The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1860-09-13
Terrible Disaster
Loss OF THE STEAMSHIP
LADY ELGIN !
ABOUT 500 LIVES LOST. ~

ABOUT 500 LIVES LOST. II
Most of the readers of the TELEGRAPH
have doubtless heard through other
channels before this, the most important
particulars of the loss of the Lady Ell
gin, and the appalling destruction o
human life. Nevertheless we condenst
from the various statements which have
appeared, the material facts.
The Steamer Lady Elgin was char.
tered at Milwaukee by the "Union
Guards" ofthat city, for an excursion to
/ Chicago-the proceeds of the excursion
to be appropriated for the benefit of the
aforementioned company The Lady
Elgin left Milwaukee for Chicago on
the night of Thursday, having on board
the Union Guards, Capt. Barry, the
Black Yagers, and number of the
company known as the Green Yagers,
besides considerable representation
of the Firemen of the city, and other
citizens.
After having spent the day in Chica-
90 in the usual manner on such occa-
sions, in the evening the Lady Elgin
between 10 and IL o'clock started on
her return to Milwaukee, having on
board besides the excurtlonists, about
thirty passengers bound for Mackinaw
and other points, north. The whole
number on board is estimated at 400.
The evening of Friday set in with a
wind moderately high, though not
such as would have deferred the Elgin
from leaving, yet it is still likely she
would have lain by, but for the return
excursion party, who had made no cal
culations on remaining over. Soon af-
ter she left, however, and scarcely
could she have got outside, heavy
thunder storm came up, about mid
night, accompanied by an increase OF
wind, which grew to perfect gale.
AT half past 2 o'clock, the steamer
when off Winnetka sixteen miles north
of Chicago was run into by the schoon>
er, Augusta, loaded with lumber bound
for Chicago; the schooner striking the
Lady Elgin near the wheel house. and
causing her to sink in some twenty-five
minutes. Among the great number
of statements, which have been pub
lished from different individuals, who
were on board the steamer at the time
of the collision, we give the following
which will suffice.
STATEMENT OF LIEUT.. HARTsUFF.
Mr.. Hartsuff is Lieutenant in tho IT.
S. Army, and is stationed at Fort Mac
NAV.
81 was on board the steamer Lady
Elgin when she collided with the
schooner Augusta, asleep in my berth.
| Immediately jumped from my berth
and saw the schooner floating away.
Did not think any serious damage had
been done at first, but soon discovered
that the steamer was settleing. I i'm
mediately left my berth, which was in
the after cabin, and ran toward the
pilot house where | saw Capt Wilson
on the hurricane deck I asked him if
he thought there was any danger, and
he replied that he thought she would
float. He told D,e where there were
life preservers on the hurricane deck,
and | went and passed them down to
the passengers in the cabin till they
were about exhausted, when l took one
myself and waited on the hurricane
deck. While there, quite number
came on the deck, only few of whom
were females, but how many came up
| could not say, as it was very dark.
From a quarter to half an hour after
she was struck, she broke up, the hur-
ricane deck floating off, and the hulk
g0ing to the bottom, with tremendous
noise. AS she broke, l jumped with
my life preserver-a board six or
eight feet long and about one wide
into the water, which was at this time
only few feet below us, and pulled
with all my might to escape from the
mass of the wreck. After the confu-
sion had some what subsidized, l heard
the voice of Capt. Wilson cheering
and encouraging the people on the
wreck, telling them that the shore was
but few miles off, and that if they
kept calm and obeyed his direction
that they might all be saved. l heard
him Ill this manner for perhaps ten
minutes, and then | had separated SO
far from the hurricane deck on which
the Captain and large number were,
that l heard no more. All around me
were numbers of persons floating on
pieces OF the wreck, until it became
daylight. When it became so light
that | could see some distance, / dis.
covered large mass of the week a
little defiance to the windward of US,
covered with people. l then got on
quite large piece of wreck which was
floating near me, and which contained
no other person, and no person got on
it after did. The large mass to the
windward,o of which l have jast spoken,
now began to separate. | then left
the piece l was on and got en- large
piece Of the hurricane deck, on which
there were four other persons, don't
know who they were. On this frag>
ment l remained until we reached
within about quaeter of mile of the
shore, when our raft broke up up, and
two the four on it with me were
washed off and drowned. A moment
after the remainder of our party were
washediof by heavy sea, and one
more OF our little party drowned. My
remaining companion contrived to re-
gain the raft, and | again took to a life
preserver which | found ahoat. and ON