New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-09-12
THE DISASTER ON LAKE MICHIGAN
From The ChicGgo journal sh.

TIE DISASTER ON LAKE MICHIGAN
From The Chicago Journal sI.
Our reporters, who went up on the Milwaukee fOad
To Wpeita returned to the citg 10 the haip4st Ooe
train They traversed the beach for three or four miles
The lake IN every direction was filled WITH Fragments
of rbe wreck to which fifty sixty human 6elpg
were clpgipg when our reporters first arrived. Oly
few of these reached shore. TIE sdrf ran ieariuy
in shore and in almost every instance when the ra's
came wi bin few rUda of the shore the heavy re lers
would caIa them within sight and hang distance oil
those on tie shore. - ,
Edward Spencer, a student of the Carrot Biblical
Institute, especially prominent IN hs eitprts and
plUrg'd iuto the surf with rope tied round hs body
thus Teseuipg several from watery grave.
TIE saving Of David Evi son and wife of Milwaukee
GRATED the greatest excitement. The gallant fellow
was seen stance ont upon the top OF the wheel
house, holding bis wife by arm aud cllogng ~to
hs other 10 the fra ark. As he reached shore ie n
ful surf cspszed his rsft and its burden was out OF
sight for several seconds.
When they rose the wife was at some distance from
the raft. The gallant fell left it aud swan to his
wife seized b,r, ard agaO regaioed the wheslhous..
All op shore held their breath while they approac led
At one instant they appeared high in air, aud at The
Iext were buried out of sight beneath the terrible
spTges.
the beach when the man with bis wife in has arms
ipmIed off and commenced wading TO the land Tie
bad proqee led only short distance when he sa,& OK
haused, bat cauG by Spencer, mentioned a0o'e'
Tho who were saved speak ia the highest terns OF
the conduct OF CAPT John Wilson, com nander OF tbe
-ated boat. On beard he was al coolDess snd Draw
ery always ectng himself and caring Tor the safety
oftbe O hers lie WIS seeo early II is morning oOiy
few rods Fl ON shore standing upon ratt sc 70 1nu9i
by several other rafis enc ursgDg ard cheering them
and sdving Il EN- how to proceed. While IN the very
act of erconragDg Others, a heIvy roller struck hn
and washed hun off the raf in sight Of the survivors
and CT wds on shore.
TIE books of the boat end the Stewards desk, con-
tanning some money aod watches were saved aid are
in the possession OF G. Hubbard esq, owner OF tae
boat who together with he Coroner County thysi-
cisn az other city physicians, ard large numbhT OF
citizens are haud doing every hing to alleviate and
rescue The inmates of the MUSES. in the vicinity were
very kind aud provided all the neCes5arles Tor the re-
caveTy OF the exhausted ones v7ho were rescued.
When reporters LIFT there were no more persc ns
in sgh', hut the lake covered With debris OF the
wrck. The tug Mcqueen was outside. 1t ID not
known whether she has picked NJ any.
Mayor Wentw orth dispatched he-toats by the cars
! to tie &C. OF disaster.
The following statement Of passenger, Mr.. II. K.
Smith of Ontonagon, III, is given:
Il was asleep in the mate az the time Of the
| accideLt. The Waterman came in ana told the first
mate that vessel had into the steamer port SIDE
lust forw ard Of the wheehOuse, and stove q hole in
her. The mate and myself went directly on deck and
found Capt. Wilson there. The steamer had oa board
some $50 10 $50 head Of cattle. The capaia ordered
The cattle to be thrown overheard They were thrown
over by the crew.
"Tbe first and second mate went in the .ife-boat to
stop The leak. They found the hole lew that they
could net get at it. The steamer was listed over, but
| they could not get at the leak. -
The Captain ordered all the passengers to get life
prterveTs; think most of them did, he then ordered
D. cIew TO take and break oPsa toe ststs room
dOors so tlst none should re left in them think
nearly every Messenger got out athol Ugh pulled one
cut AZ Hoated by the state room.
"A short me after this The engine fell through the
bottom Of the vessel; should think ID mnCtes aser
tho kfhpCppr gtfusk her the hull do
me dis.ey leaving the hsrricane deck floating great
portion Of the passengers were On the hurricane deck
| Whsn the hVl went down. the most Of them Jumped
off very gOOr thinking tni would sln the hnrrlC4n3
deck soon seTarated into five pieces there were .
| the part on which was; the Captain WAS on ths;
there were some military from Milwaukee and six or
seven ladies' The other four pieces went oil with
EuuleT on each.
ave held up cabin doors for sas, and came do WI
smoothly 90 far ss WiuetBa. When within few rods
Of tie shore the raft pszsd; Of got back on
hr, amorg hem he Captain and myself Toe Captain
g.t one OF tie ladies' back on. A big Bsa came aud
wa5leO "a off TIE Cap ain was the Last mau on her.
heard him cheering the passengers; another sea c9ne
wbsi ed him of ard be drowned. OF tle % who were
Oh her only wee saved.
"Aiter the life boat launched, a yawl which
was aft, launched; two boats were launched from
ths hurricane deck. knew only two men tue raft,
| The Captain ana dr. Wad the Clerk of the National
Nine at Ontonag0n.
When it became light in the morning the fo1r RATS
were Ia sight, and great many floating pieces OF
wreck The CapGiG called TO each of thC RATE and in
| quired if tis Southern friends vera aboard. They
| al sweIed from each, that they were not.
| I'rLe friends referred to PROBABLY Col Z, A.
! LuUsden and family of New OreaEs AID Mr.. Garth
| and family Of Kentucky.
cite iieboat in which the two mates, came in
| below WiLeika One of the boats, from the hurricane
| deck started with twelve pas. engers eight of whom
were saved. The beat upset twice. lady and child
| who were ttis boat were washed away once, and
| pcked u. They were washed off hes9conGtime, and
drowned. Our Informant stated hat she never spoke
sitter leaving the steamer OF The eight saved this
boat belonged in Milwaukee and left before we
| could get their n-mes"