Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1860-09-14
TcrribIe Calamity /!

Another of those terrible calamities, so
destructive to human life, on the sea, oc-
CURED last Saturday on Lake Michigan.
An excursion boat from Milwaukee had
been 10 Chicago and was returning, when
it came in collision at , O'Clock Saturday
morning. and sunk in 500 feet Of water, in
20 minutes after.
There were fom $50 to 400 persons on
board, and only about 100 were saved,
Most of those on board were from Mil
waukie. Several military and fire compa-
MES we're on board and drowned in a body.
There must be nearly 500 lives lost AT
last accounts 100 dead bodies had been re
covered. The clerk Of the boat was saved,
and we copy the following from his state
mena:
II. c. Clary, the clerk Of the steamer,
makes the following statement At about
halfpast this Saturday morning the
schooner Augusta of Oswego, came in
collision with the Lady Elgin,' when about
10 miles from shore. The vessel struck
the steamer at the midshps gangway, on
the larboard side. The two vessels sepa-
rated Instantly, and the AUGUSTA drilled
by in tile darkness At the moment of the
collision there was music and dancing 60
inc on in the forward cabin. In an instant
after the crash all was still. and in half an
hour the steamer sunk. passed through
the cabins. The ladies were pale but ST.
] Oh oh. No
sound but the rush of steam and the surge
of the heavy sea. Whether they were not
fully aware of the danger, or whether their
appalling situation made 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 had pos
sessed himself of one of them, and we were
powerless to manage the boat We sue
ceeded once in reaching the wheel, but
} were quickly drifted away, and afterwards
thrown upon the beach at Winetka. Only
two boats were left on the steamear. One
of them contained Is persons all of whom
were saved The other held persons, bu
only 4 of them reached the shore alive, The
other being drowned at the beach. Be
fore left, the engine had ceased TO work
the fires having been extinguished The
: force and direction of the wind was sucl
: that the boats and fragments of the wrecl
t were driven up the lake and would reacl
the shore in the vicinity of Winetla. A,
| stood upon the beach, hopelessly looking
back upon the route we had drifted, coulC
see in the gray Of morning objects floating
upon the water, and sometimes / though
human beings struggling with the waves"
When intelligence of the loss of thu
steamer reached Milwaukee, on Saturday
it spread ike wildfre throughout the city
The telegraph Office was thronged all day
with relatives and friends of those on board
: Many who were presented with dispatches
were in tears, and the most intense anxict,
and excitment was manifested in the coun
tenances of az. IN the first ward of thai
city it is said there is scarcely a home OF
place of business which has not lost some
inmate or employee.
milwaukee, is shroud in mourning. Dusi
I ness is entirely suspended, and the recep.
e of Senator Seward has been posponed