The gazette and Democrat. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1860, 1860-09-13
APPALLING DIsAsTER ON LAKE
MICHIGAN!
SINKING OF THE STEAMER LADY
ELGlN.
Nearly Three Hundred Lives LO.t,
HEART BENDING ANGUISH or RELATIVES
AND FRIkNDs
statements OF fNnryIvoy.

Statements OF Survivors
CHICAGO, Sept. 8.-The siean,er LADY
Elgip, Of the Lake Superior line. which
left here last night WAS Iun into by the
SCHOONER Augusta. oil Waukegan. al half
past two o'clock this morning, striking
her absft tho. wheel The steamer sunk
in twenty minutes aftcrwarl in three hun.
dred feet water. Only seventeen pcr.
sons are known TO be saved, including
the clerk. steward and porter.
There we're between lbree huidred and
fifty and four hundred persons on board
among whom we're the Black Yagers and
Rifles, and several fire companies from
Milwaukee, who were On a visit to this
city.
Colonel Lnmsden. o. The New Orleans
Picayune, and Iamily, also on board, and
supposed 10 be lost.
At the time of the accident the schoon
er was sailing at the late Of eleven miles
per hour.
The steam tug Mcqueen left here this
morning Tor the scene Of disaster. and
further particulars are expecte on her
return.
The books and papers were all lost. Al
Ter the coll son the steamer noated south
to Wincteka, where she sunk.
II. G. Caryl. the Cea,k, makes the fol.
lowing statement: The Lady Elgin left
the port of Chicago at half past eleven
o'clock for Lake Superior. Among the
Passengers we're the Union Guards, Of
milwaukee, composing part of some two
hundred and fifty exoursionists from that
city. About hall past two this morning
the schooner Augusta. from 0swego, came
in collision with the Lady Elgn when
about ten miles from shore. The vessel
struck the steamer At The rnidshipa gang
way on the larboard side the two sepa.
rated Instantly and the Augusta dropped
by in the darkness. AT the moment OF the
collision there was music and dancing in
ths forward cabin. In an instant after
the crash all WAS still. and in ha.f an
hour the steamer sunk. passed through
the cabin; the ladies were pale but silent.
There was not cry norashriek; no sound
but rush Of steam and surge of heavy
seas whether they were not fully aware
Of the danger, or whether their appalling
situation made them speechless, | cannot
tell The boat was lowered at Vrce with
the design Of going round upon the lar
board side 10 examine the leak. There
were two oars. but just at that moment
some person possessed himself Of one Of
them. and we were left poweress to man.
age the boat. We succeed once in req-
cling the wheel. but were driited away
and thrown upon the beach at Winetcka.
Only two boats left the steamer, one of
them containing thirteen persons, all of
whom were saved; the other bore eight
but four reached the shore alive, the 9th.
ers being drowned at the beach. Before
| left the steamer the engine had ceased
to work, the fires having been exlin-
guished. and within III rty minutes the
Lady Elgin disappeared. The force and
direction Of the wind was such that boats
and fragments of tie wreck we're driven
up the lake, and wonld reach the shore
in the vicinity Of Whiueteka.
AS | stood upon the beach, helpessly
looking back along The route We had
drifted. | could see in the gray of the
morning objects floating upon the water
and sometimes thought human beings
struggling with the waves TSigned.
II. G. CARYL.
Capt Malott Of the schooner Augusta,
in his statement, when hp discovered the
steamers lights. both red and bright, he
supposed it to be from a quarter to half
a mile distant, and steering b4twten north
and northeast. II was raining very
hard at the time. "We kept our vessel on
her course. east by south, until we saw a
collision probable, when we put helm
hard up. and struck the steamer Two or
three minutes afterwards, just abaIt the
paddle box on the port side. The steam
er kept on her course, the engine being
in full motionj and heading the Augusta
around to the north side of the Gamer,
we got separated in about a minute, when
the Augusta fell into trough in the sea
all the head gear jib bonn and stauch-
es were carried away. We took in sal
and cleared away the anchor supposing
the vessel would Gil. After clearing up
tie wreck we got up the foresail. We
succeeded in getting before the wind and
stood for land. We lost sight of the
steamer five minut-s after the collision"
-Bemman, the second mate, states
"that at half.past two squall struck us.
In five minutes more saw the lights of a
vessel one point off port bow. l sang
out "hsrd a port" Tie vessel seemed TO
pay no attention. and struck us lust for
ward # the paddle box. on, the larboard
side, tearing off the wheel, cutting
through the guards into the cabin and
hull. We were steering northwest by
west, doing to the wipdward; our course
wind at that time northwest. After stri
king us the vessel hung for a moment,
then got clear. l went below 10 see what
damage was done; wheI | got back the
vessel was gone. ,.. ,.r. ...r.
When the intelligence Of The less Of the
steamer, with the excursion party, reach
ed Milwaukee yesterday, it spread like
wildhre through the city. The telegraph
Office was thronged all day with the rea,
tives aud friends of those on board, many
Of whom when presented with dispatch
es We're in tears, and the most intense
anxiety and excitement manifested in the
countenances of fall. ,,.