to this morning forty bodies have been
r. covered, IN, st OF whom reside in MlWau-
kee.
Prince Alfred, the serold son of Qaeen
Victoria recently paid visit 10 Brazil--but