Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-09-14
TERRIBLE DISASTER ON LAKE sIcsls,s
Loss Of Steamer Lady E,gim- Up,cord
Of 800 Lires Supposed to Be- Eost-4o

Persons only Foss,ad.
Chicago, Sept. e.-Steamer LADY Ell
gin was run into by a schooner off Wan.
kegan at $50 this morning, and sunk
in twenty minutes in three hundred fee,
of water.
There were from $50 to 400 passep-
gers on board, including several military
and fire companies, and Col Lumsden
Of the New Orleans Picasatus. and FAM;
ly, who are supposed to be lost. Only
seventeen are known to have been saved
The schooner was going at the rate Of
eleven miles an hour. A steam tug has
gone to the scene of the disaster.
The Clerk makes the following state
ment: The Lady Elgin left Chicago at
1870 P. NJ. for Lake Superior. Among
her passengers were the Union Guards
of Milwaukee, cOmposinga part of ESQ
excursionists from that city.
At half-past two this morning, schoon-
er Augusta, of Oswego, came in collision
with Lady Elgin when about ten miles
from shore. The vessel struck the
steamer at midships gangway on lar
board side. The two vessels separated
instantly and the Augusta drited by in
darkness.
AT the moment of the collision there
were music and dancing going on in the
forward cabin. In an instant after N.
crash all was still, and in half an hour
the steamer sunk. / passed through the
cabins; the ladies were pale. but silent
There was not cry or shriek-no sound
but the rush of steam and the surge oe
the heavy sea. Whether they were full
ly aware of the danger, or whether
their appalling situation rendered them
speeches., ] cannot tell.
/ A boat was lowered at once with the
design of going round upon the larboard
side to examine the leak. There were
two oars belonging to the boat, but Just
at that moment some person possessed
himself of one of them and we were
powerless to manage the boat.
The other boat had eight persons, but
only four of them reached the shore
alive, the others being drowned at the
beach.
Before left the steamer the engine
had ceased to work, the fires having been
) extinguished.
, The force and direction Of the wind
was such that the boats and fragments of
the wreck were driven up the lake and
would reach the shore in the vicinity of
WineIka.
; As stood upon the beach hopelessly
looking back upon the route over which
we had drifted, ] could see in the gray
of the morning objects floating upon the
: water, and sometimes l thought human
beings struggling with the waves.
i, Fl. G. CAYRL, Clerk Lady Elgin.
No accurate list or number of the per-
sons can be given, but the following is es-
timated to be nearly correct: Excur-
: sion party, 800; regular passengers, so;
e steamers crew, 35. OF these but 90
were saved.
Captain Malott, of the schooner Au-
gusta, states that when he first diccover-
ed the steamers lights, both red and
bright, he supposed her to be from a
: quarter to half mile distant, and steer
ing north-e asst. 1t was raining very
: hard at the time. We kept our vessel
on her course, east by south, until we
saw that collision was probable when
we put helm hard up; struck the steam.
er two or three minutes afterwards, just
abaft the paddle-box on the port side ;
steamer kept on her course with engine
in full motion; headed the Augusta
G around north, alongside the steamer, but
n they got separated in about a minute
a when the Augusta fell in the trough of
ID the sea, and all head gear, jibboom and
IS stanehions were carried away.
ii We took in sail and cleared away an.
" Choir, supposing the vessel would fill
tv After clearing away the wreck, got ~
=. the foresail and succeeded in getting
.ir before the wind, and stood for land. VIZ
a. lost sight Of the steamer in FIVE minutes
.. after the collision.
MIR. Reagan, the second mate Of th'
lit Lady Elgin, states that at 2 IL o'clocl
ey squall struck us in FIVE minutes NOR,
i'd saw lights of vessel one point off por
m. bow. | sang out Hard a-port," bu
or the vessel seemed to pay no attention
i'd and struck US just forward of the paddl
of box, on the larboard side, tearing off th'
e wheel. and cutting through the guard
co into the cabin and hull. We were steer