The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1860-09-22
APPALLING DISASTER ON LAKE MICHIGAN.

CmcAco, Sept, S,-Thc iavoritc passen-
ger steamer Lady Elgin, OF the Lake SUI
pcrior line, came in collision, this morn.
ing, about thirty miles from this city,
with the schooner Augusta, and sunk in
twenty minutes. She had on board at
the time between three hundred aud City
and hm hundred passengers, all but
seventeen If whom are believed 10 be lost
The Lady Elgin left this port last even
ing, and the collision took place at half
past 2 o'clock.
Among those on board were Col. I. \.
Lsmsden, Of the New Orleans Picayune,
and family two military companies, Of
Chicago, the Black Yagcrs and the Rifles ;
and several fire companies from Mllwau-
kic.
4 fuller account states, that the Lady
Elg'n was on pieas ure excursion from
Milwaukee to Chicago, with 800 passcn-
gers passed a day there, aud started on
her regular tripfor Lake superior taking
about 30 more passengers
The collision took place at night, IN a
hcayy gale and the sea very high, the
steamer being cut in two nearly midships
about twelve miles off Wnctka, & miles
north OF Chicago The total number of
persons ON board was 49,, of whom 9S are
+ known t. be saved
Capt Wilson, Of the Elgin, dill all IN
his power to head the boat TO tic land
and t. rouse the slecpcrs and prepare
. them for their only chance of escape by
giving TO all hc could speak to a plank
/ life prcscrver of which there were plenty
Most Of the passengers were cool and
collected
la fifteen minutes, the boat began to
reel and settle a few loud screams were
beard aud some passengers jumped over
board
Just as the boat was going down, a
sea strich her upper works and thcy
partcd from the hull and iloatcd on iu
several pieces.
On one of these about - persons pass
cd the night at daylight they were
joined by larger party headed by Capt
Wilson, who at once set TO work 10 form
raft
Four nr five womcn aud child were
with tins party the Captain taking spe
rial care If the latter II was washed
OH however
About 81 A. NJ, this party neared thu
shore at " iuclka. The shore WIS an M
even blun' from 80 10 go ioct IN height
with narrow strip oi beach at the base,
Crowd lined the blnh and beach as fat
as thc eye could reach the sea was dot.
Tod with fragments Of wreck. to which
human beings were cliugmg at The mcr
cy ol the furious waves
I Tine rult broke up when 200 yards from
shore, aud only fifteen of the City ou "
were saved. Capt Wilson, cool and
cheerful 10 the last, Nus lost among
them.
The work Of saving the unirtnnatcs
continued until , = NJ, when the last
survivor was dragged ashore The snrl
was 80 violent that it would capsize the
raiis aud smaller fragments OF wreck The
moment tloy came within It, aud almost
within hail vt those on shore and under
their veiy eyes, the wrecked men and wo
men would pcrih several fines eradn
ally nearing the Shore, To within stones
throw, i9Hr or FIVE tunes IN succession,
only ~ bg at last swept uudcr
Thr spectators eXcr,cl themselves
bravrly 10 save the poor wrctches, aHf
m,uy thrilling scenes tod, place in thcs'
close struggles with tie waves for thwii
yietig.s
flie excitement all along fae IfS'
shlre was ta1-t iaieRsc the loss II urat
ly 500 ~ iarir Young men IA q bHdy
'tld iosrlal'y on lhr people Of Aiwou
hor
Among those ou board, and wh1 wcg
iast. were Z a. l.am,aeu, wiG', SOFT y
doyiod isncit,r, and servant, New o.
leans H Ingram, NJ r, proprietor oi
the London Illustrated News, and hi-
son John Hcyan, t ; Deputy Marshal
IT Wisconsin W Garth, wife, and tvs,
daughters, of Paris, Ky. No Other South
errers but Col Lumsden and Garth aud
families