Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-09-13
THE TERRIBLE DISASTER ON THE
LADY ELGIN.

in NIilwaulie-MOre of the Saved and
Lost.
From Tuesdays Chicago Times and Her
aid we gain additional particulars of the
late horrible catastrophe on Lake Michigan.
The Times and Herald says:
The CONSERVATION produced among our
people by the intelligence of the appalling
calamity on the lake, has seemed to increase
instead Of subside. All day Sunday, the
beach, for miles this side of Winetka, was
lined with people searching for the bodies
of the lost. There were also some, we re-
gret to say, whose search along the shore
was for a different object. These were plum
derers-yillainous wretches who were in
quest of plumber. Whenever the waves
washed up any article of baggage from the
wreck, these robbers were ready to seize it,
not for the purpose of restoring it to the re-
lations of the deceased, but to carry il away
and conceal it. Nor did the rapacity of
these human cormorants stop with the plum
der of trunks and baggage. Even the bodies
of the dead were stripped of what valuables
might be found on them, provided there was
no honest person near to prevent the rob-
berry. In this way, a large quantity of
money and valuables were stolen on Sunday
by thieves in the neighborhood of Evans
town.
During Sunday, nearly thirty bodies were
ton and Lake View. They were brought to
the city and placed in the ante-room of the
old Marshals Office, under the Courthouse.
Twenty-Five or twenty-six human bodies
were here arrayed side by side, and so closely
was the apartment packed that the bodies of
infants had to be placed upon those of adults.
There were gray-headed men, matured wo-
men, youth and infancy some faces which
seemed only sleeping, so calm and white
were they; others swollen, distorted and
blackened; some dressed in rich garments,
others in a few rags and shreds-all that was
left in that terrible conflict for life. One
sweet little child, whose experience of life
embraced scarce half-a-dozen winters, had
smiled in dying and death had imprinted
the smile upon its beautiful face. Here fair
young girl cut off in the pride of youth and
hope there q strong man, upon whose locks
the hand of time had sprinkled its early
SHOWS. Youth and infancy, age and strong
armed manhood, slept side by side the sleep
of eternity. 1t was dreadful picture of the
Destroyer-such an one as no living eye can
behold without feeling the presence of Him
who holdeth in His hand the destinies of
us all.
Turning from the dead to the living and
the picture of this awful disaster was COM
plete in its most terrible aspect. In the in
closure without were hundreds of anxious,
excited men and women, all striving to get
a sight of the dead. AS they approached,
friends gazed at their distorted features,
striving to recognize the well-known coun-
'tenance of some one who was known to be
! among the lost. Parents sought for their
children, sisters for brothers, and brothers
/ for sisters. The anguish which followed the
recognition can not be described. We be-
held stalwart men bow down and sob like
children over the lifeless forms of their off
| spring, while gentler woman gave tears even
hp of M ha Of
death were as nothing to those who died,
compared with the anguish of the living
hearts that loved them.
SAD SCENES IN MILWAUKEE,.
The Milwaukee papers present heart
rending account of the scenes which tran
spired in that city upon the reception of the
terrible news. The Sentinel, of Sunday,
says:
| Yesterday morning the first premonition
| of the horrible news was whispered about
the streets. Cheeks were blanched, and
hearts were hushed at the tidings that the
steamer had gone down with all on board.
The rumor grew into a dread certainty as
the dispatches began to arrive. The dread
full intelligence spread like wildfire, and soon
the city was agitated by feelings of suspense
and apprehension. The newspaper offices
were besieged; the telegraph Office was
thronged; knots gathered on the corners,
and business for the moment stood still.
saved Out Of the 400 happy pleasure-seek-
ers who had left our city, only thirteen
were savedl Then the excitement rose and
broke through conventional bounds. Fathers
had sons; sisters had brothers, and mothers
had families aboard. There were Aldermen
and other city officials. Persons from all
portions of the city, and almost every
position. -H u. -ht.'' ~
The anxiety was dreadful. A crowd of
/. several hundred collected about the Sentinel
Office, and it required the presence of all the
clerks to pass out to the crowd the slips on
which was printed the meager intelli-
gence.
Still the extent of the calamity-its
awful magnitude-did not seem to be fully
thing appalling had transpired was felt, but
that so many of our citizens had been hur-
ried into eternity, was too hard to believe.
1t would be utterly impossible to convey
any idea to those who did not visit the Third
Ward, of the scene presented on Saturday
afternoon. II seemed as though sounds of
mourning proceeded from every third house.
Little crowds of women were congregated
along the walks, some giving free express
ion to their grief, and others offering con-
dolenee. Never before has our city been
stricken with such calamity.
The scene at the depot of the Milwaukee
| and Chicago Railway, at noon, battles de-
scription. Thousands had congregated there
TO await the arrival of the noon train; and as
it approached, the crowd, impatient to learn
some tldings Of friends, could not wait for the
locomotive to stop, but besieged the train.
Then it was that the heart rending tidings
were received by broken-hearted parents
and friends with demonstrations of grie
that could not be repressed.
All about the long depot were anxious
females, some with their heads bowed, anC
others too heavily striken to weep. W,
noticed one white-headed gentleman will
his hands clasped, in mute despair. On hi
arm was a pale-faced daughter, comforting
him in the midst of an agony that she her
self felt quite as deeply.
NO LIGHTS ON THE SCHOONER.
j. G. Herbert, of this city, who was alsl
saved, informs us that he heard the crasl
when the vessel collided, and ran upon deck
where he stood for some time, examining tn
extent of the damage done; that he had al
opportunity TO jump on boad the schooner
but hearing the cry that there was not mucl
damage done, thought his safest place was Il
remain where he was. He sdl0 no light Of
board of the schooner, and thinks there wer
none out at the time Of the accident.
STATEMENT OF Mr.. AND MRS. EvIsToN.
''We were in the gentleman's cabin at tn
time of the accident. The steamer, afte
she struck the vessel careened on one side
/ l...d 1aaL IN