The gazette and Democrat. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1860, 1860-09-20
Loss Ofthc Lady EIgIn---PartIcu.
mrs

disaster from the Chicago Tribune of the
10th. The collision took place on tn 9
night Of the 7th, of Winetka. the schoon.
er Augusta, which had run into the Lady
Elgin. bringing the first accounts TO Chi.
cago on the morning Of the 9Th. 1t is al
ready known that the Elgin was heavily
laden with passengers, returning from a
pleasure excursion.
STATEMENT OF CAPT. MALoTr.
D. NJ. Malott, master Of the schooner
Augusta, gives the following version of
the catastrophe in his protest made Satur.
day morning:
The Augusta totk on a cargo Of lumber
about three miles below Port Huron in
the st. Clair river, and sailed thence a.
bout four o'clock P. NJ, of the fret Of
September. That nothing material occur.
red during the voyage until the evening Of
the 7th Of September, the vessel then be.
ing of Milwaukee, about u o'clock, with
wind about N. E., strong breeze, the
vessel heading s. by f.. with all sail set
At 2 O'Clock A. NJ. Of the 9Th, was off
Waukegan, wind in the same direction,
and fresh. about or s miles of shore
weather cloudy, moon up, not very dark;
our lights all right and in order; vessel on
same course. At about 8 o'clock took a
heavy squall from the north, and vessel
broached to. Lowered away fore and
mainsail about half way, took in jibs, and
were running under these sales, when we
discovered steamers lights, both red g.
bright, supposed to be from quarter to
half mile distant, and steering between
north and northeast. Raining very hard.
We kept our vessel on her course, L. by
s., until we saw collision was probable,
when we put helm hard up. Struck the
steamer in about Two or three minutes,
Just abaft the paddle box on her port side.
The steamer kept on her course; engine in
tull motion, headiog around north along
side the steamer. Got separated from the
steamer in about minute, when the Au-
gusta fell of into the troughs of the sea.
All our head gear, jib boom, staunches.
ect.. were carried away. Took III all sail.
and cleared away an anchor, supposing
the vessel would fill. Lost sight of the
steamer within five minutes alter the col.
lision. After clearing up the wreck, 20,
up forestaysail, (fnting the vessel was
not leakiug) and made efforts to get the
vessel before the wind and save the masts.
as all the headstays were gone, except one
but was obliged to hoist part of
the foresail, when we succeeded in getting
before .he wind and stood in for the land
When within about three miles, stood
down along the shore and arrived off CHI.
cago harbor about y O'Clock A. NJ, Sep.
tember Q.
INCIDENTS.
The following is from the statement Of
M. E. Smith Of Ontonagon, one of the
Elgn passengers. Just at the momep,
when the boat went down, sea struck her
upper works. and they parted from The
hull and floated off in several pieces. This
was a trying moment. The shock and the
force Of the waves swept off several of our
number; but the night was dark, and as all
lights were soon gone, We could not see
who was yet safe, and who was gone. |
found myself on piece of the wreck, per.
haps l6x3O-a portion of The upper derk
the boards and ribs, or carins TO which
they were nailed. In company with me
were from 25 to 90 persons, and we had
nothing to do but suffer ourselves to be
hoaed toward shore. Among the pieces
of wreck We found few cabin doors -
These we secured, aud setting them and
our pieces of plank upon end, broadside
to the wind, made them serve as sails
Soon after setting out on our perilous
journey, we discovered another piece Of
The deck, more deeply loaded than ours
Capt. Wilson was on it, with two or thre,
others, he camo 10 our float. and contiuu,
ed with us, keeping us in heart by hi:
words of good cheer. After daylight, he
busted himsslflu providing for the gener.
al safety. by fastening loops to the carlin.
by which we might hang on when W,
came to the surf. There were with u,
four or five women. One of these had 9
child about six months old, for the safet,
of which tie Captain was exceedingly so
liicitous. He held 1t when not otherwis,
employed. He had given itup but mo
ment, to attend to some matter, when
wave swept it out Of the arms of him I,
whom he handed it, and it was gone.-
This child aud man and woman wer
all we lost We spent the night in com
parative comfort. The storm Was severe
but We did not suffer greatly from the cold
The water was warm.
A Mr.. Carter of Winstka relates:
All that were saved at and near Wine
tka went to their homes or places Of des
lination last evening, excepting this MI
and Mrs. Eviston. No one who did no
witness the coming in and the landing q
this couple can conceive OF the excite
nietit on shore in view OF it. They ha
been watched by many eyes FOR half a
hour. At first we thought this man wa
carrying iii his arms little child; then W
saw as he came nearer it was not YER
small person; then from the helplessnes
of the lady we thought the man was hold
ing in his grasp the liteless body of
friend. Near the shore she slipped fror
his hold and fell off the raft. He plunge
after her, and mounted to lis post on tn
raft IA part of the wheelhouse) againl-
AS they neared the shore, a brave an
generous fellow rushed out into the waite
and reached out his hand. which Evisto
grasped, and when those two hands ioir