Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-12-21
"reckins of the Propeller Jersey
City.
Awful Scene es of Suffering and Death

Awful Scenes of Suffering and Death.
The propeller Jersey City, of Toledo, was
wrecked in the disastrous storm on Lake
Erie On the 18th ult., near Long Point,
Canada. "A severe gale was blowing at the
time, the cold intense and a furious snow
storm prevailing We condense the follow
ing particulars from the Cleveland Heuld
Those who took to the life-boat were
lost. After the propeller had broken to
pieces, the hurricane deck on which some of
the sufferers were floating, grounded near
shore IN shallow water. Capt Monroe lean
ed into the water with boy in his arms
and waded to tho shore. As the how was
landed, his suspenders broke and his pant
aIoons fell about his ankles, where thew
iroze IN solid mass, claiming him to the
spot where he stood. In few moments the
malt naked boy was dead. Capt. Monroe
walked back to the piece of wreck and di-
rected his comrades where to leap 50 as to
strike in the shallowest water. One by one
the leap was made in safety, until but one
was lett on board and that one was Mr.. A.
IL. Derby, the clerk of the propeller lie
was seen sitting on the wreck, with his head
Gown, as lin despair. After considerable diff
hcutty ne was taken off half dead with cold,
ana Capt Monroe, took him on his back, while
the TWO engineers steadied his legs, so as to
prevent The waves washing him off. In this
way the party waded through the water, ice
making upon them ut every step, the surf
oashlng around them, the bitter wind freez-
ing Their hands and faces, and the binding
sno" obscurlng their view. On reaching
shore the clerk was dead and tie Cartains
arms frozen stiff and clasped around the
arms OF the dead man. The two engineers
were also SO frozen about the hands that
they could render no assistance Finding it
impossible to rid himself OF his terrible bur
den IN any other way, Captain Monroe flung
himself ou- the ground head foremost and
thus spilled the dead man from his shoulders.
But he had escaped from one horrible di-
lemma only to find himself in another. His
trousers were frozen so stiff up to his hips
tnat he was as much unable to rise as if
his legs were encased in lengths of stove
pipe, and his companions could render him
no assistance. At a short distance was the
body OF a man frozen in sitting position
Capt, Monroe managed to roll himself to the
body and by it climbed to his feet
The little party Of survivors now set out
on their painful march towards the light
house, which was at no great distance
they got safely along until within about
three hundred yards of the light house,
when small creek impeded their progress.
First Engineer Manchester attempted to
GROSS the creek, but abandoned it and return
ed to the Shore where he set down exhausted
and despairing. Second Engineer Cummings
| came up and endeavored to encourage him
to further efforts, but in vain. Capt. Mon
roe begged Manchester to rise and make
| an attempt to get around the creek, telling
him the light house was close by.
"'lt's of no use, Captain said the unlortu-
nate man, 4 can't go any further
Cummings placed his arms around the
body OF his comrade, in order to lift him to
his feet, but at that moment the icy hand of
Death was laid on them both, and clasped in
each others arms, face almost touching face,
with words of friendly cheer frozen in the ut
terance, these two brave men--Manchester
and Cummings perished within few min.
utes' walk of safety. In this condition they
were afterwards found by the party in search.
Capt Monroe succeeded in reaching the
light house in safety, although badly frozen.
Out OF twenty-five who had formed the crew
and passengers of the ill-fated Jersey City,
but five survived being Capt. Monroe, two
fremen, the wheelsman and one passenger
The others either perished in the cruel
waves, or were frozen to death in that awful
death march,"